Old Town Home
Old Town Home is a blog dedicated to chronicling the successes and failures of an Historic Old Town Alexandria couple as they live in the charming historic district while attempting to completely renovate and appropriately restore an 1880s Victorian row house...almost entirely on their own.
A Gift Basket of Thanks with a NOLA Twist
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- Published on Friday, 18 January 2013
Authors: Wendy
Alex and I love to travel. Whether we're talking about a major vacation almost half way around the world or a little weekend getaway to a nearby city, I'm always looking forward to our next adventure. As much as we love our ability to jump on a plane and head out of town to a new location, we aren't quite as free and clear as most...
A Decade of Renovating: Lessons Learned
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- Published on Thursday, 17 January 2013
Authors: Alex
Today is the 10 year anniversary of owning our house! I'm almost shocked writing that. I really can't believe it's already been a full decade. Lately we've both been so busy with work that the date more or less snuck up on us. I didn't even realize today marked our anniversary until yesterday evening as I left the office and started...
Gassing Up Our Curb Appeal with a Copper Gas Lantern
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- Published on Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Authors: Alex
I'm not sure what it is that makes a gas lantern so incredibly warm and wonderful, but the thought of a copper gas lamp on the front of our home simply makes my heart sing. There are different examples of gas lights on homes all over our area and we love the way they look regardless of the age or style of the home.
We've long thought...
Toolbox Tuesday: Metal Detectors for Safer Woodworking
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- Published on Tuesday, 15 January 2013
Authors: Alex
When I look in my various toolboxes, tool bucket, or workbench, I see a collection of instruments I've purchased over the years that have slowly turned me from an incapable dweller to a moderately accomplished home DIYer. Some of the tools, like my drill or circular saw, are must haves for anyone looking to dabble in DIY. While...
Enjoying New Orleans from a Fresh Perspective
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- Published on Monday, 14 January 2013
Authors: Alex
It's no secret that Wendy and I truly love where we live. Our historic town has so much to offer in the way of food, culture, activities, and experiences. Beyond our immediate town, our proximity to Washington DC allows us to enjoy its eclectic neighborhoods and amenities without much thought or effort. We're able to just jump on the...
Wax On, Wax Off - Butcher Block Oil Treatment Update
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- Published on Friday, 11 January 2013
Authors: Alex
Today's post is a bit of a followup to a post we did a while ago regarding the best methods (in our opinion) for treating our new butcher block counter tops. Now that we're several months into the rather proud ownership of beautiful wood kitchen counters, I think it's time we take a quick look back and fill you in on a few...
Goose or Telephone?
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- Published on Thursday, 10 January 2013
Authors: Wendy
We've been making some big decisions in our house of late, many of which center around our never ending story of the master bathroom project. Though some of the big choices have come rather easy (of course we'd like a claw foot tub), one selection in particular I've been agonizing over for nearly the last decade is the choice between...
How the Wendy Grinch Stole Christmas
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- Published on Wednesday, 09 January 2013
Authors: Alex
You may think you know this story, as it starts with a flutter, but the Grinch I'm referring to deals specifically with clutter.
Her face may not be green and she doesn't live in a cave, but her grinchy ways come out when cleanliness she does crave.
Opposite from the grinch that we all love and know, her heart doesn't start out...
Toolbox Tuesday: Where Has This Pneumatic Stapler Been all my Life?
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- Published on Tuesday, 08 January 2013
Authors: Alex
It's been a little while since our last Toolbox Tuesday blog post. With all of the hectic fervor surrounding the last few months, we've been pretty lax in sharing some of our latest purchases, finds, and favorite items. I think it's about time to dust off the old Toolbox Tuesday belt and turn you onto a can't miss item that I recently...
Basement Clean Up: One Small Step
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- Published on Monday, 07 January 2013
Authors: Alex
In our home, few things cause more frustration, anger, annoyance, and downright disgust from Wendy than the general state of our basement. She's routinely upset at the heightened level of disaster I allow in the basement, but it's by no means just a storage area. I'm the first to admit, it's seen better days. Like the first few weeks...
