A Chicken in the Kitchen
Featured

A Chicken in the Kitchen

The old farmhouse was dirty, derelict, and rambling, but this owner came to appreciate its vernacular roots.

By Tovah Martin / Photos from the Kindra Clineff Archive

Welcome to Old House Online

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.

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Belmont College: Learning by Doing
Web Exclusives

Belmont College: Learning by Doing

Thinking about working in historic preservation, traditional building, or the trades? All of the above? Consider the award-winning Building Preservation & Restoration (BPR) program at Belmont College, in St. Clairsville, Ohio. The curriculum combines theoretical knowledge, hands-on skills training, and a passion for craft. The technical side of preservation is presented along with traditional trades (working with glass, wood, windows, plaster, and so on).
2023 Renovation LookBook
Web Exclusives

2023 Renovation LookBook

Our all-new “bookazine” features hundreds of hard-to-find items for every style & era, PLUS editorial extras: shop tours, renovation advice, inspiring house tours, plus kitchens and baths.

House Tours

The House That a Pottery Built
House Tours

The House That a Pottery Built

William Day Gates, founder of an important terra-cotta tile and pottery company, built his retirement home in 1927. Decades later, it would take a knowledgeable Arts & Crafts collector to save the abandoned house in Illinois. Chicago architect John Eifler helped guide the restoration: “The house is a terra cotta and pottery catalog!” he says.
Bayou Bliss
House Tours

Bayou Bliss

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.

Repairs & How To

How to Remove Popcorn Ceiling
Repairs & How To

How to Remove Popcorn Ceiling

An urgent question from an OHJ staffer: “How hard would it be to get rid of my hideous popcorn ceiling?” (If you don’t remember, this is a heavily textured, spray-on finish, sometimes with glitter, popular from the postwar years through the 1970s.) I looked through our archive and found little encouragement. Then I trolled the internet and YouTube. Still not encouraging but certainly entertaining. Here’s my take on the options.
10 Budget-Savvy Renovation Tips
Repairs & How To

10 Budget-Savvy Renovation Tips

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.
How to Strip Paint From Woodwork
Repairs & How To

How to Strip Paint From Woodwork

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.
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