Innehållsförteckning för September/October 2023 från Old House Journal

So many stories to tell… THE NATIONAL MAGAZINE that started as a newsletter for Brooklyn brownstoners, in 1973, is celebrating a milestone birthday. Though it’s been only 45 years for me (!), I have been swept into the nostalgia—for those old, typed issues punched with three binder holes, for the thousands of houses we’ve covered, and especially for the people I’ve met. Some have passed, others are still contributing, many are part of the new generation leaning toward restoration. In its full-of-promise “before” state or after restoration, whether a low-ceilinged shingled Colonial or an opulent limestone chateau: old houses are wonderful. So is this cohort of folks who live by the commitment to leave things better than they found them. OHJ isn’t the biggest or most famous of the shelter…

1. BABY IN BRONZE Suitable for a mantel or newel post, the Cherub Bronze with Torch stands 21" high; 13" wide x 10" deep. Cast using the lost-wax method, individual pieces are brazed together and hand-chased. The cherub weighs 15 lbs. $425. Niagara Furniture, (717) 563-7764, niagarafurniture.com 2. PASSION FOR POMPEII The Herter Brothers Tradition collection offers full roomsets inspired by classical Greek motifs. Elements include Passion Flower wall fill and Herter Dado, both shown in Pompeiian Burgundy. Fill: $122 per single roll. Dado: $55 per yard. Bradbury & Bradbury, (707) 746-1900, bradbury.com 3. SOPHISTICATED LACE The Eastlake lace panel interprets Aesthetic Movement motifs found in Second Empire, Stick Style, and Queen Anne homes 1870–1890. Designed by Steve Bauer, the figured panels are 18" to 45" wide, with lengths up…

A small Victorian cabin was substantially redone in 1904 in shingled Elizabethan mode to become the summer cottage of a Boston barrister. The interior was rustic. The products shown were used in restoring this house—all found, of course, through OHJ. “Now hanging on my outside porch wall is Brass Light Gallery’s European Country Wide Curved arm Exterior Wall Light. It comes in seven metal finishes (this is Verdigris Patina) with several art-glass options.” brasslightgallery.com “My moody dining room (not shown) rejected every rug borrowed from a dealer: even those labeled Arts & Crafts had been recolored for today’s decorators and seemed to float. Not so ‘Wyndham’ from The Persian Carpet, reminiscent of Voysey or Gavin Morton.” persiancarpet.com “The fir floor in my kitchen has taken a beating and looks it—but…

Charles Nevinson buys in bulk: 300 pairs of doors from France, 8,000 tiles from Belfast. He can outfit an entire home. Born and raised in the U.K., Nevinson comes from a family of architects and artists. A favorite childhood pastime was counting chimney pots on walks about London. He had a successful early career in capital development, restoring historic London buildings for adaptive reuse (to pubs, restaurants, wine bars, townhomes) and in the process making invaluable salvage contacts across Europe. He helped restore Boston’s Faneuil Hall; after completing a project in Atlanta, he decided to stay here and open his architectural salvage business, in 1981. Nevinson started out in a small house (Dick Van Dyke had lived there) but outgrew it and moved to the abandoned, 30,000-square-foot Foremost Dairy building. He…

“To save time, the roofers didn’t remove the old asphalt shingles. Now we have a leak!” I live in an old farmhouse with a vaulted ceiling in the living room. The room is open to an adjacent space with a ceiling that slopes away from the fireplace chimney. About 10 years ago, I replaced an aging roof with standing-seam metal. To save time and money, the roofers didn’t remove the old asphalt shingles. A leak continues to reappear in the sloped ceiling near the chimney. We’ve repaired the ceiling and reflashed the chimney, but nothing works. THE FIX In retrospect, you’ve probably realized that the mistake was not ripping off the old shingles before adding the new roofing. There may be a tiny opening or other damage within or under…

Small, hydraulic or screw jacks capable of safely lifting and supporting several tons are conveniently purchased online. (Be careful of buying used equipment, particularly hydraulic.) Although such projects move beyond “everyday maintenance,” the porch is a likely place where jacks might be used by a homeowner. You can’t beat the safety and convenience of jacks when you need to remove a structural porch column for repair or replacement. Being able to “lift” the roof an eighth of an inch will make all the difference between an afternoon job and a nightmare. The key is to make sure that the jack is set on firm footing. WRONG WAY SUNK IN DIRT When deciding where to place a jack, don’t assume the soil is “solid enough.” Do some preparation: Dig around for…

PRESERVED STATE Rooms are remarkably original at Clovesend, a house in the same family for three generations. Unpainted woodwork, decorative finishes, period lighting, and antiques remain. ELEGANT COMFORT The house is transitional, simpler and more modern than those of the Victorian era, with a casual air. Windows are many and large, fixtures designed for electricity. Embossed materials including Lincrusta–Walton and compo (composite) ornament decorate frieze bands, borders, and entire walls in main rooms. Ceilings and friezes are further decorated with glazes and painted stenciling. Before this Catskills town was a ski resort, it was a weekend destination for well-to-do New Yorkers who built grand “cottages” in styles from rustic to Neoclassical Revival. By the late 1930s, many of those weekenders were no longer wealthy. That was when Brooklyn textile-mill owner…

The brownstone newsletter was founded in 1973 by Clem Labine, in Brooklyn. Patricia Poore joined the staff in the late 1970s, becoming Clem’s partner, then owner and publisher in 1988. OHJ moved to Gloucester, Massachusetts. Sister publication Old-House Interiors debuted in 1994. Early Homes (since reabsorbed into OHJ) came along in 2004, Arts & Crafts Homes in 2005. The Old-House Journal Buyer’s Guide Catalog (the first directory of renovation/restoration products and companies) morphed into our Renovation Lookbook. OHJ had a couple of owners before becoming part of AIM, Active Interest Media, who purchased its sister magazines in 2009. Meanwhile, Clem Labine went on to start the trade journals Traditional Building and Period Homes. All are now one family at AIM. Early on, a critic said OHJ was like “advice over…

1. TINY STARBURST Backed by a starburst base measuring slightly less than 2" wide, the Polaris cabinet knob makes the perfect accent for a bath or kitchen cabinet in your dream Ranch. It comes in three finishes, including polished nickel (shown): $55.95. House of Antique Hardware, (888) 223-2545, houseofantiquehardware.com 2. GLAMOROUS The Hollywood pendant goes glam with the addition of the Deco Wedding Cake tiered shade. Shown in lacquered polished brass, it comes in five other finishes. Overall length: 23" to 200”. $679. Rejuvenation, (888) 401-1900, rejuvenation.com 3. INDUSTRIAL CHIC The Wilcox deep-bowl wall sconce, galvanized or in colorful porcelain enamel, is configured for integrated LED lamping. Pair over a double vanity or kitchen counter for a pop of color. In three sizes, $445 to $469. (Add $99 for Jadeite,…

Our archive is evergreen—by which I mean that rooms depicted in OHJ don’t date themselves quite like those in most shelter magazines. Others chronicle trends (if you’ve picked up a 1950s magazine in a secondhand shop and giggled at the décor, you know what I mean). Most of the houses in OHJ feel timeless: because they are old to begin with and because their interiors are designed to complement the house. Less is torn out to be replaced by the new. Tradition and character play a bigger role. Also significant is that many of the houses we feature belong to OHJ readers, self-educated and creative, who act as their own decorators. Their houses are unique and far more personal than those professionally choreographed. holistic design With a mix of antique…

The three-storey American Foursquare was built in 1909. Although the back kitchen was a rare time capsule dating to the 1920s, it hadn’t functioned well for decades. One big room with neither cabinets nor built-ins for storage, it housed a 6 ½-foot-long sink that blocked the basement door. Since the 1970s, the separate butler’s pantry, much remodeled, had served as the main kitchen. "We agonized over what to do for years," says homeowner Jack. He and his wife, Sig, got help from restoration consultant Karla Pearlstein and designer Matthew Roman. The consensus was to create a usable space that had the feeling of a 1910s kitchen. The main “stove room” would remain and so would the pantry. After removal of oak-veneer cabinets, a dropped ceiling, and fluorescent lighting, the butler’s…

1. A BIG NATURAL DUSTER The Big Wooly Dust Mop with a telescoping handle makes short work of cobwebs and dust in high-ceilinged coves and corners—even if you’re only 5' tall! The all-wool mop has a large swiveling head that shakes clean and does not require a cleaning agent. $49.98. Sladust, (802) 779-2541, sladust.com 2. A LIGHTWEIGHT DRILL Anyone can wield the PS31-2A 12-volt lithium ion cordless drill and driver: it’s a mere 2 lbs. The ⅜ " single-sleeve chuck serves for most drilling chores, and the 7" head is small enough to reach into corners. With two batteries and charger, about $139. Bosch, (877) 267-2499, boschtools.com 3. FLATHEAD SCREWS Ever notice how hard it is to find flathead screws? This start-up company offers new and new-old stock, solid-brass flatheads,…

Some people scour thrift shops to find salvaged house parts. In a service born from necessity (and her own frustration), Esther Judge–Lennox scours paperwork to save buildings. The Shacks on Racks founder follows the Teton County Historic Preservation Board’s demolition process to find houses headed for the landfill. Tucked into an emerald valley filled with pine trees and crisp alpine rivers, surrounded by massive peaks, Wyoming’s Teton County is an irresistible locale. The Jackson Hole ski resort is legendary; Jackson is the quintessential mountain town of the old West. Up until now, that is. As the most expensive county in the United States, Teton County’s cost of living has been squeezing out teachers, health-care workers, service providers, mail carriers—all those people who hold a community together. Jackson never saw it…

Bow windows gently curve in a convex semi-circle; historically, these were fitted with bent glass. Among the most famous are those in the ca. 1820s bow-front town houses in Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood, where windows are notable for their lavender glass. Bent (slumped, curved) glass is made by heating in a kiln until it is softened enough to slump or sag into or over a mold. In the tower shown, simulated wood muntins are twisted helically to follow the curve of the glass. The diamond lattice pattern was popular on Shingle Style and Queen Anne houses 1885–1920. Such windows are custom-built to order by HeartWood Windows & Doors: heartwoodwindowsanddoors.com…

Pictures don’t always tell the full story behind what it means to own, restore—and perpetually maintain—an old house. Like most of our readers, OHJ staff members have restored key features and remodeled kitchens and bathrooms as money and time permit. To me, overcoming problems on the way to creating beautiful or at least useful spaces is perhaps the most exhilarating part of restoration. I say that as I embark on my summer project: stripping multiple layers of cakedon paint from the floor of a large, screened-in porch. For others of us, it was adapting the design of a mid-1800s beadboard sink cabinet into a seacoast kitchen remodel … or choosing a much-loved wallpaper for a tiny powder room. I’d almost rather have a problem that requires professional assistance to address;…

At the turn of the 20th century, houses with indoor plumbing typically had only one full bathroom, designed as a “modern and sanitary” space with easy-to-clean surfaces and three fixtures. Whether you’re refurbishing an existing bath or adding a second, design today can accommodate period style while offering function and convenience. • Start with the walls and floors. A subway-tile wainscot (often 5’ high) or a tiled floor in one- or two-inch hexagons or penny rounds (or basketweave etc.) enhances almost any old-house bathroom. Consider an accent such as “daisy” insets or a Greek-key border. In children’s and rural bathrooms, beaded-board wainscots painted white were pretty standard. • Install a throwback sink. Pedestal sinks were popular from the end of the 19th century through the 1930s. They take up less…

BUNGALOW SUCCESS WINDOWS Auralast (wood) from JELD-WEN jeld-wen.com FLOORING luxury vinyl plank Cali Saddlewood calibamboo.com DECKING Fiberon fiberondecking.com FURNITURE (similar) Design Within Reach dwr.com Hive hive.com TILES (powder rm.) 12" x 24" American Noir black-veined porcelain flooring tile DESIGN FAVORITES p. 29 WALLPAPER/FABRICS Morris & Co. morrisandco. sandersondesigngroup.com p.30 FURNITURE (top left) Stickley stickley.com DESIGNER (top right) Deborah Mariotti mariottistudio.com CHANDELIER ‘Heracleum’ Moooi moooi.com BOOK (btm. right) House Colors by Susan Hershman, Gibbs Smith p. 31 ARCHITECT (btm. left.) PBDW Architects pbdw.com DESIGNER (btm. ctr.) Sadro Interior Design sadrodesign.com p. 32 BED (similar) Leonards New England leonardsnewengland.com KITCHEN & PANTRY RESTORATION CONSULTANT Karla Pearlstein, Restoring History restoringhistory.com DESIGNER Matthew Roman, Roman Design roman-design.com GC Mike Edeen, Artisan Woodworks artisanpdx.com REPRO. LIGHTING Schoolhouse schoolhouse.com HARDWARE Shenandoah Antique Restoration Hardware shenandoahrestoration.com • Rejuvenation rejuvenation.com LADDER KIT CS Hardware cshardware.com SUBWAY TILE Daltile daltile.com BOW WINDOWS Related Resources SLUMPED GLASS Allied…