Old House Journal

The Original Restoration Magazine for people who are passionate about old houses to repair, rehabilitate, update, and decorate their homes; covering all classic American architectural styles,—from the earliest Colonial-era buildings to grand Victorians of every variety to Arts & Crafts bungalows and mid-century ranches.

My Favorite House

SIDE NOTES

Old House Journal • VOLUME LII, ISSUE 5

Outdoor Lighting • Illuminating the entry, the yard, and beyond.

Presenting the Porch • Architectural highlights and furnishings will add curb appeal and creature comforts.

Built Before 1850 • From medieval and classical roots came distinctively American styles Colonial to Greek Revival.

JUICY 1920S BATHROOM REVIVAL • Serial restorers redesign their tired baths in period style, with colorful tile and Art Deco touches.

DESIGN

Sun Parlors & other bright spaces

THATCHED ROOFS

Light-filled Craftsman Redo • For a dark kitchen in a 1914 Illinois house, the trick was anchoring white expanses with woodsy warmth.

RESTORE

The Riddle of the Water • When water incursion happens, the roof isn’t necessarily the culprit. Maybe snaking a drain line, or clearing debris from a clogged gutter, temporarily will stem a leak. But a recurring problem usually means other forces are at work. It takes persistence—and a team with the right skills and patience—to identify the source and apply a solution.

AN UNEXPECTED FLOOD

the trickle effect

WINDOW restoration • Windows were added for the first time when the stone porch, designed to be open, was enclosed. As moisture from above penetrated the walls, windows began to wick water, leading to rot.

THE PARAPET • on the far wing of the house crowns a three-storey bay window. It had a shallow roof that raked left and right, originally covered in copper and equipped with drain holes. Because it was so in-accessible, it was nearly impossible to maintain proper drainage; trees had grown up around it and filled the drains with leaf litter and debris.

Bee REMOVAL • A trip to the nearly inaccessible parapet on the back wing of the house requires one to exit through an attic skylight and then slide down the side of a steep section of roof. After a leak developed in the room directly below it, the owners noticed bees were swarming near one of the drainage holes. No gutter crew would touch it, so homeowner Terry located a hive removal specialist to relocate the bees.

essential TERMS

Roofing & Siding • Make note of these historical and unusual materials for the building envelope.

Navigating the Lumberyard • Here’s some lumber lingo you should know before you venture into a lumberyard.

Patching a Plaster Wall • Fix a hole in the wall with a few common tools and some drywall supplies. Practice your technique!

STUFF A CARPENTER SCREWED UP

For a Wet Basement Wall • If there’s problem common to old houses, it’s a wet basement. I’m not talking about occasional flooding, but rather a basement that apparently seeps or leaks after even a rain shower or during snowmelt. Several approaches are available; sustainable solutions will get to the root of the problem.

INSPIRE

ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS COME TO LIFE • Owners and their designer celebrate the unique features of a 1912 Arts & Crafts Tudor.

DECORATIVE ARCHES • JUST A FEW DOMESTIC EX AMPLES.

ENDURING BEAUTY IN WALLS of STONE • Now back in the family who had been here since 1830, the old farmhouse is again ready for generations to come. Additions dating to 1840 and the 1950s were preserved.

AN OVERVIEW OF METAL ROOFING • METAL ROOFS ARE RESURGENT, FOR GOOD REASONS.

a farmhouse renewed • Sensitive renovations and...