True Tales From Old Houses

In this episode, Devyn and Stacy offer advice to a listener about her window restoration dilemma. Later, they welcome Bill Chapman. Known as the "Granddaddy of the house blog movement," Bill and his wife Gay have been restoring and rehabbing Enon Hall for over 20 years! Bill's story is one of trust and vision. Although we cannot change history, we can shape the future. Today's episode is part one of two.

Stacy is on vacation. So, this week's episode includes bonus content plus an "Everyone Loves Cheap Old Houses and Elizabeth Finkelstein," reprise. What the heck is a rathskeller? Fan favorites, Alicia and Zach, from episode #35, share a fun story about this very German and Milwaukee-specific room. Episode #11: Everyone Loves Cheap Old Houses and Elizabeth Finkelstein first aired July 15, 2019. Today's version has been re-engineered. show notes & transcripts

In this episode, Stacy and Devyn talk about what they wish they'd known before they bought their old houses. They also offer practical advice to house hunters. Later, Stacy talks to Lee Ann, lover of all things Victorian and flow blue pottery. A wealth of knowledge about flow blue, Lee Ann explains the origin of the style, learning how to spot fakes, and some resources and tips for starting a collection. show notes & transcripts

In this episode, Stacy briefly discusses the basics of homeowner's insurance as it relates to old houses. Riveting! Later, Stacy and Devyn welcome guests, Alicia & Zach. After Zach found the blueprints of their old house tucked away in a built-in cupboard, the pair went down a rabbit hole of serious research. As we listened to their story, we couldn't help but wonder what we, as old house owners, should be leaving behind for future generations. show notes & transcripts

In this episode, Devyn and Stacy, who both live in the Eastern US, answer the question, "If you moved to the west coast, would you still seek out an old house?" Later, Devyn and Stacy enjoy a conversation with the always lively and endearing, Daniel Kanter. The interview ranging from hilarious to serious, discusses topics such as the highs and lows of DIY, the sometimes caustic comments from invested readers, and the zen of folding your underwear into tiny little pastry shapes. Show Notes & Transcripts

Welcome to Season Four of True Tales From Old Houses! In this episode, Stacy and Devyn answer the listener question, "How much hands-on work do you do?" Today's guest is Alex Santantonio from the popular blog and Instagram account, Old Town Home. In 2003, Alex and Wendy bought a row house in Old Town Alexandria, and they've had a love affair with restoration and DIY ever since. With seventeen years of old house experience under his belt, Alex is well-acquainted with success, catastrophe, and the myth of the eight-week project. Show Notes & Transcripts

In today's episode, Stacy and Devyn answer a listener's question about design regrets. Also, what protections and benefits, if any, do national, state, and local historic designations offer for your old house? We asked preservation professional, Melissa Mortimer, to give us some answers. Show Notes & Transcripts

In today's episode, Devyn and Stacy tackle the question, "Would you rather fix up your old house all at once or take your time?" Also, Stacy discusses decorative plaster restoration with Terry Wullenweber, a master of plaster for over 40 years. This is the last episode recorded on their visit to New Albany, Indiana, and Louisville, Kentucky, Show Notes & Transcripts

In February, mere weeks before COVID-19 turned the world upside down, Stacy and her friend Drew went on the first True Tales From Old Houses field trip. Unfortunately, Devyn was still on medical leave. The plan was to interview two restoration specialists and visit two historic buildings in Indiana and Kentucky. Today's bonus episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the trip. Stacy and Drew share several good stories-- most of them about the Culbertson Mansion, a Southern Indiana treasure, located in New Albany. Show notes & Transcripts - BONUS Episode #30

In today's episode, Devyn and Stacy answer the listener question, "How do you choose a color scheme for a large house?" Continuing the color theme, today's guest is artisan, Rhonda Deeg, from RLD Glass Art and Restoration. Rhonda's life has been full of rich, cultural experiences as well as many practical life lessons she learned from her parents early-on. Rhonda's passion for glass and life-long learning shines brightly. This interview kicks off a two-episode series from Stacy's February field trip to New Albany, IN, and Louisville, KY. Show notes & Transcripts - Episode #29

In this episode, Devyn and Stacy answer the following question submitted by a listener: "How do you furnish your homes? What type of antiques?" Also, Today's guest is Paige. Paige and her husband Trevor have a house moving story--with a twist! After finding their dream fixer-upper in Seattle, Washington, Paige and Trevor made renovation plans. However, they soon discovered that the city's bureaucracy wouldn't budge an inch. For more information and transcripts, visit, TrueTalesFromOldHouses.com/episode28

In this episode, Stacy spends a full hour with Scott Sidler from The Craftsman Blog. He answers all your window restoration questions in a fun game show format. Be sure to visit TrueTalesFromOldHouses.com linked below for the show notes, which include complete transcripts of this episode. Episode #27

During this episode, Stacy and Devyn revisit the listener question, "Have you ever lived in a newer construction home? If so, what did you like and dislike about it?" Today's guest, Tyler, is doing his best to make sound renovation and restoration decisions regarding lead, mold, and asbestos while living adjacent to a Superfund site. Complicating matters is that he and his wife are parents to a toddler and a tiny baby. With a background in construction, Tyler provides a clear snapshot of how he handles these issues in his house in southern Missouri. Be sure to check out the show notes: Episode #26

In this episode, after a long absence for medical treatment, Devyn is back! Stacy and Devyn answer a listener's question, "How do you heat and cool your houses?" Today's guest is Ashley Goldman, a serial researcher with a focus on sustainability and making our old houses as energy-efficient as possible. She also has insight into what it is like to live in a designated historic district. This episode of part two of two. (Listen to part one.)

In this episode, Stacy brings you up to date on the restoration and renovation projects going on at Blake Hill House and Devyn's Philadelphia rowhouse. After, Stacy and Devyn answer a listener question, "How old is an old house?" Today's guest is Ashley Goldman, a serial researcher with a focus on sustainability and making our old houses as energy-efficient as possible. She also has insight into what it's like to live in a designated historic district. This episode of part one of two.

In this episode, Stacy begins by answering the following question from a listener: "Have you ever lived in a new construction home? If so, what did you like and dislike about it?" Then, Stacy sits down with listener-turned-guest, David Stahl. Stacy and David discuss how he and his wife became the inadvertent owners of two building's worth of architectural salvage, their plans for it all, and that fine line between hoarding and collecting. Be sure to check out True Tales From Old Houses - 23 for notes, links, and photos from this episode.

Now that season three is underway, Stacy talks about how she started and almost quit producing True Tales From Old Houses. The learning curve was steep. Then, Stacy spends time with the very talented Cathy and Garrett Poshusta from The Grit and Polish blog and Instagram. They talk about design inspiration, fun old house finds, and what it's really like to film a pilot for HGTV. Be sure to check out truetalesfromoldhouses.com - 22 for notes, links, and photos from this episode.

It's officially Season 3! Struggling to get past a case of the neverending Mondays, Stacy talks about window restoration, The Year of the Window at Blake Hill House, and she offers an update on Devyn's health. During Segment II, Stacy welcomes guest, Amy Heavilin. Amy writes a blog at VivaciousVictorian.com, and she started the hashtag #52WeeksofHome on Instagram. As a woman with a clear sense of vision and purpose, Amy sees beauty where other people might only see rubble.

In today's episode, my guest, Jason Lamb, is involved in a long-term restoration and renovation project with no end in sight. He and I sat down to talk about the benefit and curse of perfectionism, burnout, buying an old house, and whether or not he would do it all over again.

During October, we received so many spooky old house stories that we put three of them together for this bonus Halloween episode. From the Catskills of New York to small-town Georgia, our guests report unexplained sounds, smells, and songs. Story #1: Casey and the Shadow People Story #2: Charlie Hears a Whisper Story #3: Bad News Natalie, You've Got Haints!

In this episode, Stacy, acting as a field reporter, walks a very short distance to interview guest, Andy Grinsfelder. When Andy was a kid, he had three unexplained brushes with possible paranormal activity. Knowing that Andy is a lifelong skeptic, Stacy is shocked to hear these stories for the first time. Although there is plenty of laughter throughout the episode, there is no punchline because this is not a Dad Joke. Side note: This episode gets a little creepy, so it may not be suitable for all audiences.

This episode kicks off an entire month of Ghost Stories on True Tales From Old Houses. In this episode, first-time homebuyers, Susan and Will Brinson of House of Brinson, tell Stacy how they ended up with their giant fixer-upper. Once a hot spot for selling horses and entertaining, Stony Ford Estate has confirmed to Susan and Will that "the party don't stop just 'cause you're dead."

In this episode, Stacy starts off with some difficult news about Devyn's health. Next, when many people retire, they look forward to days of leisure at home or traveling. Today's guest, Ron and his wife, who he affectionately refers to as "upper management," bought a 4000 square foot Gothic Victorian instead. Nine years into their long-term restoration, Ron is full of humor and insight.

This week, Devyn and Stacy both had to take an unexpected leave of absence. So, today's episode is a repeat of a fan favorite--the one that started it all, Ash Dump Archeology with special guest, Donn Grenda. The original air date was September 9, 2018. In this episode, Stacy explains how she and Andy ended up buying Blake Hill House. Also, archaeologist Donn Grenda discovers 60 year's worth of artifacts from the clogged fireplaces in his craftsman style home. Donn's discovery sparked his interest in researching the history and folklore of the times. That led to some bizarre findings and a couple of nearly famous people.

In this episode, Stacy first recaps her traveling adventures and observations about beautiful Japan. During segment two, Devyn and Stacy welcome Catherine Brooks from Eco-Strip--the sole distributor of Speedheater™ infrared paint strippers and tools. Catherine's passion for infrared technology and lead-safety education makes her the superhero we need in the old house community.

In today's mini-episode, Devyn and Stacy discuss restoration and renovation conundrums--Q&A style. Find out the answers to these burning questions: What would compel Devyn to paint woodwork? How does Stacy feel about vintage toilets? Will Devyn ever commit to installing the recessed lighting in his parlor? Can vegans even use shellac?

At the beginning of this episode, Devyn and Stacy discuss their summer vacations and Stacy's weird hobby. No matter where they go, old houses and old buildings make their way onto the travel agenda. During segment two, Devyn and Stacy welcome Gunther and Anastasiia, a Husband and Wife duo living in a converted Gothic Revival Episcopal church. This charming duo is known as All Saints House on Instagram. They share the ups and downs of going to church every single day, lost in translation Russian-to-English, and the DIY projects that make them feel proud.

Season Two Begins! In this episode, Stacy and Devyn welcome Elizabeth Finkelstein, a preservationist, writer, and owner of Cheap Old Houses and Circa Houses, both wildly successful Instagram accounts. Elizabeth also writes the monthly real estate column for Country Living magazine. Through her work, Elizabeth tirelessly champions the preservation of old houses, and she has connected countless people with the fixer-upper of their dreams.

In this episode, Stacy's long-time dream of talking to someone who has moved an old house comes true. Larissa and Kris Munsch moved a bungalow, affectionately titled, "The Governor" from Ness City Kansas to their farm 71 miles away. The process was just as exciting and nervewracking as you can imagine. Thousands of people became acquainted with the Governor's journey first via Larissa's wildly popular Instagram account, Old House Love. With over 100k followers, Larissa never set out to be Insta-famous, but the old house loving community had other plans. Now, via hashtags and weekly photo features, Old House Love spreads the word about irreplaceable craftsmanship, preservation, and saving old houses all over the world. Today's episode is part 2 of 2.

In this episode, Stacy's long-time dream of talking to someone who has moved an old house comes true. Larissa and Kris Munsch moved a bungalow, affectionately titled, "The Governor" from Ness City Kansas to their farm 71 miles away. The process was just as exciting and nervewracking as you can imagine. Thousands of people became acquainted with the Governor's journey first via Larissa's wildly popular Instagram account, Old House Love. With over 100k followers, Larissa never set out to be Insta-famous, but the old house loving community had other plans. Now, via hashtags and weekly photo features, Old House Love spreads the word about irreplaceable craftsmanship, preservation, and saving old houses all over the world. Today's episode is part 1 of 2.

Kelvins, watts, CRI, CFLs, LEDs. What does it all mean? In this episode, Devyn gives a history of the light bulb starting with the incandescent and ending up with his beloved LEDs. (It's true!) Memory lane is real, and we go there. Later in the episode, Devyn completely demystifies the overwhelming light bulb aisle for Stacy and anyone else who can't figure out which bulb to buy for their antique fixtures.

In this Episode, Devyn and Stacy have a blast interviewing Scott Sidler from Austin Historical and The Craftsman Blog. Learn about Scott's unique path into historic preservation, his favorite kind of restoration work, and what in the world is a house sandwich? Tangents include Disney World, NPR, and the pole in the middle of the stripping room at Scott's workshop. It's not what you think! (This episode is rated PG for one suggestive comment.)

In This episode, Devyn and I chat briefly about the Historic Homes Workshop. Then, Joe Hayes, from Hayes Window Restoration in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and I discuss lead-safe practices for homeowners and regional differences in old windows. Do we do a lot of episodes about window restoration? Yes, we do. Is this episode different than the rest? Yes, it is. Grab a pen and paper. There's some good information here.

In this episode, meet Stacy's new co-host, Devyn Caldwell from OurPhillyRow.com. Devyn and Stacy discuss a brief history of hardwood floors and review three modern, but historically respectful floor refinishing products.

In this episode, Steve Quillian, CEO, Craftsman and Historic Preservationist visits with me about his mission to spread joy and reverence for Historic Preservation and restoring old windows. Inspired by his ancestors and a love for community and helping others, Steve started something called the Artisan Army. He knows that as one person he can only accomplish so much, but an army of trained artisans will fan out across the USA and beyond to save historic windows and the preservation trades.

Ever since Debbie was eight years old, she has been passionate about Civil War History. So, imagine how happy it made her to buy a documented safe house on one of the routes of the Underground Railroad. Debbie was not in her dream house for long before unusual incidents began. Many people dismiss the unexplained, but she knew exactly what was happening. It turns out that Debbie's little piece of history is haunted.

Repair or replace those old windows? Which side of the debate do you land on? In this episode, Stacy talks about all the window work in BHH, and common sense rules she follows for restoration. Also, How many windows are there in her big old house? (It's a shocking amount!) The special guest on episode #2 is Ty McBride, CEO of Wood Window Rescue, in Oklahoma City. Ty discusses how he got started in the preservation trade, why he wants us all to restore instead of replace original windows, and his new HGTV Pilot with Paige Sheller called Restore & Revive.

In this episode, Stacy explains how she and Andy ended up buying Blake Hill House. Also, archaeologist Donn Grenda discovers 60 year's worth of artifacts from the clogged fireplaces in his craftsman style home. Donn's discovery sparked his interest in researching the history and folklore of the times. That led to some bizarre findings and a couple of nearly famous people.