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There was a lot to love about the first—and only—house that the couple looked at in Manchester-by-the-Sea, a 17th-century fishing village-turned-summer community on Cape Ann, MA. John was captivated mostly by the 1891 Shingle-style home’s elegance. “We walked through the front door and were taken back in time by the leaded glass, intricately carved balusters on the staircase, and dark hardwood floors,” he says. It was the coziness of the well-laid-out rooms, on the other hand, that attracted his wife, Molly....

If you happen to live in or have recently visited an old house, one of the things you’re bound to notice is the stairs. Before the advent of building codes, most stairs were built as the carpenter saw fit. The space allotted determined the staircase, so you’ll often see a flight of stairs as steep and narrow as a ladder. Although most building codes are based on the International Residential Code, some locations may not have adopted the latest version of the IRC....

SAN JOSE, Calif. — March 19, 2021 — Roku, Inc. (NASDAQ: ROKU) announced today that it has acquired the “This Old House” business, inclusive of its global distribution rights and all of its subsidiary brands, including the “This Old House” and “Ask This Old House” TV programs, the show libraries, all digital assets, and the television production studio. “This Old House” and “Ask This Old House” were the two top-rated home improvement programs in the U....

The apartment’s connection to the house poses multiple possibilities: as a rental space for extra income, a first-floor master, or a separate dwelling for family in a multigenerational household. “When the cost of land can be shared, it brings the cost of living down,” says Union Studio architect Christina Carlson. “It’s a very adaptable way of developing, and it’s also solving some of the affordability issues.” Separate but Together An arresting blue paint turns a wall in the ADU’s living area into a focal point that livens up the whole space....

Got Water in the Basement? A wet basement is more than a nuisance. If your basement includes finished living space, any kind of moisture can ruin carpeting, drywall, and framing. Even if you have a crawl space or just use your basement for storage, a simple case of condensation can buckle hardwood flooring on the level above and spawn harmful mold. If you have a soggy basement, you’re not alone. The American Society of Home Inspectors, based in Des Plaines, IL, estimates 60 percent of U....

Every garden and yard should include shrubs. They are the backbone of the landscape, the foundation of garden design. Some dazzle with flowers, colorful leaves, or berries; others fill summer evenings with a heavenly scent. The only real trick to growing shrubs is picking the right ones from among the many hundreds available. That’s where our selection comes in. These 15 low maintenance shrubs for landscaping are all attractive, reliable, trouble-free plants....

Step outside into full sun on a cold winter day, and you’ll feel warm even when the air is chilly—that’s radiant heat. Infrared radiation warms objects and people, not just the air, so it’s more efficient at bringing surfaces like the floor closer to what your body perceives as the temperature sweet spot: around 70 degrees F. Plus, you’ve probably noticed that when your feet are warm, you tend to feel warm all over....

An estimated 23 million homes in the United States get their drinking water from private wells, and most of those wells include one or more water storage tanks that may need to be repaired or even replaced at some point. These tanks work with pumps, pressure gauges, and valves to maintain consistent water pressure, store water for immediate use, and increase the longevity of components in the home plumbing system. Read on to learn about the different types of well water tanks and to find out how to choose the right one for your home’s potable water supply system....

Chris Ermides joined This Old House in December 2018 as the editor of pro content. Since then, he’s written and produced a wide array of digital content, including articles and videos geared towards professional tradesmen and women. He hosts the Ask This Old House podcast, the Idea House Build series, and many interviews on This Old House: Live. His interest in home improvement began at the age of 6 when he accompanied his dad to the local hardware store on the weekends and helped him on projects around the house....

In this video, This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook gives tips for picking the perfect Christmas tree. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps for Choosing a Christmas Tree When selecting a Christmas tree, look for nice conical shape, uniform deep-green color, and stiff branches that can support heavy ornaments. After cutting, shake the tree to remove debris. Pull just-cut tree through a baler; the tight-fitting plastic netting will protect the branches during transport....

Looking for landscaping plants that will flourish in a hot, sunny climate? Blaze Podgorski, field operations manager at Green Biz Nursery, discusses which plants will thrive in these conditions with Roger Cook and This Old House. From understanding your Plant Hardiness Zone to researching which flora will ideally fill in your design, use the guide to help choose your next plant for hot climates. How to Choose Plants for Your Climate Use the following steps to choose and purchase plants for your landscaping needs—not just for hot climates....

For months my coworker Hylah Hill has been inviting me to her boyfriend’s lakefront cottage. Sure, she enjoys my company. But she also wanted to build the outdoor bar that we’d designed together way back in winter—dreaming of cocktails on the deck pulled us out of our February funk. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time The core of the project is a 1950s cast-iron sink that Hylah got at a salvage yard for $200....

Providing home enthusiasts nationwide with award-winning programming, Russell Morash has been called the father of “how-to” and “know-how” television. As the founder of This Old House in 1979, he introduced the premier home improvement television series to America and continues to inspire a legion of homeowners who never knew they could do it themselves. ”Who could have imagined that the home improvement television idea would develop into an entire industry,” says Russ....

Previous episode: S43 E30 | Next episode: S43 E32 In this episode: Work continues at the multifamily home built in the 1860s. The third floor is stripped back to its bones, revealing a woeful understructure that’s in bad shape and needs to be fixed. The back half of the house with the additions is removed, and a new ICF foundation is built. Homeowner Evan’s mother pitches in on the work and gets a lesson on repointing the original 160-year-old foundation from builder Matt Whitbeck....

Topping the list of must-haves in most kitchen renovations, an island is the perfect value-added improvement, one that transforms the way you use and enjoy the busiest room in your house. Is a Kitchen Island a Good Idea? At a minimum, an island adds counter and storage space just where you need them: at the pivot point between your kitchen’s cooking, cleaning, and food-prep zones. And outfitted with fixtures and appliances, such as a sink and cooktop, or bar stools for dining, an island itself can become the hub of activity....

If you’re in the market for home insurance in Chicago, you will have a wide range of providers to consider. Home insurance policies can make a major difference for people living in areas where homes are often damaged. Chicago homeowners are no exception. The best homeowners insurance companies in Chicago offer comprehensive coverage with a variety of customizable add-ons and affordable monthly premiums. Read on to learn more about our top four picks....

While spring’s tulips and hyacinths, dug in last autumn, are just now breaking ground, consider planting another batch of flowering bulbs for a second wave of color that can continue all summer. Maturing in a matter of weeks, and tolerant of occasionally dry soil, these summer-blooming bulbs offer a range of colors and heights—some up to 5 feet tall—making them an easy way to boost borders, foundation plantings, and patio containers....

Bad Actor With vivid red fruit popping out of split yellow pods, Oriental bittersweet is oh-so-tempting to clip and display when fall rolls around. But looks aren’t everything: This prolific seed-spreader is highly invasive, able to take down entire trees with vines that can grow up to 50 feet long—and a single spent wreath can drop thousands of seeds. Though there is a tamer native look-alike—American bittersweet—it requires both male and female plants to bear fruit....

It’s no secret I’m a terrible cook, but when I take the time to try using a recipe, I find that fresh herbs can make all the difference. To keep these taste-enhancing plants close at hand, I built a tiered planter that can sit on our patio right off the kitchen. It has a rather small footprint compared to the number of herbs it can hold, and as a bonus, it fills our sitting area with the fragrant smells of mint and lavender....

If you’re bored with your mantel’s appearance, why not rip it out and get a new one? The chimney is permanent, but the mantel’s just a front. It’s basically a frame for the fire, an extremely elaborate piece of molding. Sharp, detailed models come in kits that lock together with a few twists of the Phillips-head. To hang them on the wall, you simply attach them to a couple of screwed-on pieces of lumber; as This Old House technical editor Mark Powers shows, the whole job takes less than a day....