Old House Journal Design Center Sourcebook 2022

THIS CURATED COMPENDIUM goes beyond a list of specialty sources. Instead, it’s an introduction to period-inspired design, showcasing selected products from companies you may not know. Goods are timeless and of high quality, offering a true alternative to the short-lived trends of big-box stores and even many show-rooms. These sometimes hard-to-find companies, in the opinion of our editors and contributors, offer excellent products and good value. For listings, we favor companies of high reputation, products with authenticity, and materials beautiful and traditional. You’ll find smaller companies and artisans selling direct to the customer. You’ll also find appropriate specialty lines from larger manufacturers. When you own an old house, trendy remodeling is the first thing the next owners will want to tear out. Better to listen to the house, regardless of whether…

WHETHER YOUR HOUSE is of a certain style and vintage, a true antique—or newly built to stand the test of time ahead, you’ll find inspiration in the past. We’re in the middle of a booming design revival… of carpets and rugs, furniture, lighting, fabrics and wallpapers, and lighting. Some of the work is contemporary, some interpretive of historic styles, some faithful to the original. Paint colors are grouped into well-researched palettes; hardware is authentic in style and finish. While some reproductions are “document”—that is, a replication of the original, including its scale and colorway—others are adapted for modern taste or use. Taken together, this segment of the market looks to centuries of period design, generating more ideas and creativity than any showroom can give you. Let the house itself tell you…

A MANGLED MANSARD This is a half-hearted attempt to transform a Victorian Second Empire house into a pseudo-Colonial commercial building! The two examples are near each other, and they used to look very similar. On the remuddled building, note the roofline and dormers on the left side, and the bottom halves of stripped window bays at ground level. The porch, original windows, and style-defining roof are gone. The work couldn’t have been cheap, but what were they thinking? LOSING ITS WELCOME The 19th-century, cross-gabled house type is familiar; we could be in New Hampshire or Delaware, New York or Ohio. Common, too, is the fate of the house on the right. Its neighbor retains its roots, even with the addition of aluminum storms and later shutters. The porch is an amenity…

WORKING ON OLD HOUSES alongside his father, Jerod Fitzgerald grew up learning about carpentry. The restoration bug didn’t hit him, though, until he met his wife, Maria—a real-estate agent with an eye for neglected, historic houses with potential. When they found the 1913 house in Portland’s Irvington neighborhood, they were thrilled. There hadn’t been much interest in the house before the Fitzgeralds saw it. A 1960s remodeling had rendered it virtually unrecognizable from its picture in a 1913 newspaper ad. An open sleeping porch had been removed, along with pergolas and over-hanging eaves. The flat-roofed porch was held up by 4x4 posts and the façade was covered in disproportionate aluminum siding. Ceilings dropped in the 1960s are back to their 9 ½' height. The box beams were found intact under plywood. The…

HOW TO DESIGN A KITCHEN that will still look good and function well in 20 years? Rely on timeless materials. Keep the design simple or incorporate period conventions. In cabinets and millwork, take design cues from your dining room, or from an old pantry in the house or the neighborhood. Modeling a new bathroom on those of the early 20th century is just one approach for a house that wouldn’t have had plumbing until then. 1. CROWN SELECT crownselect.com Built by the same artisans that create Crown Point cabinetry, Crown Select is hand-crafted to the same quality, fit, and finish, but for a budget-friendly price. Available direct, nationwide. (603) 542-3399 2. FORBO LINOLEUM forboflooringna.com Marmoleum is naturally healthy and water-resistant flooring. Inherent anti-static and antimicrobial properties repel dust and dirt, making it…

Crown Point Cabinetry Claremont, New Hampshire (800) 999-4994 crown-point.com While his father, Norm Stowell, would go to a customer’s house to build cabinets on site, today’s cabinets are produced in a truly state-of-the-art facility, where most standard components are cut guided by CNC machines accurate to ¹⁄ ¹⁰⁰⁰ th of an inch. This computer-aided precision "has helped revolutionize the quality and productivity of medium-sized cabinetmakers," Stowell says. "Beyond quality and accuracy, the software in the machinery helps us minimize material waste, which is good for the environment while helping control costs for our clients.” What hasn't changed is Norm’s dedication to quality fit and finish. Recognized as fine furniture, the company’s cabinetry includes mortise-and-tenon joinery in all face frames; walnut dovetail drawers and plywood interiors; hand fitting of all doors and drawers; polish sanding of all…