The "Youngest" Project in THIS OLD HOUSE History

CONCORD, Mass., Dec. 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The 35th anniversary season of The Emmy^® Award-winning PBS home improvement series THIS OLD HOUSE continues with a project in historic Lexington, Massachusetts.

Check out a sneak peek here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIvaT-dbD3Q&feature=youtu.be

The birthplace of American Liberty, Lexington is home to dozens of houses from the Colonial period, and also many newer Colonial Revival-style houses from the 20^th century. In the second project of the new season, the crew from THIS OLD HOUSE takes on a renovation and addition to a 1966 Colonial Revival—the youngest project in THIS OLD HOUSE history—while providing insight on why the enduring Colonial style is still popular today.  

"The Colonial is one of the original American house styles, and 300 years later we're still building them, adding on to them, and updating them for modern living. The form is remarkably easy to add on to, and that's the focus of our story – something that most homeowners can relate to - an addition for the kids and a new kitchen for Mom and Dad," says Executive Producer Deborah Hood.

Jody and Jeremy Kieval always knew they wanted to raise their family in Lexington. When the Kievals discovered the perfect neighborhood, they made a personal appeal to all nearby residents, putting letters in mailboxes asking for any information about planned or potential home sales. As luck would have it, shortly thereafter one resident informed them of such an opportunity. So, in 2011 the Kievals seized the chance to buy their dream home, knowing that they would have to renovate the 2,900-square foot frame house.

Working with architect Bill Hubner of Incite Architecture, the Kievals made their first priority an addition over the existing two-car garage to create separate bedrooms for their three girls as well as a new full bathroom, laundry room and small sitting room. Not only will the three Kieval girls each have their own space but they'll also have personalized room designs matching their distinct personalities thanks to the help of Jody's brother, New York City designer Jared Epps. Local interior designer Robin Gannon will design the rest of the house with a kitchen design by Michele Kelly from Venegas and Company.

The major focus of the first floor work is the renovation of their 40-year-old kitchen, including a smart reconfiguration of adjacent spaces to allow for a new mudroom, powder room, butler's pantry and home office. "We're so excited to have a brand new kitchen filled with natural light," says Jody. A breakfast area opens up to a new three season room as well as a new deck that offers clear views of the conservation land that backs up to the Kieval's property line and provides a year-round space for the family.

Outside, the exterior will get a major curb-appeal upgrade with a front farmer's porch featuring classically detailed Colonial Revival columns, garage doors, and a new bluestone walkway, and landscaping. The facade will also benefit from an alteration of the existing roofline to account for the new over-the-garage addition.

For THIS OLD HOUSE general contractor Tom Silva, this project holds personal meaning. "It is particularly special for me to be working in Lexington. This is the town where I was born and raised and where I learned my craft side by side with my father. I have strong ties to the community, and it is a privilege to help a young family putting down roots in this historic town."

15 new episodes of the Lexington project will begin airing in early January 2015 on PBS stations and thisoldhouse.com. Check local listings for the dates and times in your area. Join the conversation with thisoldhouse on Twitter using @ThisOldHouse, #TOHLEX and #TOHTV or on Facebook. Fans can also visit www.thisoldhouse.com to access exclusive behind-the-scenes special features, such as a photo gallery, project overview and products and services information.

THIS OLD HOUSE is produced by THIS OLD HOUSE Productions, Inc., for THIS OLD HOUSE Ventures, Inc., and is presented on PBS by WGBH Boston.  General Manager of THIS OLD HOUSE Productions, Inc. is Chris Wolfe. THIS OLD HOUSE Executive Producer is Deborah Hood. Series Director is Thomas Draudt. Producer is Jo Sagar. Series creator is Russell Morash. THIS OLD HOUSE is the No. 1 multimedia home enthusiast brand, offering trusted information and expert advice through award-winning television, a highly regarded magazine and an information-driven Web site. THIS OLD HOUSE Ventures, Inc., is owned by Time Inc.

WGBH Boston is America's preeminent public broadcasting producer—PBS's leading source of content for television and the Web (prime-time, children's, and lifestyle programs) and a major supplier of programs heard nationally on public radio and online. For more information, visit www.wgbh.org.

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SOURCE This Old House Productions

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