This Old House

After a long-haul year that’s turned our worlds upside down, spring is finally on the horizon. Though the official start isn’t for another few weeks—March 20 to be exact—there’s no time like the present to look forward. The pandemic has led us all to

TOH Readers: Inal and Justine Olmez, North Attleboro, MA My wife has a true green thumb. For years she’s wanted a fenced garden with a greenhouse, and we finally had time to build it together. The chicken coop in back was a last-minute addition, and

It’s not easy to please everyone, even in the same family. But that’s exactly what designer Katie Davis and pro organizer Meg Markland were looking to do when remodeling the hall bath in the Houston ranch that Meg shares with her husband, Matt, and s

When you’re renovating, there’s one pesky thing that always stands in the way of creating the home of your dreams: the budget! Your home is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make, and while creating a budget and sticking to it is important,

Like a car seat for a kid, your puppy’s crate needs to grow with her; some larger crates come with removable dividers you can adjust as the dog gains size. Otherwise, for many breeds, you’ll be buying more than one. Line a puppy’s crate with newspape

THE HOMEOWNERS: Cathy and Andy Liverman, retirees eager for a compact house in a walkable community. THE HOUSE: A 2,102-square-foot bungalow built in 1925 in Arlington, VA, with lots of light and charm, along with a mishmash of small spaces, a narrow

MADE FROM a layer of stamped 24- or 25-gauge galvanized steel (1), these doors are usually uninsulated (some can have a layer of foam added on the inside for a slight up-charge and better R-value). The steel is protected from rust by a galvanized lay

START ONLINE to find stock and semi-custom looks you like and the companies that make them. Many brands offer virtual try-on options on their websites, where you can drop different doors and colors onto an image of your house. This will let you narro

A torsion spring, centered above the door, helps it go up and down and comes with just about every model. Standard ones are rated for 10,000 cycles, but upgraded ones will cover you for about 25,000 cycles. Cost: $50 to $75 per door. Ding a standard,

Ideal for homes with arched windows or doors, adding this graceful curve requires an experienced pro. After stripping off sections of the trim and siding, he’ll frame the arch below the header using three pieces of 2× lumber, ganged together or faste

If you’re financing a large-scale renovation, credit-card interest rates will be far higher than what you’d pay on a mortgage or other home loan right now. You might be tempted to take advantage of a 0 percent introductory rate or balance transfer of

Talk about a stress test—the pandemic has had many folks using their homes more intensely than they ever did before. Where once there was the ebb of occupants going off to offices and schools, it’s mostly been flow, with everyone trying to make their

In some ways, the July 4th celebration in 2019 was a quiet one in Dorchester, a big, vibrant neighborhood less than 10 miles south of downtown Boston. It was nearly 11 P.M. when Carol Wideman, a well-known and well-loved matriarch in the community, w

IN MINNESOTA’S climate, winter comfort is a priority. The main level of the Modern Barnhouse will be heated with a hydronic radiant slab on grade: Flexible cross-linked polyethylene, or PEX, tubing will snake through the slab, carrying water heated b

Miter saws—a.k.a. “chop saws”—are indispensable power tools for a wide variety of woodworking and trim-carpentry tasks, like trimming out windows and doors, installing baseboards and crown molding, hanging siding, and building decks and stairs. But t

Heading out the door with my two kids in tow always requires some planning, but who needs a lastminute scavenger hunt for coats and keys? Not me! To corral our most-needed items in one dedicated space in the entryway, I built this wall-mounted organi

ROSES SHOULD BE pruned in early spring, while still dormant, to encourage blooming, improve air circulation to prevent disease, and control size. Time this task to when the forsythia blooms, making 45-degree cuts with sharp, clean bypass pruners or l

My husband has had to repaint our metal front door repeatedly. No matter what we do, the paint will not stick; it peels and looks splotchy. Should we just buy a new door? —KIM HAMLIN, CORBIN, KY TOH painter Mauro Henrique: Before you get a new door,

I’d like to install solid white oak flooring in our living and dining rooms. The flooring will come from trees harvested on our property and then kiln-dried. Can I mix flatsawn and quartersawn pieces? —CHARLES RUDDUCK, DECKERVILLE, MI TOH master carp

BEFORE & AFTER: KITCHEN Smart and Stylish (pp. 13–17) Design: Nadia Subaran, co-owner, and Kelly Emerson, showroom manager, Aidan Design, Silver Spring, MD; aidandesign.com. Cabinets: Brookhaven by Wood-Mode; woodmode.com. Countertops: caesarstoneus.