House Styles
1860 Italianate Remodel: House Proud
The home had seen better days—until a master carpenter lavished his skills on the place, turning it into a forever home for him and his wife
18th-century Saltbox Remodel
A DIYer builds her skills—and an online following—filling her family’s 18th-century saltbox with handmade charm
Build a New Home with a Mid-century Modern Vibe
Clean, geometric lines, walls of glass that bring the outdoors in, and open floor plans that emphasize function over fuss are the hallmarks that make this postwar style truly timeless. These same elements make mid-century modern homes more affordable to build than many other styles. If you are building new, but covet life in a contemporary classic, check out these house plans from The House Designers.
Build a Bungalow With Old-House Charm
It’s easy to fall in love with the charm of a bungalow home on a sunny, tree-lined street, but new builds often lack the same charm. Check out these ready-to-build house plans from The House Designers so you can build your own. (Exclusive discount codes for plans below!)
Mid-century Mastery House Tour
A free-flowing 1959 house with a lofty interior rises to the next level in the hands of two detail-obsessed owners
Southern Gothic: A Folk Victorian Remodel
A writer puts his creative energies—and practical building skills—to work, turning a weathered 100-year-old house in Savannah into a unique and magical retreat
A Shipshape Makeover for a 1903 Cottage
A 1903 cottage gets a neat-and-trim makeover inspired by its bayside location
Abandoned Texas Craftsman Turned Cozy Home
A young couple's elbow grease transforms a vacant brick house featured on Ask TOH into a comfortable home for a growing family
Why Victorians Make the Best Movie Haunted Houses
One of our most-loved architecture styles is also our scariest
Why Barns are Red and More Paint Color Cues
The stories behind certain hues associated with the American landscape
Room at the Top for a Classic American Foursquare
An imaginative tower addition enables a longed-for view of a nearby landmark
Prefab House is TOH Home of the Year
This Old House and Real Simple teamed up to highlight Blu Homes's Breezehouse for its innovative and sustainable—yet traditional—design
If These Walls Could Talk: An Early-American Cape
It took a pair of intrepid homeowners to see beyond the insults of the centuries and bring back the house's soul
How to Design a Cozy Cottage-Style Interior
TOH's guide to the architectural elements and interior details that give any house, big or small, cottage character
32 More Scary Houses Turned into Spectacular Homes
TOH readers took on another batch of rundown abodes and remade them into cheery and beautiful houses
After 23 Moves, a Couple Finds Their Forever Home
This couple took on a crumbling 1901 Dutch Colonial Revival, adding vintage-look details, energy-saving systems, and cozy new living spaces inside and out
Bringing Serenity and Flow to a Small Home
Tips from a pro on making compact rooms feel calming and comfortable
From Carriage House to Cozy Home
They wanted a vintage home with a lofty interior for entertaining. They found it in a 1916 outbuilding with a crowd-pleasing open plan
One-of-a-Kind Craftsman Remodel
One look at the dilapidated 1926 foursquare—smack in the middle of beach-condo country—sealed the deal for this couple.
Before and After Cape Cod
Get renovation ideas and see how these homeowners transformed a stuck-in-time 1950s Cape Cod into a comfortable home for today
A DIY Bungalow Renovation
How one family learned through trial and error—popping off baseboards while using floor jacks and sawing a hutch in half to get it in the front door—to turn a 1909 wreck into their dream home
Craftsman Style
TOH reader Gary Grubb asked us to define the style more of you favor over any other. So here's a little background to help you borrow its handsome features
Federal Style
America's first homegrown style, born out of Revolutionary pride, still resonates today
From Animal House to Our House
A rowdy fraternity had totally trashed the 1897 brick row house. Then a pair of professors bought it and set about restoring its architectural integrity
How One Homeowner Rebuilt His Fire-Ravaged House
A devastating fire in an 18th-century farmhouse gives its devoted owner a chance to restore more than his home
A Victorian-Era House Turns Out to Be a Diamond in the Rough
What we got was an 1895 Queen Anne with melted wiring and soggy plaster—a home in desperate need of some architectural TLC
19th-Century Rowhouse Revival
It was moved, used as a house of ill repute, then chopped up into apartments. With its original details now carefully restored, this 1878 Italianate has once more claimed its place as a gracious family home
Contemporary Craftsman
A kitchen and dining room remodel updates the Arts and Crafts style
American House Styles
Take a stroll through the history of American houses, from the colonial era to the modern age.
Taming Turrets
The first turrets were lookouts attached to castle walls. Today, they serve more as decorative flourishes, so it's important to match their style to that of the rest of the house.
Take the Chill off Modern Architecture
Here's how to use natural materials, well-crafted details, and open plan spaces to make a minimalist house inviting.
Its Name is Mud...Or More Precisely, Adobe
Remodeling with adobe can make a house look as good as it did when it was first built