Period Features
Fireplaces in older homes: what to keep and why
Which original fireplace features to keep, how fireplaces shaped the plan of older rooms, and the chimney and flue checks to make before any change to the hearth.
The collection
Period Features
Original details such as moldings, windows, staircases, fireplaces, floors and glass that give older homes their character, and how to care for them.
Period Features
Original floors: what to check before refinishing them
What to check before sanding or refinishing original floorboards, including wood species, usable thickness, past repairs, moisture damage, hidden services and when to call a specialist.
Period Features
Original moldings: what they reveal and how to care for them
What original moldings reveal about a house's age and builders, how to read dating clues in their profiles and joints, and how to clean, repair and replace them with care.
Period Features
Sash windows and why they shape an older facade
How sash windows are built, how their pane patterns set the look of an older facade, and the trade-offs between repairing original sashes and replacing them.
Period Features
Stained glass in older homes: where it appeared and why it lasts
Where stained glass appeared in older houses, how panels are built with lead came or copper foil, and how to protect them from condensation, weather and handling damage.
Period Features
Staircases and banisters: the feature that defines a hall
The parts of a traditional staircase, how stair design changed across older periods, and how to repair loose balusters, newel posts and handrails while keeping the stair safe.