Old houses are full of surprises.
You never know what you’ll find behind wall paneling, under carpets, or in the basement after a hard rain. I always encourage owners to take their time in the planning stages and try to anticipate as many decisions as possible
What are Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits?
If you haven’t heard about historic rehabilitation tax credits, you’re in for a treat. In a nutshell, it’s a big way the government incentivizes the preservation and adaptive reuse of old buildings. This topic fits in with other posts I’ve written
How to Research Your Old House
Old buildings tell stories…we just need to understand how to read them. How many times have you scratched your head, wondering where the original fireplace was, why a previous owner sealed up that door, or how a pair of men’s
Is Your Old House on the National Register of Historic Places?
Over at CIRCA Old Houses, I just posted a blog answering the question, what is the National Register of Historic Places? In a nutshell, the National Register is the official inventory of historic properties in the United States. It carries
What’s the Right Paint for Historic Exteriors?
Friend and colleague Tina Reichenbach of Richbrook Conservation offers the following advice about choosing the right paint for historic exteriors: Far more important than paint color is the type of paint used for painting exterior woodwork, especially for the preservation of
Experimenting with Historic Color Schemes
Choosing a color scheme for your historic home can be overwhelming. So many options with evocative names like “Jamestown Blue” and “Rookwood Red”
How to Rehabilitate Your Old House
How do you rehabilitate an old house? That's a big topic. Every house is different; each has its own rules and, shall we say, quirks? In response to careful attention and patience, old houses reveal what they need. The real
Hang On Little Tomato
I often get songs stuck in my head. You, too??? One day, while working in my garden, the song was Pink Martini's "Hang On Little Tomato." (If you don't know it, please look it up! It will make you smile.) So,
1876 train depot
Former Rhinebeck & Connecticut train depot & New York Central caboose in Copake, NY In collaboration with an intrepid property owner and train enthusiast (follow @copakedepot), we are deep into planning for the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of these two structures.