Spring 2024 - February/March/April 2024

This Old House

America's Most Trusted Home Improvement Brand

This Old House6 min read
Around The House
As TOH magazine marks its 29th year of publication, we look back at how we’ve captured the talented team who launched television’s home-improvement genre and continues to set the standard, on some of their—and our—favorite covers. Each one jogs a mem
This Old House2 min read
Of Kitchens, Baths, And Embracing Change
At its core, home renovation is the art—and science—of transformation. Whether you’re tackling a single room, a few adjoining spaces, or a whole house, it’s about taking the physical environment from dated and dysfunctional to something that’s curren
This Old House3 min read
You Did It!
TOH Reader: Steve Hazlett (pup Ellie, shown), Painted Post, NY Our Lab, Ellie, developed arthritis, making stairs a struggle. So for her 15th birthday, I created the Ellie Elevator! I put together a simple drawing based on her size and decided on an
This Old House7 min readArchitecture
From Derelict To Delightful
Some people look at a dilapidated old house and see problems. Annette and Richard Andradez see potential. For years, the couple spent their spare hours cruising the back roads around their home in New York’s Hudson Valley, 75 miles north of Manhattan
This Old House2 min readArchitecture
Character Studies
Built in the first half of the 20th century, Spanish Revival houses feature stucco walls inside and out, archways, large windows, elaborate ironwork, heavy wood beams, and decorative tilework. Talk about a disconnect: Somewhere along the line, the ki
This Old House2 min readArchitecture
Victorian Revival Style: Exuberant Color And Pattern
Ornate Victorian Revival style was fashionable between the mid-1800s and the early 1900s. Though ornamentation is a hallmark of Victorian architecture, kitchens were utilitarian, with less-elaborate millwork and furniture pieces instead of wall cabin
This Old House2 min readArchitecture
Craftsman Style: Simple By Nature
A backlash against Victorian opulence, Craftsman architecture arose around 1905, continuing until about 1930. It is characterized by simple, sturdy forms that celebrate handcraftsmanship, showcasing natural wood elements such as beams, trimwork, and
This Old House2 min readArchitecture
Updated For Today
“The size of homes increased during the ’90s, with overly large baths that builders filled by dropping in giant decked tubs,” says designer Rachel Alcorn. Often the only storage was a clunky low vanity. Parents with a blended family that includes six
This Old House2 min read
The Fix: Luxe Soaker, Upgraded Vanity
“So much valuable real estate wasted!” bemoans designer Emma Legg of the jetted tub and surround that jutted out into the middle of this 190-square-foot bath, with the shower positioned at its foot and the vanity on the same wall at the end of the lo
This Old House2 min read
The Fix: Same Spots, All New Finishes
Bling wasn’t just for jewelry in the ’90s. “Dark granite, heavy wood, chunky mirror trim, and ornate crystal chandeliers all had their moment—and all look dated now,” says designer Jennifer Davis. The ubiquitous McMansions of the era saw lots of wall
This Old House1 min read
Meeting More Than Halfway
When working with a medium as fluid as paint, why not allow yourself some extra creative freedom? That philosophy is put into practice here by the team of Hendricks Churchill—the proof is in this pantry in the couple’s renovated 1871 house, which is
This Old House2 min readArchitecture
Building Better
Choosing the correct water-resistive barrier (WRB) for a house, a.k.a. house wrap, is one of the most important decisions a builder makes, says Dettmore. “You need something that will continue to be air and water resistive in the future, even after a
This Old House6 min readArchitecture
Reviving a Victorian
On a tree-lined street in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, among houses of similar size and vintage, stands the gray Victorian that has been Sunita and Shankar Chaudhuri’s home for nearly 30 years. From the start, the three-story house, built in 1887, warmed
This Old House2 min read
Luxury Vinyl Floors
Maybe you’ve been impressed by photos of the wide oak boards lining a friend’s kitchen only to learn they’re actually vinyl. Or have enjoyed the whitewashed planks—and easy care—of wood-look vinyl floors in a beach-house rental. This “luxury vinyl” i
This Old House5 min readArchitecture
At Ease At Last
Thanks to her work as a cooking coach and recipe developer, Karen Tremewan Carbone knows how to transform a collection of raw ingredients into a dish to be savored. But she could never figure out how to bring the same kind of harmony to her West Los
This Old House3 min read
Is Luxury Vinyl Right For You?
✚ REALISTIC LOOKS Manufacturers have made huge strides in replicating the look of wood flooring, with improved high-definition photo-printed imagery, as well as edges milled with micro-bevels that mimic those found on prefinished hardwood. Some stone
This Old House1 min read
Durability Counts
Knight Tile in Grey Limed Oak SCB-KP138-6 The look: Oak graining with a gray-washed finish Details: Click-and-lock planks, SPC core; 36×6 inches and 2mm thick; 12-mil wear layer Cost: $4.58 per sq. ft. uninstalled; karndean.com Van Gogh in Light Coun
This Old House1 min readChemistry
Getting To The Core
WPC is the first rigid luxury vinyl plank, designed to compete with tongue-and-groove, prefinished hardwood floors. A top wear layer of polyurethane (A), measured in mils (the equivalent of one-thousandth of an inch), covers a photo-printed layer tha
This Old House2 min readArchitecture
Install It Two Ways
Similar to the tongue-and-groove system on wood floors, click-and-lock flooring holds together as one monolithic mass that floats over the subfloor. It’s faster to install than glue-down types, and more popular. Other things to keep in mind: > It gen
This Old House1 min read
Choose Your Look
Inspired by old-world stone floors, these 12-inch glue-down squares offer a contemporary twist on the classic black-and-white checkerboard. Dovetail Ink Black, $4.99 per sq. ft.; harveymaria.com These 6-by-36-inch commercial-grade planks glue down i
This Old House4 min read
Inspired Choices
From the British design duo known for kitchen fixtures in authentic aged brass comes this high-arc bridge faucet with an antique silver look. The aged living finish never needs polishing. From $900; devolkitchens.com This 30-inch column isn’t just sl
This Old House9 min readArchitecture
Adding Basement Egress
An exterior entrance directly into your basement can simplify every-thing from moving in an extra fridge to upgrading the HVAC system. It’s also required if you finish the basement—enhancing the value and functionality of your home—though it doesn’t
This Old House3 min read
Hexagonal Herb Planter
After a decade of harvests, the raised beds in the community garden of Plympton, MA, were in desperate need of some TLC—and Girl Scout Troop 70837 was ready to dig in. Fortunately, 8-year-old Brownie Audrey Hickey had an ace up her sleeve: her uncle
This Old House2 min read
Must-haves For Yard Work
From keeping turf grass a velvety green to shaping up shrubs and filling new planting beds with perennials, staying on top of landscape maintenance is not a “one and done” deal. “Except maybe in the dead of winter, there’s always something that needs
This Old House2 min read
[What’s New]
Wagner Flexio Cordless 3550 Sprayer What’s a better way to apply a finish than a high-volume, low-pressure sprayer? How about using one without a cord or hose to trip you up. This gun offers DIYers an easier way to flawlessly apply paints and stains
This Old House3 min read
[Upkeep]
Dirt, exposure to the elements, and constant use can turn sliding doors into sticking doors. Before spending $100 or more on a house call, try this four-step fix: 1) Clean the track. Use a stiff brush and soapy water to scrub away accumulated grime.
This Old House3 min read
Concrete-top End Table
Industrial-modern design is every-where these days, with its blend of warm wood and metal or concrete. Having admired a table with a sleek tapered base and a simple concrete top, I wanted to try my hand at a similar mixed-media build. I was nervous a
This Old House12 min read
ask This Is Old House
TOH building engineer Ross Trethewey: It’s smart to pay attention to water stains; when left untreated, minor leaks can lead to mold or cause major damage to insulation and other building materials. Finding the source of the problem can be challengin
This Old House1 min read
This Old House
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kathryn Keller MANAGING EDITOR Gyna Soucy DESIGN EDITOR Nicole Esposito-Polly CONTRIBUTING SENIOR EDITORS Jill Connors, Joe Hurst-Wajszczuk CONTRIBUTING ASSOCIATE EDITOR Suzanne Zenkel CONTRIBUTING RESEARCH EDITOR Jeremy Lange CONTR
This Old House2 min readArchitecture
Fanciful Italianate With Good Bones
THE HISTORY This 4,159-square-foot house was built circa 1870, when the small city was a booming manufacturing center and grand homes were constructed on its most elegant street. In the early 1890s, the house was home to local postmaster Charles Week

This Old House

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