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Antique New England Homes & Barns: History, Restoration, and Reinterpretation
There is something about antique homes and their hard-working barns that captures the imagination. Maybe it's their pleasing proportions, maybe they remind us of a simpler time, or maybe we sense that these venerable old survivors that were built when our country was young have seen it all. But how many of us have bothered to listen to the stories they tell or tried to understand what makes them tick? This book reveals the essence of antique New England homes and barns—their history, the people who built them, why they were built that way, and how to restore them, piece by piece, without losing their character. Learn to identify architectural styles from different periods, how to strategize a restoration, and how to approach it systematically, from the timber frame to the floors, walls, and ceilings, windows and doors, wiring, finishes, and landscaping.
200 pages, Hardcover
Published August 28, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 6, 2019
An outstanding and beautiful book! Really, I mean really covers the history of the homes and barns! Loved it!
May 6, 2017
If you are interested in the essence of antique homes and barns, please read this book. This book is fun and a quick read but also very informative. There are a lot of pictures in this book, it's perfect for visual references. I enjoyed every detail of this book. It's always fun to read a book with pictures!
June 18, 2017
I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I found this book incredibly informative and a treasure trove of information. As an owner of a more modern house in the NH Seacoast, I can honestly say that this book made me come to terms with having passed up purchasing a historic home in Exeter a few years back. The amount of work looked daunting (lead remediation and roof repairs to a Mansard style roof alone would have been close to half the cost of the house) but now, in reading this very detailed book, I realize there was so much more. I never knew Victorian-era wallpaper could have arsenic in it, for instance. Honed slate counter surfaces in kitchen and bathrooms look better than soapstone and are less fragile, too! This book made me realize that for the time, skill level and budget, I was right to pass! Though I ended up in a more modern New England-style home, this book has also made me appreciate number of classic architectural features and wood workmanship in that home.
Beginning with a thorough grounding in historical styles from the colonial era forward, the book then tackles the business of recognizing styles and serious structural problems in a historic home. From the plumbing to the electrical, from addressing how to have a modern kitchen in a historic space to the finer details of framing, floors, windows and doors, this book covers it all. Most importantly, DeStefano shares his biggest mistakes over the past 40 years of his renovating his own historic home with us. His advice on assessing painting interior and exterior surfaces and what to do when you run into problems like milk paint or calcimine paint and why not to sandblast your exterior wood shingles and siding are vital. This book is a find for both architecture lovers and those looking for advice on harmonious renovation of a New England historic house to yield a comfortable home.
I found this book incredibly informative and a treasure trove of information. As an owner of a more modern house in the NH Seacoast, I can honestly say that this book made me come to terms with having passed up purchasing a historic home in Exeter a few years back. The amount of work looked daunting (lead remediation and roof repairs to a Mansard style roof alone would have been close to half the cost of the house) but now, in reading this very detailed book, I realize there was so much more. I never knew Victorian-era wallpaper could have arsenic in it, for instance. Honed slate counter surfaces in kitchen and bathrooms look better than soapstone and are less fragile, too! This book made me realize that for the time, skill level and budget, I was right to pass! Though I ended up in a more modern New England-style home, this book has also made me appreciate number of classic architectural features and wood workmanship in that home.
Beginning with a thorough grounding in historical styles from the colonial era forward, the book then tackles the business of recognizing styles and serious structural problems in a historic home. From the plumbing to the electrical, from addressing how to have a modern kitchen in a historic space to the finer details of framing, floors, windows and doors, this book covers it all. Most importantly, DeStefano shares his biggest mistakes over the past 40 years of his renovating his own historic home with us. His advice on assessing painting interior and exterior surfaces and what to do when you run into problems like milk paint or calcimine paint and why not to sandblast your exterior wood shingles and siding are vital. This book is a find for both architecture lovers and those looking for advice on harmonious renovation of a New England historic house to yield a comfortable home.
June 6, 2017
Title: Antique New England Homes and Barns - History, Restoration and Reinterpretation
Author: Jim DeStefano P.E., AIA, F.SEI
Publisher: Schifer Publishing Ltd.
Published: 8-28-2017
Pages: 200
Genre: History
Sub-Genre: Architecture, photography
ISBN: 978-07643-5353-6
Reviewed For: NetGalley and Schiffer Publishing
Reviewer: DelAnne
Rating: 4.5 stars
A table book that takes readers on a journey back in time to see the evolution of the homes used by early setlers in the new wolrd. The archiectural history showing the styles brought over from the old England and how they improved them. So many wonderful photographs depict the interior and exterior workmanship. There are even a few of the homes that are on their last legs in desperate need of love and a family.
You will find hours of beauty and information within the covers. My rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Antique-Englan...
B&N Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/anti...
GoodReads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
The Reading Room Link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/DelAnne531/status...
Author: Jim DeStefano P.E., AIA, F.SEI
Publisher: Schifer Publishing Ltd.
Published: 8-28-2017
Pages: 200
Genre: History
Sub-Genre: Architecture, photography
ISBN: 978-07643-5353-6
Reviewed For: NetGalley and Schiffer Publishing
Reviewer: DelAnne
Rating: 4.5 stars
A table book that takes readers on a journey back in time to see the evolution of the homes used by early setlers in the new wolrd. The archiectural history showing the styles brought over from the old England and how they improved them. So many wonderful photographs depict the interior and exterior workmanship. There are even a few of the homes that are on their last legs in desperate need of love and a family.
You will find hours of beauty and information within the covers. My rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Antique-Englan...
B&N Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/anti...
GoodReads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
The Reading Room Link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/DelAnne531/status...
June 15, 2017
Antique New England Homes & Barns: History, Restoration, and Reinterpretation by Jim DeStefano Stunning book, not only the pictures but the history that goes along with them. I love old homes and old barns. My husband and I go from Florida to Pennsylvania ever year for vacation. While there are some really nice old homes and barns here in Florida the further north we go the more spectacular the homes and barns are. I literally have hundreds of pictures saved on my computer that I have taken during our travels of old houses and barns.
This book fits perfectly into my fascination of these homes and barns. I could look at this book over and over and and probably will. I also love to see how from the earliest homes to the newer ones have changed in architecture. This is an awesome books with som any pictures. There is some reading but it is basically short and to the point but gives you what you need to really understand exactly what you are looking at.
I received this book from the Author or Publisher via Netgalley.com to read and review.
This book fits perfectly into my fascination of these homes and barns. I could look at this book over and over and and probably will. I also love to see how from the earliest homes to the newer ones have changed in architecture. This is an awesome books with som any pictures. There is some reading but it is basically short and to the point but gives you what you need to really understand exactly what you are looking at.
I received this book from the Author or Publisher via Netgalley.com to read and review.
September 16, 2017
Anyone interested in architecture or woodworking would really enjoy this, those of us who just enjoy history will love this. I found this book extremely interesting not only because of the history but to marvel at the work and thinking behind these old building, I always had a soft spot for the saltbox houses and now I understand the reason behind them.
The second part of the book is very practical and includes bring an old shed/building back to their former glory when possible. It also included moving a building.
We used to own an old farm house (in Australia) including a restored 100yr old barn which had been used to store pears for export to England. Whenever I walked in there, there was just a wonderful feeling of wonderful workmanship and memories that this building must have held.
I really easy and interesting book to read whatever your interests. Very well written.
The second part of the book is very practical and includes bring an old shed/building back to their former glory when possible. It also included moving a building.
We used to own an old farm house (in Australia) including a restored 100yr old barn which had been used to store pears for export to England. Whenever I walked in there, there was just a wonderful feeling of wonderful workmanship and memories that this building must have held.
I really easy and interesting book to read whatever your interests. Very well written.
August 9, 2025
Fantastic resource for antique house owner. DeStefano covers many topics with enough detail to get started, but not too much to be an unwieldy encyclopedia. DeStafano not only touches on the pragmatic details of how one might get started working on their house, but also the history behind that house.
June 21, 2018
Book received from Edelweiss.
Review to Come
Review to Come
September 29, 2018
A fun and light read for those with an affection for old homes and their history.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews