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To make your decision easier when considering calling in professionals, we’ve researched the best pest control companies in Indianapolis to save you precious time and money and get your infestation taken care of as soon as possible. The top three companies below offer special discounts and benefits for This Old House readers. You can get started on a quote now and take advantage of those offers. Top 6 Pest Control Companies in Indianapolis The highest-rated pest control companies that service the Indianapolis area include:...

Expert assistance with this segment was provided by the National Mall and Memorial Parks Park Service and Cordt Gardens, LLC

Wainscoting Panel Styles Wainscoting comes in several styles. Below, we outline the most popular decorative panels to consider in your home. Raised Panel Raised panels, the most traditional wainscoting style, go back to colonial days. The decorative raise is created by beveling the edges of the panel. Common height is between 30 and 40 inches, but the design can be adapted for higher-ceilinged spaces by adding a center rail to create two rows of panels....

While the open floor plan is prized among homebuyers who like its modern feel, it can be hard to delineate the different spaces and prevent the kitchen, dining, living, and family areas from becoming blurred and feeling disorderly. We offer several ideas to help you maximize your open floor plan by creating adequate separation between the spaces. Open Floor Plan Design Ideas Think of an open floor plan as a blank artist’s canvas on which to define and combine living spaces in a manner that complements your way of life and sense of style....

Or maybe you’re downsizing to a smaller home but taking your belongings with you—and you have to find a way to make them all fit. If your house is outfitted with a basement, there are plenty of ways to get creative with DIY basement storage. Storage Shelves Custom-built shelves are the best way to truly maximize the empty areas of a room and, for a basement, will likely only require a drill, screws, heavy-duty brackets, a saw and lengths of board from the home improvement store or local lumber supplier....

DEWALT TSTAK Tool Box This toolbox is deep, allowing it to hold a number of large tools. At the top of the storage space is an organizer with several compartments for small parts, such as fasteners and drill bits. Below this is an open space for your hand tools and power tools. If you need more storage space than this one box provides, you can purchase several of DEWALT’s TSTAK units and stack them on top of each other....

While sunrooms vary in design, thanks to their abundant use of glass, they are generally awash in light and offer expansive views of the outdoors. The Pros and Cons of a Sunroom: PROS: An additional light-filled multi-purpose room in your home. CONS: Potential loss of privacy, installation costs, difficult to climate control with increased heating and cooling costs. Design Elements of a Sunroom With their many windows and voluminous natural light, year-round sunrooms involve a unique set of design considerations....

Components Of A Fence All fences use the same basic components: What Type Of Wood Fence Lasts The Longest? Redwood, cedar or pressure-treated pine last the longest. A fence can last about 20 years, if made of a turnout resistant wood. Then posts are usually the first to go; panels survive longer because they typically don’t touch the ground. Fences must withstand year-round exposure to the element. So be sure to assemble the parts with weather-resistant fasteners, such as hot-dipped galvanized or stainless-steel nails and screws....

Finally, after eight years, Erin decided enough was enough. So she and Kurt yanked out the faux stone and dark hearth tile, replacing them with new drywall above stacked-stone veneer and large slabs of pale gray stone on the raised hearth. Rather than replace the brass doors on the opening, Erin spray-painted the trim black to make them disappear. Kurt installed secondhand cabinets on both sides of the fireplace to house puzzles and games; open shelves above leave room for the family TV, photos, and artwork....

Local historians weren’t sure when the one-and-a-half-story cottage had been built but put their best guess at between 1830 and 1850, when the village of Sag Harbor, a port at Long Island’s east end, was flooded with whale money. Now here it was, wind whistling through and a little the worse for wear, as if it had taken the town’s name a little too literally. It was also under the care of a new owner, Paul Rogers, who had summered in the town as a child and returned to buy his “dream” house in a restless burst of nostalgia....

Cabinets are basic boxes, yes, but they are also expected to be attractive and stylistically appropriate to their surroundings; and their doors, drawers, and shelving should be adjustable and functional. They are an integral part of any house, so it’s no surprise that an entire industry exists, solely focused on designing, manufacturing, and installing cabinets. And there are nearly as many types as there are houses, so it helps to first narrow down the choices....

Budget Concerns Since you’ll encounter a wide range of expenditures in a kitchen remodel, setting a budget—and sticking to it—is crucial. To do that, you’ll need to determine the project scope. Are you planning a full overhaul, where you open up a wall to increase square footage and totally rework the layout? Or a cosmetic facelift where all systems and appliances stay in place? If you’re replacing cabinets, it’s important to note that they can account for at least a third of your budget....

After you’ve browsed these amazing examples of curb appeal, you can see all the entries at Your Old House. Fixing Up a Fire-Damaged Cottage: Before Who: Brian and Julie W. Where: Oxford, MD. Brian and I always dreamed of fixing up an old house, but we waited until our three sons, Branden, Sean, and Evan, were old enough to help out. When we bought this house, in 2008, many of the clapboards were rotted or ruined as a result of a fire, and overgrown holly trees obscured the facade....