September 2011 » book review

Recognizing the Limits

The Vintage House: A Guide to Successful Renovations and Additions
by Mark Alan Hewitt and Gordon Bock
W. W. Norton & Company, New York, NY; 2011
304 pages; hardcover; over 180 color photographs; $49.95
ISBN 978-0-393-70619-2

Reviewed by Nicole V. Gagné

The words "renovation" and "addition" usually cause a pang of icy fear to grip the hearts of people who love and care about vintage architecture. That sort of talk usually raises the specter of inappropriate changes, repairs and add-ons – the all-too-common fate of old houses whose owners neither understand nor respect their unique character and cultural history. Such homeowners are also the frequent prey of quick-buck contractors and architects whose interest in an old house begins and ends with the bottom line.

So Mark Alan Hewitt and Gordon Bock's new book, The Vintage House: A Guide to Successful Renovations and Additions, comes as a welcome relief, as it fills a special need: How best to help the owners of old houses, who need to make expansions and repairs but who also cherish the special beauty and atmosphere of their homes.

The book's success at that purpose is due to its special convergence of talent and expertise. Hewitt is an architectural historian and preservation architect who has taught at The University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University and written such books as The Architect and the American Country House and Gustav Stickley's Craftsman Farms. Bock is the former editor of Old-House Journal; he has written for numerous other architectural publications and books as well, and is an adjunct instructor of historic preservation at Drew University. Hewitt and Bock not only know what they're talking about, but they also know how to talk about it so the homeowner can follow them every step of the way. For this reason alone, their book is invaluable. Although they have filled The Vintage House with wonderful color photos and illuminating black-and-white drawings, Hewitt and Bock have set their sights far beyond the coffee table. It's a true rarity: a beautifully illustrated, well made, reasonably priced hardcover that's really an effective how-to book (with some where-to thrown in).

"Conserving Vintage Houses," the first chapter, describes the authors' emphasis on "quality homes from the great eras of the American house: the late Colonial-Federal period, the Victorian age, the progressive era of the early-twentieth century, and the suburban boom of the mid-twentieth century." In "How Do Houses Grow?," they examine "organic" growth patterns in traditional and vernacular dwellings and discuss the formal and aesthetic principles underlying their design and construction.

Chapters three through six focus on issues of design. "Understanding What You Have" helps with just that, enabling homeowners to situate their design style and look into how it was made and how to assess its materials and conditions, from roof to foundation. "New Spaces in Old Places" looks at the revision of inner spaces, not only the familiar questions of replacing windows and bathrooms and kitchens to suit the demands of contemporary life, but also changes to play rooms, guest rooms and dining rooms. Also considered is the perennial issue of improving the house's flow of traffic.

"Additions That Stay in Tune," is where you really appreciate the book's photographs – to see so many thoughtful and even invisible additions to vintage structures gives one hope for the future. The essential matters of heating, ventilation and air conditioning are examined in "Blowing Hot and Cold." Of special interest to many will be the commentary on the environmental and economic advantages of geothermal heating.

The last four chapters create a wider context for the homeowner. "Facing the Neighborhood" looks at streetscape considerations and offers a special account of townhouse expansions. "Outstanding Outbuildings" take us out of the home altogether, and discusses such beloved amenities as garages, swimming pools and stables. In "The Real Deal," the authors go through the full spectrum of old-house materials, including roofing, cladding and windows; here they teach readers how to recognize what work they need as well as how that work's being done. The last chapter, "The Long View," deals with growing environmental awareness and the rise of New Urbanism. A lavish appendix, "Resources for Vintage House Owners," is another huge benefit of this book. Contact info is given for the architects featured in its pages, along with rock-solid sources for an array of old-house needs, including bath fixtures, ceramic tile, windows, doors, heating, hardware, roofing and air conditioning.

Hewitt and Bock have demystified a subject that has ordinarily stymied too many homeowners. But they do it without oversimplification or exaggeration, always aiming for the most practical information for their readers. They also do it with a sense of mission that is entirely appropriate to their field, and expressed most eloquently in the thoughtful conclusion of "The Long View": "By caring for our own homes, and increasing our respect and understanding of the importance of historic houses, we recognize the limits of our ability to manage the natural and human-made biosphere. We are designing with history in mind, and respecting the role that our ancestors had in creating our whole environment. In this way we are true to our own nature as well as that of the world around us."  

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