Now is a good time to refresh your home with a fresh coat of paint. As you get started, you might be wondering which wall or walls to accent. Are accent walls even “in” any more? Well, I can tell you this: Over the past 25 years I’ve seen a lot of accent walls, and I’ve also witnessed a lot of my clients struggle with accent walls. So I came up with a tried-and-tested process to picking the perfect accent wall for your space....
In this how-to video, This Old House plumbing and heating contractor Richard Trethewey prevents trapped air from stopping a heating system cold in its tracks. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Installing an Air Valve for Hot Water Heating Systems Turn off the water leading to the boiler. Mark the pipe for cutting, which allows the installation of the air valve. Use a reciprocating saw to cut out a section of pipe....
Steps: Start by shutting off the water at the water main. Find reasonable access to the shower valve. Some houses will have access panels in the room behind the shower valve. In this case, Richard removed a cabinet in the kitchen that allowed them to cut their own access hole. Trace the outline of the retrofit cover plate over the hole from the old valve. Allow yourself about an inch all the way around for a margin of error....
We probably don’t think much about the doors use every day, but they are among the most complicated components in a house. Particularly with wood doors, high-quality materials and construction are very important for the door to work reliably. Add in the variety of styles used in door construction and it becomes clear there is more to them than meets the eye. One thing common to all doors is sizing. The standard height is 80 inches....
In this video, contractor Angelo McRae installs a new mosaic-tile floor. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps on how to tile a bathroom Plan the tile layout based on the size of the tile and the position of a primary element, such as the tub or vanity. Snap a chalk line onto the floor to establish the starting point of the tile. Mix fortified thin-set mortar with water in a bucket using an electric drill and mixing paddle....
Thinking outside the box—or footprint—can make all the difference in a renovation. For Gabrielle Cohen, an avid cook, the kitchen in the 1936 Colonial Revival she shares with her husband, Leigh, and their three teenagers in Mamaroneck, NY, lacked many must-haves: a place to gather, and adequate prep and storage space. And while the kitchen looked out onto scenic wetlands, one poky window didn’t invite in the view. For two years Gabrielle and her designer-friend Sarah Robertson put their heads together trying to redesign the space without busting into the brick exterior walls....
Whether you are just learning the basics of simple maintenance or are taking on a second addition to the house, a good drill is essential. Are Cordless Drills Worth It? If it’s a cordless model, you can drill holes and drive screws with the same tool—and not have to worry about finding an outlet near the work to power the drill. The good news: There are hundreds of these drills on the market....
Age Range: 5 and up Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Mini-golf is a great game for bringing together family members of every age. Who doesn’t love besting Dad on the loop-de-loop hole? But it doesn’t have to be just a vacation-week treat. Wouldn’t it be great to have your very own course to play all year round—inside or out? This Old House’s plumbing and heating expert, Richard Trethewey, and general contractor, Tom Silva, designed a great course that you and your family can build in an afternoon....
Steps for Controlling Smart Lighting: Ross explains a couple of different ways to create a smart lighting configuration in a home. Ross starts by discussing smart light switches, which can be used to replace old, standard switches. Then, all the smarts of the lighting configuration are embedded in the switch itself and can be used with any lighting fixtures. Ross does warn, however, that this requires wiring the new switch, which should be done by an electrician....
Come summer, no other tool in your shed sees more action than the lawn mower. It’s what tames turf’s wild-and-clumpy nature, turning it into a living carpet that’s host to family picnics, ball games, and lounge-chair lazing. But like any machine that gets used a lot—about 30 times a season—it wears out and needs to be replaced. If it’s been a while since your last mower purchase, you might be surprised at what’s available....
In this video, This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook helps a homeowner install a water-saving drip-irrigation system. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Installing drip-irrigation Use flat-blade shovels to remove the gravel from the yard and form shallow trenches. Don’t cut through the black plastic below. Excavate trenches from the existing main water line across the yard and around every shrub and tree. Connect an electric solenoid valve to each zone of the main water line....
In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva installs a new skylight into an existing roof opening. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps for replacing a skylight To work safely on a roof, install roof brackets and a staging plank, and wear a fall-protection safety harness. Use a flat pry bar to remove two courses of roof shingles along the top of the skylight. Pry off shingles down both sides of the skylight, exposing at least 12 inches of roof deck....
If you own an old house, you already know the satisfaction of having something that’s unique, and when you renovate, you look for one-of-a-kind materials. Unlike other materials whose appeal lie in their looks, reclaimed wood has beauty and history. What Is Reclaimed Wood? Reclaimed wood is old wood that has been repurposed. For example, it can be old lumber wood from a factory that is transformed into a wine rack, bookshelf, or coffee table....
Previous episode: S42 E24 | Next episode: S42 E26 In this episode: After nearly two years since the fire, the triple decker is just about ready for the homeowners to return. Host Kevin O’Connor checks out what’s left to do. Although the front porch sustained no damage from the fire, homeowner Carol has asked for some improvements. Kevin finds mason Mark McCullough with Todd Jones working on the front steps, which is getting coats of epoxy applied....
Jenn Largesse from House One explores three beautiful room remodels to show you how far your budget, style, and DIY skills can go to transform a space. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Scroll down for more information about the bloggers who completed these renovations and the details of their remodels, and visit their blogs linked in each description to see the full projects!! This video is sponsored by our friends at Discover Personal Loans....
This article appeared in the Summer 2021 issue of This Old House Magazine. Click here to learn how to subscribe. Few things irk a professional designer like living with a drab, dysfunctional interior. For Cillesa Ullman, one sore spot in her 1960s post-and-beam home in Oakland, CA, was the tiny, no-frills guest-room bath on the lower level. “I could not wait to tear it out, so I literally did most of the demo myself,” she says....
Carol Wideman’s 1905 three-family home was badly damaged in a fire on July 4, 2019. Fireworks from the neighborhood ignited the house next door and then spread to her house. Luckily no one was hurt. Watch this project from start-to-finish in all-new episodes of This Old House starting the first week of April on PBS. Check your local listings. BEFORE: Photos of the Dorchester Triple Decker Project Fire Damage The back of the house received most of the fire damage....
Create a Classy Bar Get this look! Start with beautiful barware and gorgeous glassware-like a decanter, cocktail shaker, cocktail syrup and silver monogram glasses. Then add sleek, black-turned candlesticks and a dark marble tray to really set the scene. Here’s everything you need. Warwick 2-Door Wood & Rattan Accent Cabinet The small cabinet features two doors with rattan detailing in the center for extra texture and visual appeal. Open the doors to reveal two shelves, one adjustable to properly fit whatever you’d like to store out of sight....
This year’s Idea House is located in a beach community and has the capacity to sleep 11. Even a large storage-tank water heater would struggle to deliver enough hot water when the house is full. And because the stays of visiting guests may be sporadic, a conventional water heater that is constantly running to keep the oversize tank heated would be expensive to operate. Go Tankless for an Endless Supply of Hot Water...
The white picket fence may be what we all dream of, but who says you need the whole thing? A crisp white garden gate provides the same feel. Install it at the head of a path, leading to a garden or your front door, and flank the posts with tall plantings. Though there are more styles than we care to count, choosing one could be as easy as researching historic designs....
