This Old House Hour Season 12 Episode 18 Arlington Italianate | Old World, New World

In This Old House Hour season 12 episode 18, viewers are taken on a tour of a stunning Italianate house in Arlington. The Arlington Italianate home perfectly balances traditional old world charm with modern-day conveniences. Hosts Kevin O’Connor, Richard Trethewey, Roger Cook, and Tom Silva are all on hand to guide viewers through the renovation process and explain the unique challenges that come with updating a historic home.

At the start of the episode, viewers are introduced to the homeowners and the challenges they faced when they took on the renovation project. The home had stood vacant for years and needed to be restored to its former glory. To begin, Tom Silva walks viewers through the home's exterior, which includes unique architectural features like a curved roofline and a cupola. Inside, the home features ornate moldings, high ceilings, and large windows that let in plenty of natural light.

Roger Cook's portion of the episode focuses on landscaping – specifically, how he's helping to make sure the home's yard is in keeping with traditional Italianate themes. He explains how he's selecting plants that are known to be popular during this era and how he's strategically placing them throughout the yard to maximize their beauty.

Kevin O'Connor handles the electrical work in the home. This includes running new wiring to ensure that the house can accommodate modern-day appliances and technology. He also updates the home's lighting system, incorporating energy-efficient LED bulbs that will undoubtedly save the homeowners money on electricity costs over the long term.

Richard Trethewey tackles the home’s plumbing issues, including updating the bathroom to have a sleek, modern feel. The new bathroom is stunning, with tiled walls, a large tub, and a unique, vintage-style sink. The room perfectly blends new and old-world charm, making it a welcome retreat for the homeowners.

Throughout the episode, viewers get a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges that the renovation team faced, including discovering hidden water damage behind some of the walls. The team works together to devise a plan to repair and restore the damaged areas, ensuring that the home is structurally sound for years to come.

As with all This Old House Hour episodes, the team manages to balance informative and entertaining content expertly. Viewers will walk away from the show having learned a tremendous amount about architectural history, the challenges that come with renovating historic homes, and the importance of blending old world charm with modern-day functionality.