Archives

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Interior Design for a Small Home

The interior of the Concord Cottage is a marvel of traditional decor, universal design, and hidden storage everywhere.
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A Bittersweet Ending

The family suffers a loss as the Concord Cottage project nears completion
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Everything in Its Place

A homeowner, innkeeper, and father dreams about the fabulous home that awaits his family
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Coming Out of Storage

Reconverting an oversized storage closet back to being a home is like working from a blank slate. On the Bermuda project, that meant figuring out what kind of home it would become — and just how blank the slate would be.
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The Big Damp

Keeping a house dry on a humid island is no small task. On our Bermuda project, everyone working on the job contributes to that effort, inside and out
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Birth of a Notion

From concept to delivery, this renovation project followed a strangely familiar course
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One Small, Happy Family

How do you plan the perfect living space for people you haven't met?
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Barnjacking!

Tom Silva's team gives a whole new meaning to the expression "raising a barn."
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Foundation on a Flatbed

The new foundation at the Carlisle Project won't be arriving in a cement mixer. It will show up on a truck, be installed in less than a day, and stay weather-tight for decades.
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Expect the Unexpected

A septic tank turns up in a surprising spot, which may mean a bit more digging than we'd planned on.
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Walls (and Roof) That Won't Come Tumbling Down

The new construction at Carlisle consists of foam-core panels that are strong enough to stay put for a century, and solid enough to keep the fuel bills low.
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How To Buy Reclaimed Lumber

We're walking through sourcing, buying, and using reclaimed wood, from understanding its benefits to working with dealers.
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Putting in a Pond: Types, Benefits, and Essential Maintenance

Learn how to install a perfect pond for your yard with our guide covering pond types, benefits, and essential maintenance tips.
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How To Choose and Use the Right Screwdriver for Your Task

A screwdriver is an important tool for do-it-yourself projects, but you must know how to use it correctly. Scan our guide for more details.
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Drilling Guide for Drawer Pulls

How to get the handles in the same place every time
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A Victorian-Era House Turns Out to Be a Diamond in the Rough

What we got was an 1895 Queen Anne with melted wiring and soggy plaster—a home in desperate need of some architectural TLC
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Structural Insulated Panels at Carlisle

These foam-core panels at Carlisle will stand for a century and keep heating costs down
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Interior Design Plans at Carlisle

In Carlisle, we put our newest crew member to the test with a design assignment that was a bit unusual—even for us
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3 Different Designers Tackle Rooms at Carlisle

How three different designers put their stamp on the Carlisle project house
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Finishing Up at Carlisle

Tom Silva's long—make that very long—list of finishing tasks
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Better Waterproofing at the Cambridge House

How builder's channeled water that sneaks behind the cladding
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Broken Glass in Your Modern-Style Garden?

Our Cambridge project house is Modern, which means its garden will be Modern, too. That could mean unusual materials. Like broken glass.
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Don't Just Jump into a Water Feature

Fountains, ponds, even faux streams are great additions. Just consider resource maintenance before you build.
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S4 E26: Mini-Split AC, Lawn De-Thatching

Richard installs a mini-split air conditioning system. The guys ask, "What is it?" Roger helps a homeowner "wake up the lawn" in preparation for spring by using a de-thatching machine.
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S5 E26: Workbench, Lawnmower, Whistling Heat

Tom Kevin how to build a simple workbench. The guys ask, "What is it?" Roger shows Kevin how to tune-up a gas-powered lawn mower. Richard helps quiet a whistling forced-air heating system by installing a "bypass duct."

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