This Old Edmonton House Seminars 2014

You know that spring is around the corner when the City of Edmonton Planning Department unveils its seminars designed specifically for owners of old houses. Known as the ‘This Old Edmonton House’ seminars, these sessions cover almost every aspect of owning an old house. This includes talks on windows and doors, mechanical systems, roofs and exteriors, foundations, and plastering walls. I will be doing two … Continue reading This Old Edmonton House Seminars 2014

Historical Interiors of Alberta – A Guide to Restoring and Decorating your Heritage Home

TIP: Remember whoever is attracted to the exterior of your home will expect the interior to harmonize. Making decisions that will destroy this historic continuity may affect the price you can sell your home for some day. It will almost certainly result in a badly restored house. Have you ever been to a heritage home when, upon entering, you felt like it simply “felt right”? … Continue reading Historical Interiors of Alberta – A Guide to Restoring and Decorating your Heritage Home

One solution for Uneven Floors

One of the most pressing issues we had to deal with in this reno has to do with the floors. Our house will be celebrating its 100th birthday in 5 months and over those 100 years sagging has taken place in the center of the house. The foundations are strong but the center supporting beam has sagged. I have a theory about that. Although I … Continue reading One solution for Uneven Floors

Faux oak dresser detail

Restoring Faux Wood Floors in a Victorian House

This week I received an email from a reader with a very unusual question. Unusual because I had never heard about faux wood floors– faux wood walls and doors but never floors. Here’s what he had to say: “I bought a Masonic influenced 1895 Queen Anne Victorian home 6 months ago. I have been doing the restoration myself which so far has only been cosmetic … Continue reading Restoring Faux Wood Floors in a Victorian House