Shown: Carefully plotted fields of color, including citrus shades of yellow and green, define prep, storage, and lounging spaces—and guarantee an upbeat mood. Cabinets: Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinetry Cooking Up Some Color A new kitchen is like a blank slate: You can color it any way you want. Just take a look at this kitchen-and-family-room addition at Bonnie and Jim Connors’ house outside Chicago. The layout is pretty straightforward: The cooking area is flanked by small home-office and mudroom nooks; upper cabinets, prep space, and range are along one wall; windows, sink, and counters fill another; an island separates the cooking and family room areas....

Shown: Joe and Becky Titlow in front of the Nathaniel Page homestead, which they’ve called home since 2007. The oldest structure is in front, and there have been two additions, a rear one in the 1800s and one on its west side in 2004. The Titlows are updating the kitchen in the rear addition and adding a family room and a new entry. How Old? But TOH general contractor Tom Silva had his doubts....

But the paint color doesn’t act independently in creating the room’s mood. It partners with other components like the countertop, flooring, and style of fixtures. If your bathroom has a soaking tub under a picture window overlooking the garden, with heated floors and towel bars, you want the paint color to spell r-e-l-a-x. But if you have only a shower, stocked with eye-opening minty body wash and multiple water jets, you need a color that puts a spring in your step before the morning commute....

And dirt you can see is just the beginning. That dust collecting on end tables and bookshelves is only a fraction of what’s actually swimming around in the air: an invisible mix of dust mites, pollen, dander, mold, and smoke that can be annoying to breathe and hazardous to your health. The first line of defense against airborne contaminants is to keep a house clean and well ventilated. But for some sensitive people that may not be enough....

The nonprofit Consumers’ Checkbook regularly does local-market price checks, which show that among people with the same kinds of home insurance coverage, some overpay by $100 or more per month. Too many of us treat buying coverage for our homes and personal property as a set-it-and-forget-it proposition, signing off on our annual renewals with minimal scrutiny. That’s not surprising given the complexity of typical policies and the difficulty of comparing similar policies from different insurers....

Gazebo Bar Similar to a pergola, a gazebo can be used to create a stylish outdoor bar space. This freestanding, roof-covered garden structure has more columns than a pergola due to its typically hexagonal or octagonal shape. A gazebo’s ceiling and columns lend themselves well to decorating and personalization. 7 Backyard Tiki Bar Ideas Pergola Bar It’s easy to create a designated bar space with a pergola—a structure usually consisting of four columns and an open raftered roof....

Popular Brick Patterns to Consider Running Bond Pattern Bricks are butted end to end with joints that fall in the middle of the brick on the next row. One of the sturdiest and easiest patterns to install, running bond only requires minimal cutting at each end and will easily follow a gentle curve. Basket Weave Pattern Pairs of bricks alternate to create a woven appearance. On a straight path, this pattern only requires cutting to fit at each end, but on a curve you may have fanning gaps, requiring you to put in extra time with a chisel or saw....

Nathan Gilbert Carpenter Nathan Gilbert grew up with a general contracting father, and he credits his father for his career in the trades. From an early age, Nathan remembers sweeping up the job site and pitching in on siding, framing, and roofing jobs for his father’s business. Nathan appreciated that his father could come to all of his sporting events thanks to being self-employed. He’s also enjoying that flexibility now, as Nathan has the opportunity to be there for his daughter whenever she needs him....

Want to save these ideas for later? Create your own holiday gift list to share gift ideas with family and friends. Gift a This Old House Insider Membership Know someone who is a This Old House fanatic? If so, then there’s no better gift than giving them VIP access to all things This Old House. Membership includes commercial-free streaming of every episode ever made of This Old House and Ask This Old House, live Q&As with our experts, access to special deals and discounts, and more!...

To help you narrow down your options, the This Old House Reviews Team has reviewed the best home security systems on critical metrics like equipment packages, cost, and more. Read on to find out about our top recommendations. The Top 5 Home Security Systems in Houston ADT: Best Overall Vivint: Best for Smart Home Integration SimpliSafe: Best for Easy Installation Frontpoint: Best for Smartphone Integration Abode: Best for Customization...

Here are our favorite places where the homes are beautiful, but just in need of a little TLC. Historic Garden District, Montgomery, Alabama Twelve short blocks from downtown Montgomery, the Garden District is home to 2,500 residents as diverse as its architecture. Young singles and 30-something professionals are drawn to a community that is ethnically varied, socially diverse, and still every bit as genteel as any small town in the old South....

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