Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven

Is it just me, or does everyone see a crumbling house and hear it calling out for help? Candi and Jake have answered that call with their Victorian farmhouse in Southeast Missouri. They bought the property for $7000 and have essentially been rebuilding the house in place. Their story is one of hope and revival, perfect for Spring! Thanks so much for being with us this week.  Please see the ep...

Would you love to renovate homes for a living, being your own client? Me too! Laurel LeBauve of SOPO Cottage joined me to talk about her early renovations, her career change and why she isn't a house flipper. She has a three pronged approach to renovations that result in high quality improved housing stock. Website and blog: www.sopocottage.com Instagram: @sopocottage Thanks so much for being with...

This is a story of a center chimney Georgian in CT, from the perspective of someone who wasn’t planning or hoping to live in an old house.  My guest is Brie who runs the instagram account Center Chimney on Main.  Brie and her husband moved back to Connecticut after living in Washington state for a number of years- they moved back at the beginning of the pandemic with three dogs, a baby s...

Marlissa Briggett joined me to talk about her cottage in Onset, a village on the South Coast of Massachusetts. A short and sweet episode, we talked about her quirky house, the power of place, an ideal house, and some good renovation tips. A short and sweet episode About our guest: Marlissa Bridgett is the owner and publisher of South Coast Almanac, a quarterly lifestyle magazine about Massachusett...

This episode is about getting into preservation, taking big risks, finding your dream house and a job that is perfect for you. Jim Roseland, @thecardiganking on instagram, spoke with me about his amazing house, his journey to get there and his work as a preservation professional. Jim is a former fashion photographer turned preservationist and community development professional. Thanks so much for...

Another renovation story- this one from historic Meridian Park in Indianapolis. Jess is a non profit executive who is obsessed with his architect designed 1907 Dutch Colonial revival. We talked about researching the inhabitants, the original architects, the importance of high quality paint and more. Instagram- @1907DutchColonial Thanks so much for being with us this week.  Please see the epis...

This episode is another renovation story, this one a Neo classical house in Omaha, Nebraska. Em Kinghorn is a historic home enthusiast and antique aficionado who breathes life into forgotten gems. Restoring a home built in 1896 in Omaha, Nebraska, her husband Ben and their two dogs-Winifred and Bemis-are along for the ride. She has been sharing the journey on social media bringing followers along...

How does your personality intersect with your home aesthetic? What is important to keep in mind when buying an old house? Donna joins me to discuss her experience with her charming Gothic Revival home. Instagram: @wan2bdecorator Thanks so much for being with us this week.  Please see the episode enhancement for this and other episodes at talkinghomerenovations.com Do you have feedback you wou...

Taylor and her family moved from a 1950s split level into their 1764 farmhouse affectionately named “The Moneypit” during the pandemic. While she anticipated the usual old-house problems, Taylor soon realized she needed to learn how to triage an antique house.  Taylor and her dad, Christopher, are old house enthusiasts and spend much of their free time working on big and small projects at the...

In this episode I'm joined by Stacey and Rick Forgensi, owners of a glorious Queen Anne house in Buffalo New York. This is their 5th house renovation and they have plenty of experience and wisdom to share. Have you been wondering how to remove bad smells from your house? Stacey can tell you how (it isn't easy). How many companies in the US make curved replacement glass? Listen and find out. About...

The Buckley Bishop House is a folk victorian outside of Philadelphia. Kurt and Emma Leuschner purchased the historic house in summer 2022. Emma joined me to discuss the resources she has used to explore the history of the house and what she has learned. About our guest: Emma is a stay at home mother, former flight attendant and current board member of the Concord Township Historical Society. Her h...

This week's renovation story comes from an instagram account I have been following, @ourgreekrevival. Deepa and Eric moved into their Hudson Valley New York house about a year and a half ago and have been working away at reversing some improvements, insulating the house, they've perfected lime wash painting and gotten to know a bit about the history of the property. The original part of their hous...

Hugh Siler is back with me on this episode talking about the renovation of the J.W.Wilson House in Old Towne Orange, California. Hugh was the guest on episode 70- How to Find, Buy and Restore Your First Historic Home. About our guest: Hugh Siler has been making waves with his innovative restorations of homes in the historic district of Old Towne Orange, California located five miles from Disneylan...

This episode it about home kitchens- how we live in them, cook in them, entertain in them- all of which we should really think about if we are going to be creating our own custom kitchen. I say this all the time, but I encourage you to design for the way that you want to live, rather than being concerned with what others might like. My guests are the hosts of Three Kitchens Podcast, and we recorde...

Michael MacPhail is back talking about the progress on the Smart Old House project. We talk about ordering windows, embarking on the new bathroom build out and dreaming about house concerts when the Spring comes. Follow along on Instagram @Smartoldhouse ***** Thanks so much for being with us this week.  Please see the episode enhancement for this and other episodes at talkinghomerenovations.c...

Mona Ying Reeves, the Founder and House Coach behind Kickstart House, shares how she made a new year's resolution to renovate her fixer upper and how it's going one year later. We also learn about her 5-Day Home Renovation Challenge where she helps women take the leap from having a Pinterest board full of ideas to making real progress on a real renovation.  For More Info: Pinterest To Progres...

We are on break this week, enjoy a holiday rerun and see you in 2023! Nick, Drew and Matt of Appliance Educator joined me to discuss how to choose appliances, whether more expensive appliances are that much better than less expensive appliances, what to look for and possibly what to avoid. They have SO MUCH information on their website- www.applianceeducator.com - and if you follow their advice yo...

Massachusetts architect Chris Novelli joined me in this episode to discuss common mistakes that people make while undertaking a renovation to their house. If you enjoyed this episode then you will enjoy Chris' podcast for homeowners, Home Design Academy. Chris has a book for homeowners coming out soon, working title is Your Guide to Residential Design and Construction Projects,What to Expect...

In this episode, Jillian Souza joins me to discuss her design approach and how she creates spaces for families. About our guest Jillian Souza founded Wooly Architecture with a passion for homes because they play a leading role in shaping a person's dreams, creativity, health & relationships. And when our homes truly support us it reduces our stress load, which then frees us up for more creativ...

Michael MacPhail and I are back with a recap of the November progress at the Smart Old House. Air sourced heat pump installations, shadow box fence complete, radiator removal, powder post beetle sill damage, more plumbing leaks- in other words, business as usual! The 1794 Taber House is getting stabilized and becoming all electric. Follow Michael on Instagram: @smartoldhouse **********************...

Everyone can benefit from calling in a professional, in this case we need help working through options when it comes to  design choices here at the Smart Old House.  My guest this week is Dave Rademaker, an old house specialist from Michigan who has been on the show twice before- Kitchens and Baths in Old Houses (episode 65) and an episode I called old house renovation conundrums when we...

We may dream about renovating our home for years before getting to an actual renovation. Some of us never get there. How can we improve our spaces without involving a contractor? Architect Emma Greenberg believes there are plenty of things we can do- even today- to really love our spaces. About our guest: Emma Greenberg is a licensed architect in NJ and NY. She grew up in a family of artists,...

Design Stinson of Fujitsu joined me this week to discuss the latest in HVAC "Smart" technology. We discussed my upcoming heat pump installation, the importance of maintenance, whether you really need a back up system for your system, and more. About this week's guest: Dennis Stinson is the Vice President of Sales for Fujitsu General America, a national manufacturer with local distributors across t...

Ralph Reed, building mover, joined me in this episode to discuss his work as a house mover and what to do if your floors are sagging and bouncy. ************************************************************************************************ Thanks so much for being with us this week.  Please see the episode enhancement for this and other episodes at talkinghomerenovations.com Do you have fee...

Our very slow reality show continues with some wins this month, surprises still popping up and extra expenses that we didn't anticipate. Michael MacPhail joins me to give the monthly update on the 1794 smart old house. Do you want to see photos of the progress? Sign up for the newsletter, see link below. **********************************************************************************************...