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A Beginner’s Guide to Home Renovation Loans
Our experts answer readers’ home-buying questions and write unbiased product reviews (here’s how we assess mortgages). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. “Home renovation loan” is a catch-all term referring to a loan that pays for upgrades or repairs to a home. Personal loans are a popular type of home renovation loan, but you can also use a mortgage to cover renovations. These loans can help you buy a fixer upper or rehab your current home. But it’s important to understand the pros and cons. Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you’re on…
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The Renovation of this1930s Georgian Home Revealed a Prohibition-Style Speakeasy
Designer, Mindy LavenChristopher Lee Foto More often than not, when the crew makes a discovery during demolition, the news isn’t good. Faulty wiring, asbestos, and dry rot are just a few less-than-ideal surprises. However, rehabilitation of this 1930s Georgian in Long Beach, California, unearthed a happy surprise: A Prohibition-style room tucked behind a pivoting bookcase. “The speakeasy dates back to Prohibition times,” designer Mindy Laven says. “There are even original liquor labels from the 1930s on the walls, along with handwritten notes scribed from past guests.” Everyone was on board with preserving the unexpected find, even if it meant rethinking the layout. “The space where the kitchen was slated to…
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Is that home renovation your idea or the media’s?
Although it’s too late for me to turn back now, maybe it’s not for you. I had bought the new creamy quartzite stone slabs for my kitchen counters, had part of the old counters torn out, and had installers scheduled for next week. Then I saw the article “Do You Really Want a New Kitchen Counter?” in a recent issue of The Atlantic. Yes, I do, obviously! Though I really didn’t want to read any article that would cause me to second guess myself, I read it anyway with one eye and one ear closed. The article asked the question, why, and insinuated that many of us home remodelers are…
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Good Housekeeping’s 2022 Home Renovation Awards
The excitement of home renovation can quickly turn to panic when you realize just how many products and materials go into the project. What’s the right countertop for the kitchen? Which fixtures will work best in the bathroom? Is now the time to switch to alternative energy? We get it! That’s why we launched the first ever Good Housekeeping Home Renovation Awards. Whether you’re planning a major remodel or just looking to simplify your home’s maintenance, you’ll find plenty of solutions in our roundup of winners. Take it from us: There is a lot happening in housing. Even before the pandemic, home improvement was a red-hot industry, with more millennials…
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‘No Demo Reno’ IDs the Best $10,000 You Can Spend on Renovation Today
On “No Demo Reno,” designer Jennifer Todryk knows that many homeowners put off renovations because they’re expensive. But she has solutions to keep budgets in check—and even make money purging old stuff! In the episode “Work Hard Play Hard,” Todryk meets Latasha Sims, whose daughter Simone is leaving for college in a year. So the two want to make their last months together special, which would help if their Dallas, TX, home felt a bit more comfortable and functional. “Their house is kind of lacking style,” Todryk says. “They said that they don’t see themselves in their design and there’s no cohesive look whatsoever.” Todryk says she can completely make…
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Rare 1970s Mountain Dew Soda Can Found in the Walls During Home Renovation
A man wowed the internet after discovering an old Mountain Dew can inside the wall of his home during renovations. On Thursday, Ben—who uses the handle AlternativeEgomaniac on Reddit—shared the image with the internet after the can was found while he was doing some renovation works in Niagara Falls, Canada. The old can features a design that commenters suggest was from a promotion in the 1970s, featuring a “Play Buckshots” graphic and a classic Mountain Dew logo below. Ben told Newsweek: “I was at work where we are going through renovations and one of the workers found the can after pulling out some drywall. “I googled the can and found…
