By Paul Miller

Interior Designer, IDS Professional Member

Read Time: 4 Minutes

Up until very recently, when I thought about a house with ‘good bones’, I came at it from a place of how the home looked to me. Layouts, moldings, a higher ceiling, and the age of a home are things I always attributed to better bones. As I began planning our A Home With Good Bones blog series, I soon realized that in the most literal sense when people talk about good bones, they're talking about construction materials and methods.

So I asked my colleagues Leesa Mayfield of Leesa Mayfield Architecture and David Logan of Vintage Building what the phrase ‘good bones’ meant to them. In our second installation of our A Home With Good Bones series, we discuss the literal ingredients of a fine house, the materials that provide for lasting performance in both old and new homes.

Read the previous blog in this series, A Home With Good Bones : Proportion.

See more of our Fairmont Avenue project…

The New

Paul : I had a client a number of years ago who had his entire house - interior and exterior - built out of two by eights. Every passage way from room to room was about a foot thick. That was something that he felt gave the house the heft of an older home and I definitely felt like it did. It was interesting. I had never seen anyone do that, and I'd seen a lot of houses go up. I had family that were builders.

What do you think of the kind of choices someone might have to specify to make their new home have that higher level of construction typically seen in older homes?

David : Thick walls was a great example - and flared window jams in those thick walls, often with wood shutters. I would choose traditional materials in a house for the person who wants to feel that warmth. I love old houses because there's so much handwork in them. Old buildings are also full of old growth wood. It's beautiful, old, dense, beautifully colored wood. Around here original flooring is typically…dense heart pine. Some of these trees could have started growing in the 1500s. Before, possibly. But the woodwork has a handmade appearance. They don't look like they came out of a factory.

The Old

Paul : Maybe we flip this question on its head and ask, what materials might we look at and be aware of going into an older home? Specifically when you realize that this material will be problematic. Asbestos siding comes to mind...

How can you embrace that old [flooring] that isn't what you would have chosen for now, but could still really work well for your home, right? Don't just immediately chuck it out just because it's 90 years old. That doesn't mean that it's not working.

Leesa : With older homes, yes, it's certainly asbestos. You also could have [asbestos] in sneaky places like wrapped around pipes. Depending on the era of your older home you could have the galvanized pipes which a lot of people are ending up having to replace because they they only hold up for 30 or 40 years.

I wouldn't not choose an older home, if it's got overall structural good bones. I think in older homes, the quality of construction even 60 years ago was really good. I have a 60 year old kitchen and bathrooms and they are still completely functional and comfortable in my home. It's a little dated looking, but it's not terrible. [When considering] floor materials especially in those older homes, [do not be] dismissive of wood that looks tired. Just consider reviving it and standing it. Or tile that looks tired or dated - it's probably in great shape. How can you embrace that old checkerboard pattern, you know, from the 40s? It isn't what you would have chosen for now, but could still really work well for your home, right? And don't just immediately chuck it out just because it's 90 years old. That doesn't mean that it's not working.

Photo courtesy of Leesa Mayfield Architecture

The Environment

Paul : Do you think there's a relationship between good bones and good stewardship, environmentally?

Leesa : Toilets come to mind. They’re not really sexy but...we saw our water bill change. When we finally switched out all of our toilets it really made a difference. Updates of lighting is a pretty easy fix and can be very effective. Now they make little LED cans that are paper thin.

Paul : I think a new lighting design and not just replacing something existing could really improve a space. Depending on the age of the house, you might have a home that doesn't have any overhead lights. When we think of 60s, 50s, and 70s houses, they usually just have one little ceiling fixture. Being able to change that for a grid of LED lights would make a great environmental impact. You could still use that center light placement - depending on the room and the furniture design - for a feature light, or a ceiling fan. Don’t be afraid to add a more even lighting system. I think that makes a house feel sunny and modern.

Leesa : This gets back to energy efficiency- a ceiling fan in each bedroom is a real nice thing to have.

Paul : I agree. As a designer, that’s like going out on a limb because of these HGTV shows where some designers are like, “Get rid of the ceiling fan!” But a ceiling fan is a wonderful comfort and sustainability feature. Some people just like the white noise of a fan.

Leesa : It can make all the difference on your thermostat overnight.

Paul : Especially in a two story room. I’m not in any way an enemy of ceiling fans. I have always said that I have two positions on ceiling fans. Either find something really interesting to look at or just go with something white that blends in with the ceiling. My go-to is just a simple, efficient, well made fan that just blends away up there. It's not meant to call your attention. It's meant to serve a function for you.

Paul: David, I know with your love of using natural materials - if you're working with natural materials that can be replenished like wood, that makes a lot of sense to me.

David : A client once asked me what the cheapest roof was, so I did a study of asphalt shingles, metal, and slate, and then priced their lifetime annual cost. Slate was the cheapest because it lasted the longest. It's a cultural shift that you would have to have. Instead of people having to build 4000 square foot houses, well, lets build 1500 square foot houses but built them for multi generations like they’re doing in England.

In the final installation of our A Home With Good Bones series, we’ve saved the nuts and bolts for last. We’ll discuss the construction techniques that contribute to the quality level of homes and additions. Until then, send this blog to someone who would love to know more about buying or building a lasting dream house and join the conversation in the comments below.

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Edited for length and clarity by Emily Kallick.

More Resources:
Sized Just Right : The Small Luxury Home
Busting 5 Design Myths
What To Expect: Our Design Process

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