The Old House

An old empty house feels sorry for itself because it has no family living inside, but with the help of some good friends, its dreams come true.

Through hundreds of inspiring photos and engaging text, the author describes what gives traditional homes their enduring appeal, and illustrates the creative work of builders who are forging the movement toward building new homes that capture old-home sensibility.

If I had an old house on the East Coast I would fall in love at first sight. It would grab me by the heart, and not let go. With introspection and deep appreciation for the East Coast, this inspirational gift book shares a dream, in words and images, of falling in love with an old house and breathing new life into it. Exploring, with lyrical prose, everything from an old house's foundation to its layers of antique wallpaper to its decades-old gardens bursting with wildflowers, this lyrical book is a love letter to a vanishing way of life. Fully illustrated with gentle watercolours from celebrated local artist Kat Frick Miller, If I Had an Old House on the East Coast also includes practical tips for the old-home-owner, from how to clear your home of ghosts to instructions for making rosehip jelly and maple syrup.

Restoring, Rehabilitating and renovating older homes.

In this picture book, illustrator Leo Hartas removes the front wall of a five-story building and paints the frenetic lives he finds inside. In his own imaginative style he introduces us to the 20 people, several cats and myriad other animals that live there. We enter the apartment block early in the morning, and with each turn of the page, move through the day. The visit finishes in the small hours of the following morning when most of the inhabitants (but not quite all) are asleep.

Old houses are charming, but owning one can be a labor of love. Expert carpenter and house "doctor" Christopher Evers equates old homes with ailing patients, describing how you can successfully "treat" your old house and make it good as new. With over 300 clear, line illustrations, Evers provides a practical guide to repairing, renovating, and preserving your old house--basement to attic--so you can enjoy it for years to come. Evers gives detailed instructions on the "anatomy" of old homes as well as how to fix a variety of problems, including: Repairing old plumbing fixtures Replacing shingles on the roof Straightening the house’s frame Rewiring old electrical systems Removing old wallpaper Protecting against termites and other harmful pests Adding insulation for better energy efficiency Fixing old eaves Reinstalling windows and doors And more! A classic in old-home repair, The Old-House Doctor is an invaluable, and timeless, guide for keeping your old home in tip-top shape, while meeting your modern needs.

The New Old House presents 18 private historic homes, from North America to Europe, and traces the ingenious ways architects have revitalized and refreshed them for a new generation. Most of the renovations occurred in the last decade, but all of the homes have origins reaching back into the past, in some cases hundreds of years. Projects and firms featured include Greenwich House, Allan Greenberg; Longbranch, Jim Olson; Astley Castle, Witherford Watson Mann; Hunsett Mill, Acme; Cotswolds House, Richard Found; plus more than a dozen others. These projects address such timely factors as sustainability, multiculturalism, preservation, and style, and demonstrate the unique beauty and elegance that comes from the interweaving of modernity and history.