15 Amazing Gingerbread Houses 1. Noah’s Edible Ark Barbara Evans of Edelstein, Illinois, and Mary Jo Dowling of Westford, Massachusetts, created their own spin on the classic gingerbread house when they crafted a sweet version of Noah’s Ark. They made the boat from gingerbread covered with a layer of fondant—a sugary dough that can be rolled into sheets and ribbons—and the animals from fondant and marzipan, hand painting each figure for realism....
Today that same gracious Colonial Revival is located in central Omaha’s Dundee–Happy Hollow neighborhood, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. From the street, the house looks much as it did nearly 100 years ago, which was part of its appeal for current owners Brent and Emily Beller. “I grew up in a newer part of town,” Brent says. “What attracted me to Dundee was that it was developed in the early 1900s and the homes are all of the same lineage....
PVC Pipe Uses for Everyday Life: Collect leaves Cut and assemble PVC pipe into a frame, and then clamp a bag around the opening to hold it upright for filling with leaves, or on its side for use as a sort-of dustpan for your rake. Store anything Cap one end of a PVC pipe, fill it with nails, screws or other hardware. Cap the remaining side and add a label for a makeshift storage container....
Design Ideas for Small Backyards 1. Put down a new patio surface Start from the ground up and give your patio a boast-worthy new surface. Narrow down your options with our guide on picking the perfect patio stone. Or do what This Old House TV landscape contractor Roger Cook does and cover up an unsightly concrete slab with handsome deck tiles. 19 Beautiful DIY Backyard Projects 2. Build a small-space trellis Get a little greenery in your small space without sacrificing too much of the footprint by installing a trellis....
Now in its 21st season making visits across the United States, Ask This Old House features familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O’Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Jenn Nawada. Sarah Chasse serves as the Producer for the show, which in 2019 won “Outstanding Lifestyle Program” at the 46th Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards. Ask This Old House is produced by This Old House Ventures, LLC, and presented on PBS by WETA Washington, DC....
Homeowners: Molly and John and their young daughter General Contractor: Silva Brothers Construction Location: Manchester, MA Scope: John and Molly bought this home a year ago, after deciding they were ready to move out of the city. They love the historical details but dream of giving the house a “face-lift,” both inside and out, to remove some bad modifications from the 1970s and make it more comfortable for a modern family....
But when Roeshel, her husband, and their two daughters moved in, it sported bare drywall and grungy carpeting. Before: Old Bathroom Two years in, with a full redo out of the question, Roeshel decided to make the space “less embarrassing.” Refinishing everything from the plywood subfloor to the original sink fixtures with paint, she updated the bath over four weekends with a gray-and-brown palette and low-cost touches, such as a three-light vanity fixture....
Base Coding Kit This STEM kit teaches kids real coding while they build fun projects! Free software compatible with Windows, Mac, and Chromebook computers are included. Kit contains 12 electronic pieces, carrying case, and reference cards for dozens of different circuits. For ages 9 and up. Leather Tool Belt A scaled-down model of a “grown-up” belt, with two thick hammer loops for kid or adult-sized hammers. Gift set includes children’s belt and two blue carpenter pencils....
We spend one-third of our lives sleeping, and you should approach buying a new mattress similarly to buying a new home. When choosing a bed, seek one that provides a comfortable and restorative rest to wake up ready to seize the day. Your sleep patterns, lifestyle, and body type are all deciding factors when choosing the best mattress. We can guide you through understanding your sleep needs and comparing them to what a new mattress can offer....
Whether it’s a Victorian-era nabe in downtown Los Angeles, or a historic railroad town in Idaho, here are ten great places in the West and Northwest to find an old house of your own. Anchorage, Alaska Unlike other Alaskan cities, Anchorage didn’t start out as a fishing town or mining camp. Established as a port for the Alaska Railroad in 1914, transportation—both commercial (two airports) and military (two bases)—has long since dominated the economy....
Top Smoke Detectors and Fire Alarms First Alert Smoke Detector and Carbon Monoxide Detector [Check Price] Available in a one- or three-pack, this First Alert detector offers two-in-one protection with its included smoke and carbon monoxide monitoring. The battery-operated device includes a mutable low-battery signal and an easy-access door that lets you replace its batteries without taking it down. In addition to its simple design, the smoke and carbon monoxide detector has a seven-year limited warranty and an end-of-life chirp that signals the need for a replacement....
Shown: Homeowners John and Molly look on as daughter Caroline, 4, takes a spin around the new breakfast room, where natural light pours through banks of custom arched windows. Wall covering: Galbraith and Paul’s Lotus, in aqua. Wall covering installation: Greg Booth, GJB Pro Wallcovering, Arlington, MA. Chandelier: Graham Globe on London, in brass; Juliska. Table: Barbara in maple; Circle Furniture. Trim color: White Dove, Benjamin Moore Rock solid While the current homeowners loved the rocky ledge surrounding the house, to make way for the new garage, some of it had to go....
How to Install a DIY Stair Runner 1. Staying Centered Jaime used painter’s tape to make sure the runner would be centered on the stairs. 2. Padding She cut padding—a thin sheet of felt usually sold as underlayment for laminate flooring—into rectangles slightly narrower than the width of the runner. 3. Adhering to Detail She adhered the padding to the treads with blue double-sided carpet tape, pulling the felt over the nose of each step....
Walking past the tidy new fence and neat foundation plantings, climbing the refinished concrete steps, and pushing open the old oak entry door, now brightened with high-gloss burgundy paint, Carol Wideman was filled with emotion. It had been nearly two years since the fateful July Fourth night in 2019 when a stray firework that ignited her neighbor’s house caused her home in Dorchester, MA, to catch fire. For many months afterward, Carol wondered whether her family home of four decades—where children were raised and countless memories made—would ever be livable again....
Indeed, to make way for the trap, you’ll have to modify the drawers. Who better to demonstrate how to do that than This Old House master carpenter Norm Abram? Now, his version of the project is pretty involved; the dresser here is all curved openings, and it got a new top of marble with a drop-in sink, requiring more modifications. You can make an easier go of it by plopping a vessel sink right on top of a rectilinear piece....
How far should a drip edge be from fascia? The lower edge of a roof should extend beyond the fascia board by about 3/4 inch so that runoff drains into the gutters. If this slight overhang is too short, water will drip behind the gutters, leading to rotted roof sheathing and fascia, stained siding, and even soil erosion and a flooded basement. Fix the problem by installing sheet-metal drip edge, also called drip cap, which is available at lumberyards and home centers....
