Around The House
This Old House Magazine|Summer 2023
What's happening in the world of This Old House
Around The House

IT'S (ALMOST) A WRAP!

Details, details

In the final, weeks of TOH's Ipswich project, we caught up with the team as they put the finishing touches on the 1720 house, rebuilt ell, and garage addition full-court-press

Lighting that says, "Look up!"

HOW TO HIGHLIGHT the beauty of a vaulted ceiling lined with 300-year-old wood-without detracting from it? That challenge kept Heath Eastman busy for days. Recessed cans definitely wouldn't do. So after some experimentation, TOH's master electrician hit on the elegant solution here: LED strips along the tops of the exposed timber-frame beams to illuminate the ceiling and add ambient light-and three carefully placed pendants over the island to provide task lighting for the kitchen below. "With the ceiling so steep, it took time, planning, and a little luck-not to mention lasers-to pinpoint exactly where to install the junction boxes," says Heath. The results: just brilliant.

(1) Helen and Tom examine the weathered side of the 300-year-old pine board and measure the fit; the other, rougher side was never exposed to the elements, so it was a better choice for refinishing. (2) Tom cuts the opening for the electrical outlet. (3) Mauro buffs in five coats of paste wax for water resistance. (4) Tom and TOH host Kevin O’Connor get ready for installation.

Back-in-time backsplash

This story is from the Summer 2023 edition of This Old House Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the Summer 2023 edition of This Old House Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THIS OLD HOUSE MAGAZINEView All
Mobile kitchen island
This Old House Magazine

Mobile kitchen island

TOH DIY expert Jenn Largesse shows how to build a rolling kitchen cart with a butcher-block top

time-read
3 mins  |
Fall 2023
Bathtub tray
This Old House Magazine

Bathtub tray

TOH general contractor Tom Silva and TOH host Kevin O'Connor construct a slatted zebrawood caddy to hold grooming essentials, a book, and even a glass of wine, for those who like a long soak

time-read
3 mins  |
Fall 2023
Navigating the rise in mortgage rates
This Old House Magazine

Navigating the rise in mortgage rates

Looking to buy—or refinance—and feeling frustrated by lenders’ sky-high interest rates? Here’s how to get the best deal

time-read
4 mins  |
Fall 2023
Graceful grasses
This Old House Magazine

Graceful grasses

With dramatic foliage and distinctive plumes, ornamental grasses come in sizes to suit virtually any garden

time-read
7 mins  |
Fall 2023
A better asphalt driveway
This Old House Magazine

A better asphalt driveway

It's long-lasting and recyclable, and it weathers extreme temperatures. You can repair small cracks and divots in asphalt, too. Here's what you need to know to get-and maintain-a great-looking asphalt driveway

time-read
10+ mins  |
Fall 2023
Modernizing a mid-century house
This Old House Magazine

Modernizing a mid-century house

A family turns to TOH to renovate a 1960 house that had been awkwardly expanded over time. Their goal: to create a contemporary, energy-efficient, open-plan home that is fully accessible for a son with mobility issues

time-read
4 mins  |
Fall 2023
Making a house her own
This Old House Magazine

Making a house her own

Renovating in stages over nearly two decades, a homeowner transforms a once forlorn bungalow into a cozy, very personal space

time-read
6 mins  |
Fall 2023
A little house that lives large
This Old House Magazine

A little house that lives large

A reimagined interior and second-story addition double the living area inside a narrow shotgun house, while respecting its historical roots

time-read
4 mins  |
Fall 2023
Before & After: Bath Fit for a Queen Anne
This Old House Magazine

Before & After: Bath Fit for a Queen Anne

Classic meets modern in this primary-suite retreat

time-read
1 min  |
Fall 2023
Before & After: Kitchen Moving a wall makes it work
This Old House Magazine

Before & After: Kitchen Moving a wall makes it work

Grabbing a few feet from the adjacent dining room yields major layout improvements

time-read
2 mins  |
Fall 2023