Renovation DIY and old-house restoration, traditional styles, period kitchens, historical decorating, period gardens, from colonial and Victorian through Arts & Crafts and Mid-century Modern: all from Old-House Journal magazine and special-interest titles Old-House Interiors, New Old House, and Early Homes.
Drilling holes in tight spaces can be a challenge for any old house DIY-er, but there are solutions. Here’s a look at the right way and the wrong way to drill holes in small spaces.
Architect J. Everett Schram infuses a new family home with centuries-old Creole soul—giving a nod to vernacular traditions and a tip of his hat to 20th-century Louisiana architect A. Hays Town, who embraced reclaimed materials and the look of age.
An Artist’s Cottage then and now: Long home to artist–owners, the vernacular beach house sits on the shore at Far Rockaway, a half-forgotten part of Queens in New York. Now it’s safe from the tide.
It wasn’t easy moving from a big old Victorian villa to a small ranch house; in fact, it seemed to require a change in lifestyle. But, with a good eye for a few deft improvements to the house, this owner managed to create a layered ambiance full of warmth.
Brian Coleman shares his own restoration of a Victorian cottage into a stunning Queen Anne house filled with 19th-century antiques, salvaged materials, stained glass, Aesthetic Movement furniture, and Victorian collectibles. Visit his Victorian garden, too.
Drilling holes in tight spaces can be a challenge for any old house DIY-er, but there are solutions. Here’s a look at the right way and the wrong way to drill holes in small spaces.
Culled from readers and editors over the years, here are 10 nuggets to help you renovate and decorate without spending a fortune. Taken together, they suggest both a timeline (plan ahead!) and an approach (listen to the house). Take your time. Seek advice from other renovators, reliable contractors, and a designer who can help you avoid pitfalls.
Stripping paint from woodwork is on the list of most-hated restoration jobs. It’s among the most hazardous, too. Fortunately, you no longer have to strip door casings or painted balusters with such hazardous chemicals as methylene chloride, nor should you blast them with high heat. Recent years have brought gentler methods that are just as effective, safer for DIYers, and easier on the wood itself.
