When it comes to your old home’s exterior nothing is as important as the details. Fish-scale shingles, jigsaw cut balustrades, creative cornices. There are so many things that make your old house unique. And saving them or replicating the missing pieces distinguishes your historic home from its neighbors. If you own a crumbling Victorian or [...] Read on →
I have a quick tip you need to know if you’re going to do some window glazing. After you get your windows glazed you’ll likely have an oily residue all over the glass from the putty. If you wait an hour or two this residue will dry and be very difficult to remove. Many glaziers [...] Read on →
Continuing our series of posts on Tiny Houses, I recently had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Alex Pino of TinyHouseTalk.com. Alex is a fellow blogger and friend in the “blogosphere.” His website acts kind of like a clearinghouse for any happenings in the Tiny House world. So, I thought he could give [...] Read on →
Lately, I have been drooling over the idea of building myself a Tiny House. It may seem like a stretch for a guy who talks constantly about old houses to want to build a new one, but a Tiny House has plenty in common with a historic home. I’ve been talking with Alex Pino at [...] Read on →
Remodel or Restore? They may sound like the same thing, but they are very different when it comes to an old house. And understanding the difference is key. Remodel To remodel something literally means “to alter” it. Because of that you might think that remodeling is juxtaposed to the idea of preserving an old home, [...] Read on →
Learning how to repair wood rot is a part of life when it comes to life in an old house. But what if you could prevent it? Working in a wet climate, like Florida, I have assembled a very specific routine to prevent wood rot on anything I build that will be outdoors. The expense [...] Read on →
In historic preservation there is a hierarchy of how to care for a historic structure. And when you own an old house it’s a good idea to follow that hierarchy. Repair & Maintain – The first step is always to repair and maintain your house as you go along. An ounce of prevention is worth [...] Read on →
I’m seriously excited to share a new book with you today! Today is the official launch of Handmade Walls: 22 Inspiring Ideas on Bringing Your Walls to Life. It is a fantastic new book by my friends Jamin & Ashley Mills over at The Handmade Home. These two are some of the most creative (not to mention [...] Read on →
Every old house has its own story, and each one is unique. Once you move in, your family has now become a part of that story too. While I may talk a lot about saving the historic and original features of your home, I realize that an old home is not a museum. Maybe the [...] Read on →