Old Houses

In 2017, @SavingPlaces launched the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a campaign to preserve places that have been overlooked in American history and represent centuries of African American activism, achievement, and resilience. Since then, the Action Fund has raised $70 million and supported more than 200 preservation projects nationally. Today, in addition to asking for your support, we will explore five places where this campaign has had a major impact.

If you've ever found yourself daydreaming about old houses and wondering, "What's the oldest one in the whole country?" Well, so had we - and we'll do you one better: this is the oldest timber-framed house on the *continent.* The best part? It's open to the public! The Fairbanks House is the oldest know wood structure in North America. It was built between 1637 and 1641. How do we know? Dendrochronology, tree ring dating.

Whether you're dreaming about old houses, shopping for one, or in the midst of restoring yours to perfection right now, you'll benefit from adding these to your shelf. Old house lovers worth their weight in wavy glass should have an itty-bitty background in urban planning, an understanding of the domestic architectural styles surrounding them, and some sound advice on decor and styling a place to perfection. These 6 will get you there in no time.

The Castkills wildlife turned out in full force to chirp and sing along as Christienne of @catskillfarmhouse warmly welcomes us into her kitchen to share the backstory of how she and her husband have renovated their spacious, airy (now that they've raised the ceiling nearly two feet!) kitchen. The look: simple, classic, English. My personal favorite feature just might be the 10-foot-long table/island, which accommodates no less than eight stools for guests galore as the Dobsons prepare a meal for dining al fresco in the beautiful Catskills.

New year and, for some, new (old) house dreams! We asked our CIRCA community of old house lovers what they'd like to see in the real estate market in 2022. Whether they're actively in the market searching for their dream house, or if they've already put down roots and are reflecting back on their house hunt, what would speak to their old house-loving soul the most? Here's some of what they told us (real estate agents and brokers with historic, character-rich properties, take note!).

In a mystical realm called Wisconsin 😉 stands @elvencottage, a c. 1926 cottage straight from your favorite childhood fairy tale (or adulthood fantasy novel). West and Alexis have painstakingly and carefully restored windows one by one ... and that’s just the beginning. The vaulted Great Room of Elven Cottage is anchored by a soaring chimney; West’s plans for the Game Room/Library, with a bookshelf to climb up and over the door, are wonderfully fun; the Guest Room, destined for exposed beams in the style of coffee shops West and Alexis experience in York, England, is sure to be warm and welcoming.

The hashtag #LookUp was surely coined with All Saints House in mind! Follow homeowners and restorers Anastasiia and Gunther through the arched doorway and into this converted chapel. The soaring ceiling is impossible to ignore (ok by us!), and the Great Room is filled with stories — some anchored by objects and others as memories that Gunther and Anastasiia generously share with us as they guide us on this “one-room journey.”

Shortly after the CIRCA Instagram account got its start, founders Elizabeth and Ethan created another account exclusively showcasing affordable old homes, @CheapOldHouses, and it quickly became the space for the *really* good ones, if you like old houses and a project - the ones that might look a little forgotten, but never flipped, where the fixtures are original but the prices are still alluringly low. Fast forward a few years, and 1.6 million Cheap Old House lovers follow along.

Over at @CheapOldHouses, we share a steady stream of amazing old houses that are under $100K. The beauty-cost ratio of these babes makes it endlessly fun for browsing but also introduces the idea of, "What if we actually bought this house??" We've cultivated a beautiful little restoration community full of old house dreamers and hands-on fixer uppers along the way and we love to exchange inspiration and...

My inbox was sprouting daisies this morning when Estately emailed me this incredible 1970s A-frame time capsule home for sale in Midway, Utah. The listing is calling it a fixer-upper, but I WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING, least of all the shag carpeting and that daisy-patterned vinyl flooring in the kitchen. Retro-fabulous!   Catch You on the Flip...

By Elizabeth Finkelstein. I AM SOOOOO EXCITED!!! Way back in 2013, CIRCA featured, as one of our Friday Fixer-Uppers, a 9,000 sq. ft. home in Emporia, Kansas that needed (let's put it lightly) just a bit of rehabbing. Well, someone actually bought this house, and is indeed fixing it up, and suffice it to say he is one TRULY inspiring person. I'm so excited to share with you my conversation with the...

For Country Living Magazine this week, I featured the most adorable Victorian farmhouse over in the beautiful Chester County, Pennsylvania. I'm obsessed! Why do the most beautiful old homes always turn up in Pennsylvania? See all the photos at Country...