What's New for Old Houses
Explore current trends, solutions to modern problems, and new strategies for maintaining your historic property at the 2024 Old House & Barn Expo
In the face of low housing stock, more severe weather and new technologies, historic home owners today have a desire for practical solutions, local materials, and traditional craftsmanship, whatever the age or size of their house. Join us at our Old House & Barn Expo on March 16-17 in Manchester, NH to explore these concepts, and collect practical information, referrals and inspiration.
Passion for Place and Commitment to Craft
Just as the number of craft breweries continues to increase in New Hampshire, interest in old building-related crafts is growing too, according to New Hampshire contractors and designers. There is an uptick of client interest in local materials and native landscape plantings. Sophisticated buyers are acquiring everything from hand-crafted hardware to furniture and weathervanes made by local craftspeople. Do-it-yourselfers are sometimes even taking on timber framing or stone wall building, often after taking a workshop or class.
The super-clean interior design aesthetic that was popular a few years ago is yielding to more decoration and variety. The use of more color and warmer whites are all enjoying a cyclical return. “Over the last few years, wallpaper has definitely had a resurgence, especially with designers and homeowner who want to deviate from a neutral palette,” said Janice Randall Rohlf, editor of New Hampshire Home. In kitchens, hinges and appliances are on view instead of hidden, and homeowners are having fun mixing more modernist-era elements with older or antique features.
The Old House & Barn Expo features individuals in the historic preservation movement that bring their personal passion to work on both landmark buildings and the “house down the road,” as well as energy to ignite a new generation of do-it-yourselfers and practioners. Here are just a few:
Jackson DuBois, interim director of the Timber Framers Guild, will speak on his journey to rebuild the spire at Notre Dame of Paris on Sunday.
Tom Bodett, founder of Hatchspace, is a woodworking advocate who wants his Brattleboro, VT makerspace – and others -- to “leave the light on” for people of all ages. He built houses in Alaska as a young man, had career as a writer and humorist (including as a panelist on NPR’s “Wait Wait …Don’t Tell Me!” and Motel 6 spokesperson), and is glad to be back working with his hands. Bodett is on a panel with others passionate about their craft on Saturday.
Conservator David Ottinger will speak about discovering, uncovering and preserving rare c. 19th century painted walls. He is the co-founder of the non-profit Center for Painted Walls Preservation.
Michael Duffy, who has rehabilitated, restored and cared for old houses over time in Manchester and Portsmouth, cautions old house sellers and buyers against an uptick he sees in sales to people flipping intact historic houses that strip historic features and “maintenance-free” marketing. Original sash, wooden clapboards and old fashioned kitchen cupboards offer many benefits that plastic windows, siding and moldings and ‘big box’ kitchens lack, he said.
Help with Critical Choices
Ian Blackman, Sue Booth, Rodney Rowland, Arron Sturgis, Steve Bedard and others in the old building trades will offer advice at the Expo about how to evaluate, phase and address repair and restoration issues from foundations to chimneys. They will share how old houses are adaptable to address changing needs within a household or external issues like increases in severe weather. Self-proclaimed “Furn Nerd” Caroline Alexander of Sunrise Vintage & Antiques will offer advice for using and deaccessioning old furniture. Henry Homeyer, garden expert and columnist, will talk on Saturday about how to select and grow trees, shrubs and flowers that have stood the test of time for older homes. Other hot topics:
Old and New Options for Energy Efficiency: Beverly Thomas, Deputy Director of the Preservation Alliance has observed that energy efficiency continues to be a top priority for people renovating or restoring older homes. "As the experts remind us, there’s nothing greener than renovating or repurposing an existing building,” says Thomas. “There are so many new options available that have minimal impact on the character of an old home.” Old windows can be preserved and heat retained by adding exterior or interior storm windows, installing weather-stripping, or fully repairing the sash and reglazing the panes, often work that a homeowner can do. New heat and cooling exchange systems can be introduced into older homes with minimal disruption, and appropriate insulation that doesn’t permanently alter historic features can be added. Dylan Peacock of Historic New England will speak about energy efficiency in a talk on Saturday, and Scott Hanson, Hanson Historic Consulting will offer Snug as a Bug: Insulation and Ventilation for Historic Houses on Sunday. Revision Energy, Innerglass Window Systems and many other contractors and window specialists will be on hand to talk about energy-related strategies.
Opportunities with Tech: Our advisors note that technology can be used to manage repair and restoration as well as in everyday living. Measurements or testing historic colors can be done using your own photos and free or low-cost apps. Programmable thermostats can reduce energy costs, and home management systems with remote features that monitor household temperature, sump pump malfunction, or furnace failure, can go a long way toward reducing stress and possible costly repairs. Thomas recommends that you enjoy the proliferation of easily-accessible design ideas available on web-sites and social media, but don’t get overwhelmed by details that might be difficult to attain.” Sue Booth of Vintage Kitchens suggests building an idea portfolio by taking photos or sketching details of things you like from your neighborhood or other houses with similar characteristics.
Help with the Housing Crunch
Looking for a place to live, expand or downsize? We know it’s challenging these days. Here are three ways the Preservation Alliance hopes to provide help at the Expo.
Taking on a Fixer-Upper: Expo exhibitors and presenters will help fuel people’s passion for taking on challenging projects. Sessions like Don’t Be Afraid of a Cheap Old House with Elizabeth and Ethan Finkelstein, Cheap Old Houses and local experts as well as a panel on Buying, Selling and Financing an Antique Home will offer tips for finding and acquiring a home as well as ways to stick to a budget. On a policy level, the Preservation Alliance is working with legislators to establish a first-ever tax credit to encourage the rehabilitation of vacant or under-utilized historic structures for housing. Stop by the Preservation Alliance booth to learn more.
Creating New Space in Your Old Place: With good planning, old houses can provide lots of flexibility. Talk to exhibitors like Steve Bedard of Bedard Preservation and Sue Booth of Vintage Kitchens, or sign up for an Old House Doctor session.
Old buildings also can be divided up, offering “micro” home possibilities that are popular in cities like Portsmouth, Manchester and Concord and in rural areas. Many municipalities are stepping up efforts to require or encourage accessory dwelling units (as in “in-law apartments”) to ease the housing crisis and facilitate aging in place. Experts tell us that adaptations in lighting placement, electrical service and Wi-Fi strength are often more important than other physical changes.
In the end, caring for an older home is an on-going process and a major commitment. We hope your journey is dynamic and full of rewards.