Tabla de contenidos para July/August 2022 en Old House Journal

Renovating comes with highs and lows. I’m pleased that most of my decisions have held up and I now enjoy living here. It’s ecstasy when perennials re-emerge, and when I find I still like the colors I painstakingly chose 25 years ago. Still, mine is a wood house on the New England coast, so rot happens. Cyclical repairs don’t create the sinking feeling of being told foundation timbers need replacing, but they do cause temporary agony to the checking account. A new homeowner asked me: What would I change if I had it to do over? I could write a (boring) book! Some top-of-my-head advice in bullet points: RENOVATION: Run electrical lines, plumbing chases, and ductwork early, even to spaces you’re not ready to finish. Going back later is disruptive…

1. TELLING TIME The aluminum Sundial Armillary is a full 26" wide and may be mounted on a contrasting black pedestal. Sturdily made, the sculptural piece tells the hour if aligned to true north when mounted. It’s $299; optional 30" x 12" pedestal is $459. Garden Artisans, (410) 672-0082, gardenartisans.com 2. RECOVER YOUR WICKER Newly available stateside, the Liberty Garden outdoor collection includes their Persian Jacquard, an Arts & Crafts-inspired botanical in coral, peach, and pink. [Similar furniture: sikadesignusa.com] Pair it with basket-weave Arbor fabric in Fennel. Colorway sets include Lacquer (shown), Jade, Pewter, and Lapis. To the trade. Fabricut, (800) 999-8200, fabricut.com 3. READY TO VINE Constructed of kiln-dried, select Western red cedar, Catalina Estate Lattice finished with copper-topped pyramid post caps discreetly screens a private area or trains…

CARRIAGE HOUSE or barn lookalike If the automobile garage itself has little precedent as a fully detailed, multi-function space, that’s not true of outbuildings in general. Surviving barns, offering lots of room and storage capacity, were remade by several generations to become vacation homes, car barns with workshops, home offices, and so on. Victorian-era houses may have had a carriage house later converted to garage space. “Converted barn” and “carriage house” are common scenarios used by designers for adding a garage to a 19th-century house. Bungalows often had a garage from the beginning; catalogs and plan books from as early as 1909 include garages that mimic the style of the new homes they accompany. Sometimes a rather plain, hip- or gable-roofed garage is most suitable. the garage, designed specifically for…

These garden houses are a focal point for year-round interest and serve as a protected place to sit outdoors. “Gazebos were all the rage during the 1980s and ’90s,” says Vixen Hill owner Christopher Peeples. Old-house people remain a reliable customer base: Gazebos were popular throughout the Victorian era, and, during the early 20th century, they dotted the landscape around mountain and seaside retreats. • New gazebos are octagonal or elongated and up to 15' or 19' wide (larger structures up to 30' are called pavilions). Choose from options in material and finish, single- or double-tier roofs (cedar, aluminum, or copper), flooring, rails, and finials. See configurations in the Vixen Hill showroom in Elverson, Chester County, Pennsylvania—or online, where you can design your ideal gazebo and then get a quote.…

Bell-shaped pendants over the island allude to historical service lighting. This Lumley Pendant by Currey & Co. has “rustic Parisian café” allusions. With an adjustable stem, the wrought-iron fixture is 14" high with a 13" diameter. In the French Black finish, it’s $592. lightology.com That the modern-furniture purveyor West Elm offers a Windsor counter stool is testimony to the timeless design of this chair type. In white-painted solid rubberwood, 39" high overall, it costs $219. Also available in black and as dining chairs sold in pairs. westelm.com This unusual cup pull from Lee Valley was reproduced from an antique. In antique nickel or antique bronze, the 3" C-to-C pull is 4 ¾" wide overall. With mounting hardware included, the French Farm Cup Pull sells for $19.50 each. leevalley.com The…

Wood casement windows that have been open all summer may swell, making it hard to close them fully. (The open side may be misaligned—say, dropping down and too wide at the top while the bottom appears to have a gap.) If that’s the case, try loosening the screws on the interior hinge plates. This will permit play in the window. • With a helper, lift and push up or down on the window as needed until the open edge of the window more-or-less lines up with the casement. Tap along the stile with a soft rubber mallet. If one area overhangs the casement, keep lifting and shifting the window until you can see the beginnings of a gap. Then tap firmly up and down the stile. You may also need…

1. ELEGANT SLIDE Add a cremone bolt to a casement window to keep it latched firmly in place. One of dozens of patterns available, the Temple in solid brass fits windows up to 6' high. It comes in five finishes, including polished brass (shown): $174. Signature Hardware, (855) 715-1800, signaturehardware.com 2. THREE-IN-ONE The LEANSAFE X3 ladder can be securely leaned against a wall or corner, making it ideal for window work. It seamlessly changes from step- to straight ladder in one quick adjustment and has a 10' reach. Weight: 24 lbs. Weight capacity: 375 lbs. $129 and up. Werner, (888) 523-3370, wernerco.com 3. ENDURING STYLE Inspired by bungalow and Arts & Crafts doors of the early 20th century, the Craftsman Door series in weatherproof fiberglass features flat panel designs with…

From Colonial settlements through the first half of the 20th century, wood structures were most often clad in some type of wood siding. Clapboards were an early bevel siding. At first, they were split rather than sawn, and each board most often was fastened directly to the studs. In the 18th and 19th centuries, clapboards were fastened to wood sheathing sandwiched between the studs and the exterior cladding. Clapboards offer the advantage of overlapping layers, keeping out the rain no matter how much the wood might shrink. As mills began to produce decorative sidings featuring beads, quarter rounds, coves, etc., the boards couldn’t simply be butted against each other without making allowances for shrinkage and expansion. Tongues and grooves, or rabbets, are milled on the edges of boards. WRONG WAY…

SUCCESS!: STONE HOUSE KITCHEN FLOOR Castle Gate color, herringbone pattern Old Mill Brick oldmillbrick.com KITCHEN CABINETS lower (natural wood) Schuler Cabinetry schulercabinetry.com • upper (Mission in Linen finish) Shenandoah Cabinetry shenandoahcabinetry.com, all through Lowe’s lowes.com KITCHEN COUNTERS quartz in Et Statuario Silestone silestone.com DINING CHAIRS Cline in Charcoal Pottery Barn potterybarn.com TABLE LINENS Hearth & Hand, Magnolia Home magnolia.com, through Target target.com BATH WALLPAPER ‘Olive Branch’ spray & stick Magnolia Home magnolia.com BATH SINK ‘Memoirs’ Kohler kohler.com PAINT walls Extra White SW7006 • trim Requisite Gray SW7023 sherwin-williams.com Related Resources Inglenook Tile inglenooktile.com Thin-brick tile for floors & walls Historic House Fitters historichousefitters.com Superb, early period lighting & hardware Period Lighting Fixtures periodlighting.com Handmade reproductions 1620–1850 GARAGE DESIGN GARAGE DOORS Specialists in period-appropriate garage doors may offer coordinating peripherals such as windows & glazing, hardware, driveway gates. Amarr…

MID-CENTURY DESIGNERS The newest book about the work of Charles and Ray Eames is from the European publisher Poligrafa. It introduces key works by the American couple known for their contributions to architecture, industrial and furniture design, and photography. At the same time, Poligrafa is releasing a book on Charlotte Perriand, the French architect and furniture designer who collaborated with Le Corbusier … and another on Eileen Gray, a previously overlooked furniture designer and architect whose work inspired both Art Deco and modernism. The publisher’s “Objects and Furniture” series has covered iconic modern designers from Mies to Saarinen; out-of-print titles are usually available through vintage book sellers or through amazon.com. CHARLES AND RAY EAMES: Objects and Furniture Design Poligrafa, 08/30/2022; $30. From artbook.com/poligrafa.html…

The porch swing has been a nostalgic fixture for well over a century. In this period, whether the house is Colonial Revival or a bungalow, you might have found chunky “Mission-style” versions hung on heavy chains. This loveseat swing in the Mission collection can be made in cypress (two stain and six paint colors) or weatherproof HDPE. It’s 56" wide x 36" deep. Many cushion options. Call (404) 370-1505 or go to the website for a quote: missionmotif.com The Sebring outdoor wall sconce from Sea Gull Lighting comes in brushed-stainless, black, and weathered-copper finishes. Wet-rated, the Small is 8" wide by 11 ¼" high, extension 9 ¼"; larger size and LED conversion available. Cost runs $88–140. Through Lumens: lumens.com The Curtis Companies were a conglomerate of sash, door, and millwork…

Wallpapering can’t be that complicated, I thought, as I contemplated a DIY job in my little powder room. When strips began peeling off the wall and paste was drying in my hair, I knew I was over my head. Then I met with the Seattle-based wallpaper hanger Jeffrey Tritt (trittj@msn.com) to write this article aimed at novices. He reassures me that wallpapering is doable if you break it down and are have the right equipment and tools before you start. Tritt helped me sum up the process in 10 steps. 1. Measure carefully before ordering. (Google “wallpaper calculator” or go right to omnicalculator.com) You need the room’s length, width, and height; also, the number of doors and windows and their measurements. 2. Review the wallpaper’s specifications on pattern repeat and…

Mistakes happen but are often manageable. Try to start papering as far away as possible from the entrance to the room, so seams and early mishaps are less obvious. no. 1 Don’t worry if you cut a strip too short. Attach the cut strip as usual. Then add a splice, matching the pattern but overlapping a decent amount. Use an X-acto to cut away through both layers (perhaps following the pattern to avoid a straight line), then peel away the overlap, leaving a butted seam. Smooth. | no. 2 Immediately peel back a strip if you see bubbles under the paper, reapplying and gently smoothing it down with a wallpaper brush or a plastic smoother, working towards the edge. | no. 3 When paper is curling up at a seam,…

Q: My 1911 house was designed by British–Canadian Arts & Crafts architect Eden Smith. I’m looking for the small wooden centerpieces used on crossbeam ceilings. —Stephen Rouse, Toronto, Ontario A: We’re not quite clear on what you mean by wooden centerpieces. Very often, in Craftsman houses, electricity is run in the (hollow) boxed beams and small lights are found where beams intersect. These typically are simply bare bulbs screwed into a small-diameter canopy. Might you be referring to applied ornament? That seems unlikely in an Arts & Crafts house. In a photo of the inglenook in an important Eden Smith house of 1896, we see horizontal corbels, perhaps suggesting dressed joist ends, crossing header beams. If this is what you’re looking to reproduce, you can bring a sample to a…

• RECTANGULAR FORMS The overall massing may be simple—a box—or consist of intersecting boxes. Occasionally a rounded end or tower is present. Roofs are flat. • LACK OF ADORNMENT Framed glass and grid-like repetition take the place of ornament and even texture. This is the most austere of 20th-century Modern styles. • MODERN MATERIALS Such machine-age construction materials as steel, concrete, and glass lend themselves to sameness of form and lack of ornament. • LARGE EXPLANSES OF GLASS In such extreme examples as Philip Johnson’s Glass House, the building is virtually transparent. Window walls, ribbon windows, and repetitive grids of glazing are found. • MINIMALISM Not only the architecture but also interior spaces are uncluttered, simple, and sleek. Indoors and outdoors merge with patios, bare windows, indoor plants. • OPEN INTERIORS Walls came down,…

Mark McDonald didn’t invent Mid-century Modern, of course, but he is credited for putting it on the furnishing and decorating map. The sleek, spare, often curvaceous motifs were all the rage—and not so long ago. Still, at a time when American antiques collectors were interested in much older finds, McDonald gave mid-century pieces credibility. In the late 1970s, he’d landed an invaluable apprenticeship with Lillian Nassau, a specialist in Art Nouveau and Art Deco design, and specifically in the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany. McDonald, though, veered into a specialty in Mid-century Modern, immersing himself in exhaustive studies of the major and minor players in the movement. In 1983, he opened Fifty/50 on Broadway in Manhattan, a shop that spearheaded MCM’s surge to stardom. He is known as Mr. Modernism.…

1. EARTH-FRIENDLY TUB Reconnect to the land with the Avalon 62" NativeStone bathtub, shown in Earth. Hand-formed and -polished with thick, heat-retaining walls, the tub is an eco-conscious blend of natural jute and cement that weighs less than expected. $8,990. Native Trails, (800) 786-0862, nativetrailshome.com 2. PIE SAFE IN SOUTHWEST AQUA The Fable Porch Shaker pie safe is finished in a certain blue over a Sicily rub, resulting in a Southwestern turquoise blue. The handmade piece comes in seven wood species and thousands of custom finishes. It measures 34" wide x 48" high x 15" deep: $1,776. March Legend, (866) 611-5224, marchlegend.com 3. TRUE BRICK Due to their high compressive strength, traditional square-edged Pathway pavers are suitable for residential driveways and walks. Made of naturally sustainable clay in a range…

I was walking my newly adopted dog, Rylee, when Brian struck up a conversation. I’m from eastern Pennsylvania, but was living in Fort Worth, Texas; Brian is a native Texan. Well, we got married, renovated a small house and, in 2017, decided to move and buy a house in the area where I’d grown up. We like to put our own mark on home—and that’s hard when you’re renting. For two years we house-hunted, but nothing worked out. We weren’t picky; we put an offer on anything with a roof! What I really wanted was a Bucks County farmhouse, but we were sure that was beyond our means. Finally, in May 2019, we made an offer that was accepted. Four months later we moved into the house in Chalfont, in…

Many older houses evolved from a small, original structure that subsequently had additions built. Architect James Crisp, who works with houses that may be over two centuries old, says he always tries to restore the historic parts, then renovate or adjust additions in a way that’s complementary to the original intention. Here, the oldest section had sustained extensive damage from water, termites, and rot. Not much that remained was salvageable. The exterior and entry porch were rebuilt more in keeping with history. Inside, rebuilding afforded an opportunity to open up the plan to create comfortable family spaces on a historic site. The kitchen is all new, located in the same spot as the original. The owners asked for a classic, black-and-white scheme. Mixing materials—in this case marble, wood, and soapstone—is…

Love the idea of operable windows in summer, but worried about winter drafts and heat loss? Outfitting your casements with interior inserts of acrylic or glass can reduce energy costs up to 20 percent. What’s more, inserts easily pop into place and may be swapped out for flexible screens (like those from FlexScreen) during warm weather. At least one company, Allied Windows, offers inserts for both outswing and inswing casements; the exterior ones—best for fixed casements—are designed and painted to match the historic window profile. Inswing models may be ordered with an interchangeable screen insert. As different companies offer different systems and different glazing options, look at products from more than one company (see Resources, p. 87). For example, Indow offers at least three types of acrylic inserts, including the standard,…

Although most common in American homes built between the two World Wars, steel windows have a much longer history. Casement windows were produced as early as 1818 in England, where the still-active company Hope’s was born. Usually made of virgin steel, frames of vintage windows are typically harder and have greater tensile strength than modern windows made with recycled steel. A short list of past manufacturers includes Hope’s, Crittall, Detroit Steel, Fenestra, Lupton, Thorn, and Trusscon. Vintage catalogs for several of these makers can be found online at archive.org.…

• cold water paste It comes as a powder to be mixed with water before application. This type takes practice: too runny and the paper won’t stick, too thick and lumps happen. Suitable for most papers, it takes the longest to dry, allowing more time for corrections. • all-purpose paste Available either as a powder or ready-mixed, this type contains a fungicide, which helps avoid mold in bathrooms or kitchens. • heavy-duty / extra strength paste Usually vinyl-based, this type works best with heavier, high-end papers, as it dries quickly before the paper can loosen. It can be harder to remove, however. • paste-the-wall adhesive Some papers specify applying paste to the wall only. Be sure to read the instructions for your paper beforehand. • ready-to-use paste Premixed pastes are easier to use but more…

Before you begin, inspect the porch itself. Look at the foundation, the floor joists and other structural members under the deck, and the floorboards. Is the span between columns sagging? Is water trickling out under the soffit? (If so, remove face boards to inspect timbers beneath.) If the structure appears damaged, have an engineer or architect do a full assessment. INSPECTION You can stabilize columns even if more work will be needed elsewhere on the porch. If the wood is trapping and holding moisture, the results will be paint peeling, deterioration of glue joints, and eventual rot. High moisture content causes expansion, stressing the wood structure and causing loosened joints and sprung staves (if the shaft is stave-built). Extremes of wet and dry may cause solid and hollow-bored columns to…

Several Italian styles developed here, derived not from buildings in Italy but from the revival, in England, of Italian Renaissance architecture. The Italian Villa is large, and asymmetrically anchored by a campanile (bell tower). Unendingly picturesque, it has a deeply bracketed cornice, round-topped or pedimented windows, and balconies with bold balustrades. The Tuscan Villa has a cubic shape; its nearly flat roof is topped with a cupola-like belvedere (lookout, or “beautiful to view”). The so-called Italianate house appeared after the romantic Villa styles were established, extending the popularity of Italian details through the 1880s. Italianate is a looser designation describing a building with a combination of Italian shapes and details, in either simplified or exaggerated fashion. (Its name along the Hudson River is the Bracketed Style, after hard-to-miss carved brackets…

1. MODERN LOUNGE CHAIR Low, wide, and comfortable, the industrial-look Hee chair is stackable. Long-wearing for outdoor use, of powder-coated steel, in black, white, Asphalt Grey, or Fall Green. It’s selling for $250–$295 each through Design Within Reach, (800) 944-2233, dwr.com 2. PRIVACY SCREEN Simple geometry and the longevity of clear Western red cedar make the Moderna Panel Screen from Woodway an enduring choice. Kiln-dried, pre-sanded screens are 4' x 6' or 4' x 8', $190– $293 per panel. (503) 631-4408, woodwayproducts.com 3. HELIX SCONCE The efficient Modern Forms Helix 24" Bronze LED Light has smooth curves. Installed lights up, it produces a cascade; lights down, it highlights a garden or house detail. Bronze over heavy-gauge aluminum, ELV dimmer; about $325 from Lamps Plus, (800) 782-1967, lampsplus.com 4. ALL-WEATHER PLANTERS…