Creating A Cozier, Open Kitchen Most folks enjoy intimate get-togethers as much as big gatherings; in an ideal world, homes have space for both. That’s precisely what designer Sean Lewis was able to deliver in the renovation of the kitchen and hangout space in this 1929 Tudor Revival in Ardmore, PA. Gutting the kitchen area delivered a roughly 9-by-17-foot space where the sink, appliances, and cabinets now line two perpendicular walls, while an island provides more workspace, plus seating that edges into the dining room thanks to a large cased opening that joins the two spaces....

Top 4 Above-Ground Pools Best Capacity: Intex Ultra XTR Rectangular Pool Best Large Round Pool: Intex Ultra XTR Round Pool Best Small Round Pool: Summer Waves Above-Ground Swimming Pool Best Oval Pool: Bestway Above-Ground Swimming Pool Best Capacity: Intex Ultra XTR Rectangular Pool Best Large Round Pool: Intex Ultra XTR Round Pool Best Small Round Pool: Summer Waves Above-Ground Swimming Pool Best Oval Pool: Bestway Above-Ground Swimming Pool Buying Guide for Above-Ground Pools Each above-ground pool varies in terms of size, shape, depth, included accessories, and more....

Best Fourth of July Mattress Sales - Our Top Picks Best Luxury Mattress - Saatva Classic ($1,570 for a Queen) Best Mattress for Side Sleepers - Helix Midnight ($1,099 for a Queen) Most Comfortable Mattress - DreamCloud Original ($999 for a Queen) Best Mattress for Back Pain - WinkBeds The WinkBed ($1,499 for a Queen) Best Cooling Mattress - Brooklyn Bedding Aurora ($1,405.50 for a Queen) Best Value Mattress - Nectar Original ($799 for a Queen) Best Mattress for Pressure Relief - Nolah Signature ($1,299 for a Queen) Best Hybrid Mattress - Leesa Legend ($1,899 for a Queen) Best Mattress for Active Sleepers - Bear Hybrid ($1,213 for a Queen) Best Mattress for Couples - Casper Wave Hybrid ($2,450 for a Queen) Best Memory Foam Mattress - Puffy Original ($1,049 for a Queen) Best Extra-Firm Mattress - Brooklyn Bedding Plank ($1,049....

Want to save these ideas for later? Create your own holiday gift list to share gift ideas with family and friends. Wildflower Art Studio Store Calligraphy Starter Kit Shop Now If your loved one is artistic, this calligraphy kit has everything they need to start a new hobby. It includes a nib, pen, ink, paper, and a beginner’s instructions booklet and traceable letters. The pen works for both right- and left-handed writers....

There are a wide variety of home security systems available in Baltimore, but they differ in the packages and equipment they offer, how much they cost, and more. To help you find the security solution that works for your home, the This Old House Reviews Team evaluated the best home security companies in Baltimore, evaluating each on key metrics like packages, cost, and customer service. Read on to learn more about our top home security recommendations in Baltimore, Maryland....

Here are twelve neighborhoods that are just as interesting for their past as they are for their present. From the Civil War to the Gold Rush, these historic settings have some serious roots. Sitka, Alaska The capital of Russian America, Sitka was the site of the handoff to the United States after the 1867 Alaska Purchase; it remained the region’s capital until 1906. Patinated copper spires atop the St. Michael’s Orthodox Cathedral overlook this community in the state’s southeastern region, which has an old-world feel rare for a West Coast town....

Steps for Making a French Rolling Pin Glue together a piece of mahogany veneer in between two pieces of maple for the inlay. Tom used mahogany for the rolling pin.2. Find the center of the piece of wood you will be using for the rolling pin, and make a 45-degree cut.3. Cut a short piece of the inlay the length of the diagonal with a 45-degree angle on each end.4. Put that in the middle of the main pieces of the rolling pin, and tape the edges to hold it together....

Mr. Fowler is leading advocate of affordable housing and has served on affordable housing committees and study groups throughout Fairfield County, Connecticut. He has been the Chairman of the Planning Board for the Town of Pound Ridge, New York for the past 20 years and currently is Chair of the Housing Development Fund (HDF), and of the Greater Norwalk (CT) Chamber of Commerce, and board member of the Fairfield County’s Community Foundation and the Maritime Aquarium....

The good news is that you don’t have to spend a bundle to enjoy a happy trip up your walkway. Budget-friendly shortcuts, such as reusing old hardware or choosing high-quality replicas of expensive materials—plus some good old sweat equity—can lead to major transformations. They can even put big projects, like adding on a new porch, within reach. Here are some great examples on how to make an old house look modern on the outside....

I’d like to install solid white oak flooring in our living and dining rooms. The flooring will come from trees harvested on our property and then kiln-dried. Can I mix flatsawn and quartersawn pieces? —Charles Rudduck, Deckerville, MI
You can, but I’d be a little hesitant to mix quartersawn and flatsawn pieces—their different grain patterns might look odd when placed next to each other. What Causes Grain Pattern in Wood?...

But that’s no reason to despair, because your surest source of hope may be much closer to home. There are organizations, national and local, that quietly help many thousands of low-income homeowners each year. Whether you’re looking for help or looking to volunteer, here are some avenues to explore. Rebuilding Together With a vision of “a safe and healthy home for every person,” Rebuilding Together began as a small group of people in Midland, Texas, who came together in 1973 as Christmas in April....

The purpose of all foundations is to transmit the load (weight) of the house, the occupants, and their belongings, to the soil under the foundation. Foundations with walls, such as basements and crawlspaces, must resist the lateral (horizontal) loads imposed by soil that is placed against the walls. Foundations must also resist environmental loads, such as snow, wind and earthquakes. Foundations must perform these tasks without moving, cracking, deteriorating, and admitting water over the entire life of the house....

Carter likes the contrast of a semigloss pattern on a flat base coat. To keep the look loose, he moved across the wall, stamping squares with diamond cutouts at 4-inch intervals in freehand fashion. Then he went back and added smaller circles in the blank spaces. “Try out your pattern on a piece of colored paper, and if you don’t like the way it looks, vary the amount of paint on the stamp or make a new one,” he says....

Shown: Grill; Weber Original Kettle, about $149; homedepot.com Overview for How to Build a Classic Picnic Table Timeline: Day 1: Build the table (Steps 2–11). Day 2: Build the benches (Step 12-13). Picnic Table Cut List 2x8 tabletop boards: five @ 72 inches 2x6 bench-seat boards: four @ 72 inches 2x6 table legs: Mark the angles and cut four to fit using the jig. 2x4 table cleats: three @ 31⅞ inches, with ends beveled at 45-degrees 2x4 bench cleats: six @ 11½ inches, with ends beveled at 30-degrees 2x4 table braces: Mark the angles and cut to fit two of them....

Follow along as This Old House senior technical editor Mark Powers and colleague Douglas Adams build this handsome rec-room centerpiece. And if you want to break out the toga when your DIY home bar is finished, well, that’s entirely your call. Home Bar Parts Overview Day-to-day Timeline Prep Day: Build, trim, and assemble the bar’s side panels (Steps 1–7). Saturday: Install the shelves and corner stiles, and create the bar top (Steps 8-12)....