Renovating an older home presents unique challenges and opportunities, especially when the property carries architectural significance. The 1872 Italianate house featured in the 2013-2014 season of This Old House offers an excellent case study in balancing historic preservation with modern living requirements. Located in the historic Boston suburb of Arlington, Massachusetts, this project demonstrates how […]
The renovation of a 1909 Arts and Crafts house in Arlington, Massachusetts, stands as a master class in balancing historic preservation with modern living requirements. The project, featured on This Old House, transformed a once-cramped and disjointed home into a bright, open, and family-friendly residence while honoring its original craftsmanship. For homeowners and professionals undertaking
The construction industry faces a critical challenge: a persistent shortage of skilled tradespeople that threatens project timelines, quality, and overall industry growth. Programs like This Old House’s Generation NEXT apprenticeship initiative have stepped in to address this gap by creating direct pathways into the skilled trades. For contractors, builders, and construction professionals, understanding how these
Season 32 of This Old House takes on one of its most compelling transformations yet: a 1940s Colonial Revival home in Auburndale, Massachusetts, owned by Raveen and Allison Sharma. Nestled along the Charles River in a leafy, tree-lined neighborhood, the house has solid bones and undeniable potential, but it also suffers from a series of
When Samantha and Bryan Langdeau bought their 1,200-square-foot Cape-style home in Waterbury, Connecticut, they faced a familiar small-house dilemma: how to accommodate both overnight guests and their own need for a master bedroom. Their solution was to reserve the two first-floor bedrooms for visitors and claim the unfinished second floor as their private retreat. The
Converting an attic into a finished bedroom is one of the smartest ways to add living space without building an addition. For homeowners who need an extra bedroom, a home office, or a full master suite, the attic often contains untapped square footage just waiting to be transformed. The key is approaching the project with
Few home styles carry the enduring appeal of the Cape Cod. Originating in New England in the 17th century, the Cape Cod house was designed for function: steep roofs shed snow, compact layouts conserved heat, and cedar shingles weathered coastal storms. Today, these homes remain popular for their clean lines and timeless proportions. But many
Some homeowners walk through a dilapidated property and see only costly problems. Annette and Richard Andradez saw an opportunity. The couple, both retired and passionate about preserving historic structures, rescued an 1852 farmhouse in Gardiner, New York, from certain demolition. Over two years, they transformed a decaying structure with crumbling foundations, raccoon-infested floors, and overgrown
When Kysha and Jonathan first toured the 1920s Victorian home in South Atlanta, they saw past the peeling paint, uneven floors, and boarded windows. They recognized a piece of history worth saving. This was the home of Luther Price, South Atlanta’s first postmaster, who ran a post office and general store just down the street
In October 2002, a new kind of home improvement show premiered on PBS. Ask This Old House launched as a sister program to the legendary This Old House, but with a fresh twist: the experts would travel directly to homeowners across the country, answering their most pressing questions face to face. Over the next two
