This Old House

This Old House gives you the inspiration, information and instruction you need to take on home improvement projects of all sizes and succeed. In every issue, find fresh design ideas for every room, creative DIY solutions, step-by-step projects, and tips from the pros.

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How Safe Is Your Home’s Wiring? • If you had a way to help prevent the dangers of electrical fires and electrocution within your home, wouldn’t you take advantage of it? Read on to learn more.

The Old House • TOH’s Team of Trusted Experts

It’s a colorful life

17-in-1 painter’s tool • In this latest version, the classic knife blade tackles more tasks than ever—and the handle gets put to use, too.

Time-saving painting technique

A welcome idea for old tools

Problem-solvers under $20 • Sharpen your tools, unclog your drain, stop leaks, and more, with the help of these clever product picks

Squirrel-proof bulb plantings • Few sights can make your heart sink like watching the spring-flowering bulbs you just planted become food for four-legged foragers. To keep them at bay, the experts at bulb supplier Longfield Gardens (longfield-gardens.com) suggest taking this multipronged approach.

Don’t forget these 5 fall to-dos • As leaves begin to fall, yard cleanup is on everybody’s mind. But now is also the time to attend to some less obvious—but equally important—maintenance tasks to ready your home for winter.

Pruning hydrangeas: what to do when • TOH landscape contractor Jenn Nawada says she fields questions about one topic above all. “Everyone asks about pruning hydrangeas!” The confusion, she says, stems from the huge number of varieties. But most fall into two basic categories: those that form flower buds on “old wood” during the previous growing season and those that produce buds on new spring growth. Old-wood bloomers flower from June through August and should be pruned as flowers fade—for many, that means now, taking care not to remove any buds that may have formed. New-growth bloomers flower in mid-to-late summer; prune these in late winter or early spring, during dormancy. Wonder what’s in your yard? Here’s a cheat sheet.

Loft-like lower level • Removing a warren of posts and partition walls opens up a bright, fun family space downstairs

Paints with a past • Rooted in tradition, historical colors still look fresh in a wide range of settings

More than meets the eye • Sure, it’s a sweet-looking cottage with coastal charm. But it’s also a hardworking, space-efficient design that can grow to suit its owners’ needs—and even make them money on the side

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Contributors

Building Team

Slatted shoe rack • Using a little glue and lots of pocket screws, Tom and Kevin create a wood storage bench handsome enough to have a seat by the door

ask This old House • Tips, tricks, and answers to your home-improvement questions

DIY SMARTS

Norm’s TRICKS OF THE TRADE

GETTING SCHOOLED • When a city dweller decamps to the country and tackles the renovation of a 19th-century schoolhouse, there are more than a few lessons to be learned

RENOVATION RECAP

Calling All Cooks • Moving a mudroom to make space for an island was the right recipe for this family of foodies

PICK A PAINT COLOR • Whether you’re looking for a soothing hue for your living space or want some drama in your dining room, don’t pick up a...