David: This is the first time in almost 10 years that I been writing for The New Wookiee Workshop that the information for both TOH and ATOH wasn't made availble to me before the episode was shown. I now have most of the info for both of the shows.

This Old House - Episode #3201
This fall, general contractor Tom Silva and the rest of the TOH TV crew will dig both their heels and their hammers into the historic neighborhood of Avon Hill, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to help turn the interior of a badly outdated 1887 Queen Anne into an open, airy, Scandinavian-inspired home that a family of four—co-managed by a mother with a strong sense of her Swedish ancestry—can be proud of.

Owners Sally Peterson and John Stone admit they were a bit cowed when they bought the 19th-century "worker's house" in October 2011. The interior felt awkward and dated, and, worse, many of the rooms had been stripped of much of their original character. The kitchen was on the second floor; a generous room on the main floor was being wasted as an oversize laundry room. In a nutshell, the existing layout was not hospitable for a family with two young kids.

Instead of trying to re-create the old house's missing details, Sally and John are aiming for a simple, streamlined design inspired by Sally's Swedish heritage, and they hired architect Marcus Gleysteen to help them get there. Gleysteen had renovated a nearby Victorian-era home that the couple admired while they were house hunting. The plans call for turning the first floor into a seamless kitchen, dining, and living area, and the third-floor attic space into a grand master suite. The second floor will house the kids' bedrooms and a new bathroom for them to share. As for the exterior, Tom and company need to follow local preservation guidelines, with modest plans for a paint job as well as a few reconfigured windows on the side of the house—and a new brick or bluestone patio, if the budget allows

Architect
Contractor:
Marcus Gleysteen, AIA

Deconstruction Contractor
Contractor:
Eco Building Bargains
tel. 413-788-6900

Demolition Contractor
Contractor:
TJ O’Reilly Demolition and Removal

Hauling/Disposal
Contractor:
E. L. Harvey & Sons, Inc.

tel. 800-321-3002

Home Energy Audit
Contractor:
Next Step Living



Ask This Old House - Episode #1101
General contractor Tom Silva kicks off the 11th season of Ask This Old House by helping a couple transform stock shelving into a custom built-in. Then, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey installs a new washing machine valve that will prevent flooding.



Customizing Stock Shelves
Tom Silva helps a couple transform stock shelving into a custom built-in.

Where to find it?
The existing bookcases that Tom modified are in the Billy series of bookcases, available at IKEA

Tom used pre-primed pine boards for the soffits and face frames, which are available at lumberyards.

Timed Washing Machine Valve
Richard Trethewey installs a new washing machine valve that will prevent flooding.

Where to find it?
Richard installed the Time Out valve, which is manufactured by Keeney Manufacturing Company

He also showed two other washing machine valves in the loft. The valve that includes an electrical outlet and shuts off when the machine is off is the IntelliFlow Automatic Washing Machine Shutoff Valve. The manual shutoff valve is the 175C Single Handle Washing Machine Shutoff Valve. Both are manufactured by Watts.