For many years I lived in a historic home in Tennessee. Built in 1901, the home had a good share of problems, just as any house that has stood for over a century will. I knew I lived a charmed life in that house, but I didn’t realize just how fortunate I was until the [......Read More
I have written posts discussing my annual housing market predictions for the past two years. Unfortunately, they were pretty much spot-on. I felt that as long as high unemployment existed and many of the people lucky enough to have a job were worried about cutbacks, home sales would continue to languish. Of course, all the forec...Read More
A report produced by the Preservation Green Lab of the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides a comprehensive analysis of the potential environmental benefit of building reuse...Read More
Searching for the ideal wood flooring, windows or simple accents for your old home can lead you to many interesting places. There are the antique stores where old molding is stacked in a dusty corner. There’s the auction house where you can find that perfect door–at a staggering price, perhaps, but perfect nonetheless. There is [......Read More
You’ve polished those old hardwood floors, painstakingly restored the original windows and scoured antique shops for the perfect furnishings. Your old house might be as historically accurate as you can make it on the inside, but what about the outside?
When it’s time to upgrade the exterior of a historic home, many homeowners will go wi...Read More
Among all of the celebrity homes that have hit the market lately, few stand out as a historic gem. This one in Connecticut, however, is definitely worth a look. “The Cotton Tavern” sits on 40 acres of what is commonly referred to as the “Quiet Corner” of Connecticut, where the population is surprisingly low. The [......Read More
If you have icicles hanging from your eaves, you need to take action now. Those frozen daggers are a sign that you've got ice dams. The ice dam enables the trapped water to get under the roof shingles, causing water to leak inside.
Here's five tips from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority for preventing ice dams and savi...Read More
In addition to being a huge fan of architecture and old houses, I have a serious weakness for old-fashioned television shows where the underdog always wins. After getting hooked on a few seasons of Leverage on TNT, I started to notice that occasional scenes were filmed in a very nice hotel, one that had more [......Read More
In late 2010, I purchased a 1950’s rambler-style house in coastal Georgia. In keeping with my usual method of madness, I deliberately chose a fixer-upper home that I could pour my time and energy into. The big difference this time was the direction that energy would take.
My previous home, a 1901 Victorian, was by far [......Read More
"What's the most environmentally friendly way to remove the snow from my sidewalk?" This is one of the most popular questions that I get from readers. My favorite answer is "wait till spring." If that's not practical for you then try these methods...Read More
