Category: Curb Appeal

The Spring Homeowner’s Series | June 11, 2022

Saturday, June 11, 2022 — Old House Restoration & Repair for Homeowners – A new approach to help historic homeowners get the high quality, research-informed information they need to repair and restore their most valuable possession… their homes! Now you can take our award winning course from anywhere in the world!

A Heritage Landscape | Neo-Classical Fence

This lovely 18th century house (circa 1716) is located north of Boston, Massachusetts. These images were taken in the early 1930’s and are a record of both the building and this most remarkable wood fence. I would surmise the fence would date from the mid 19th century, but it has a very Neo-Classical flavour to the design so it could even be earlier.

Old House Restoration & Repair | Homeowner’s Series

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2022 — The Old House Restoration & Repair for Homeowners – A new approach to help historic homeowners get the high quality, research-informed information they need to repair and restore their most valuable possession… their homes! Now you can take our award winning course from anywhere in the world!

Wood Shingles | A Once Ubiquitous Crown

Their contractor warned wood shingles was more expensive and yet also, not as good. Their contractor was a coward.  That last one was my assertion, and it still is! 

Ingledale House | A Hidden Gem

The jewel in the crown of this splendid building is the 12 over 12 sash windows flanking the central door (where in most Neoclassical design would favour sidelights) with the second floor duplicated for symmetry. Usually, Neoclassical houses follow the form of its earlier interpretation, the Georgian (which the original 1815 house in the rear did) with a typical five-bay symmetry. However, in this case the house is decidedly asymmetrical with the central window and door arrangement.

A Fine View | Belvedere

Belvedere is a room built above the roof for the purpose of obtaining a “fine view” (literal Italian translation).

Wooden Soffits (No, you won’t be board)

Wood soffits, they’re boards, with paint.  That’s it.  That’s what they are. That’s all they are.  Pretty simple. Right?  That’s why you don’t read anything really dedicated to them. 

Poison Ivy

To remove existing vines, cut them off at the base of the plant and allow the vine attached to your house to wither and die. This may take several weeks or even months, depending on whether or not the side of the house has direct exposure to the sun.

Wooden Scaffolding

When I was young and foolish, I would climb ladders and walk ridgepoles on three-and four-storey houses without a care and without fear.

Even More Wallpaper Woes

In our previous article entitled “Wallpaper Woes,” where we gave our best advice to repair plaster walls after the removal of many layers of wallpaper.

A Closet Solution

Many people who own traditional houses have one thing in common, the total lack of closet space!

Water-Based Paints Of Old

Paint has had a very long history as is evident in cave paintings and the Egyptian Hieroglyphs, and in the colourful 200-year-old armoire you purchased while on vacation in rural Quebec.

For The Love OF Wooden Columns

More and more terribly executed repairs are being perpetrated on original verandah, portico, or porch posts and columns in Canada each day.

A Wooden Dado

In the mid to late 18th century, lath and plaster walls were devised to hang beautiful hand-blocked wallpaper.

The Homestead

Living in a home that has been in our family for four generations has been an interesting and challenging experience.

Antiquities: Primitives, Design Essentials

I am a personal admirer of primitives. I am not talking about new items that are just made to look old, rather the items that are very old, very simple and of very high museum quality.

How To Choose Furniture For Your Heritage Home

Restoring the “envelope” of an historic building requires many skills. Not only does the restorer need to know about the various trades, but must also approach them from a historical perspective.

The Bedroom

It has taken almost one thousand years for bedrooms to evolve into those which we see today.

Traditions

The earliest houses were an example of the direct outgrowth of architecture from function and materials.

Wallpaper Woes

Many people who live in century houses come across, in some cases, dozens of layers of wallpaper on walls and ceilings.

Ceiling Level Annandale

When Tillsonburg Ontario’s first mayor, Edwin Delvan Tillson, decided to build his beautiful retirement home, Annandale, he chose a high-gothic brick villa straight from William M. Woolett’s pattern book “Villas and Cottages; or, Homes for All” published in 1876 at the height of the Eastlake movement started by English furniture designer George Eastlake

Circa 1835 Ireland House

Exceptional for many reasons, Ireland House is a valuable historic structure – an architecturally intact farmstead – which remained in continued use by one family for five generations.

A Wooden Box Latch

You will find all sorts of interesting things when you dismantle an old building.

Ready For Another 200 Years

Somehow the universe guided us to this old house. Vacationing here as children, we never dreamed that one day we would own it.

Antiquities At The Cabin Fever Show

This winter has been a rough one, colder than I can remember and just plain long and dull! I guess it is true what they say, when stranded indoors during the winter, cabin fever can set in!

Antiques Elixir | At The Cabin Fever Show

This winter has been a rough one, colder than I can remember and just plain long and dull! I guess it is true what they say, when stranded indoors during the winter, cabin fever can set in!

All About Hand-Wrought Iron

Wrought Iron conjures up many visual interpretations of the Smithy pounding out horse shoes to keep early Canadians on the road.

About Shutters

Shutters are one of the most misunderstood elements on heritage homes and have become, to the majority, nothing but a piece of ornamental trim to flank windows and, in some cases, doors.

Painting A Raised Panel Door

Recently we restored an early six-panel wooden door. When it came to painting it, we found the task not as easy as one may think. If you paint across the grain, the finished product looks terrible.

Free Picket Fence Plans

I have created a set of drawings in hopes to inspire the reader to recreate this historic landscape in their own front yard!

12 Great Visions of Gingerbread – A Lookbook

The true sense of a craftsman is the quality of their work! We look at architectural millwork (a.k.a. gingerbread) and are awestruck at the intricacy and workmanship that went into these pieces of wooden art!

31 Fabulous Nova Scotia Doors & Entries – A Lookbook

Old doors have been given a bad rap (excuse the pun) for a long time! The removal of old doors (not unlike wood windows) can significantly reduce or destroy the character and authenticity of a traditional home. The door is the first thing that greets the owner and visitors alike. The warmth and character of…

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Verandah Valhalla

And now I leave you with these thoughts… there is nothing which better creates curb appeal, character and makes a house a home than a beautifully maintained and loved wooden verandah.

Don’t Be Afraid of Red!

I enjoy exploring older neighborhoods and looking at the older homes. I pay particular attention to the architectural details and the paint colours used, as this is my special interest. Many people have a fear of painting their house a bold colour such as red however red is a fabulous colour to make both a…

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Through the Garden Gate – A Lookbook

A garden gate becomes an attractive focal point for curb appeal and a welcoming portal to what wonderful delights await on the other side; a loved and cared for garden or the charming and perfectly restored house.