lasting quality FOR HOUSES WITH CHARACTER

THE BEST HOMES ARE COMFORTABLE AND PERSONAL. A SUCCESSFUL RENOVATION DOES UPDATES WITH SENSITIVITY.

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IT'S TOO EASY to gravitate toward short-lived trends, rather than considering timeless qualities that have staying power. This book gives you a head start on showroom alternatives, many adapted for today's taste and use. From wide-plank floors to true linoleum, stencils to Arts & Crafts pendant friez-es, big porcelain farm sinks to Sputnik chandeliers: you can find it. You may even discover a material or model that your roofer or hardware-store clerk insists “isn’t made anymore.”

The best renovations toe the line between necessary updates and enough sensitivity to assure design integrity.

This adorable Queen Anne cottage has a Steamboat Gothic wraparound porch.Its exterior colors are based on evidence of its earlier palette.

There’s no need to erase original features in the search for comfort and personal preference ... and you may find that period design provides inspiration.