Table of Contents >> Show >> Hide
- Where the 37th Season of This Old House Takes Place
- Meet the Dream Team Behind This Old House
- What’s New in the 37th Season of This Old House
- Preserving Craftsman Character While Updating Everything Else
- Behind the Scenes: Season 37 Goes Beyond One House
- Practical Lessons Homeowners Can Steal from the 37th Season
- Why Fans Still Talk About the 37th Season
- How to Watch the 37th Season of This Old House Today
- Real-World Experiences Inspired by the 37th Season
- Conclusion: A Season That Honors the Past and Plans for the Future
Grab your tape measure and a fresh cup of coffeebecause the 37th season of
This Old House is the kind of home-improvement binge-watch that makes you want to
pick up a pry bar before the credits roll. This time, the crew heads to a dense suburban neighborhood
just outside Boston to rescue a 1909 Arts and Crafts–style home that’s long on character but short on
modern comfort. Think gorgeous woodwork, fieldstone foundation, and plenty of “What were they thinking?”
moments hidden behind old walls.
In classic fashion, host Kevin O’Connor joins forces with general contractor Tom Silva, master carpenter
Norm Abram, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook to turn
this aging beauty into a family-ready home. Over a full season’s worth of episodes, viewers get a
front-row seat as the team preserves original details, moves the kitchen and baths, adds a new primary
suite and home office, and completely rethinks the yard. It’s part history lesson, part how-to workshop,
and part wish list for your own houseall wrapped into one season.
Where the 37th Season of This Old House Takes Place
The 37th season centers on a 1909 Arts and Crafts home in Arlington, Massachusetts, a
tightly packed suburb where every inch of space matters. The homeowners, Emily and Nick, fall hard for
the home’s period charmthick trim, built-ins, and a solid fieldstone foundationyet they’re also living
in the real world of laptops, yoga mats, and kids’ toys. They want to keep the soul of the house while
making it function like a 21st-century home.
That balance drives nearly every design decision. The team has to respect the original character on the
street-facing façade, work within strict zoning in a dense neighborhood, and solve structural issues that
come with an early-1900s build. Watching them navigate those constraints is a master class in working
withnot againstan old house.
Meet the Dream Team Behind This Old House
If you’ve spent any time watching This Old House, the familiar faces in season 37 feel like old
friends dropping by with tools in hand:
- Kevin O’Connor keeps the story moving, translating contractor-speak into plain English and asking the questions homeowners are secretly thinking.
- Tom Silva tackles everything from structural repairs to insulation upgrades, showing how to make an old house feel snug and safe.
- Norm Abram dives into custom carpentry, saving original details and building new pieces that look like they’ve always been there.
- Richard Trethewey modernizes plumbing and heating, proving that comfort and efficiency can coexist with vintage radiators and classic bathrooms.
- Roger Cook handles the outdoor spaces, transforming a constrained lot into an inviting yard and garden that actually works for everyday life.
Together, they turn complex renovations into digestible segments: one episode might explore structural
fixes and foundation work, while another focuses on energy-efficient systems, custom storage, or
landscaping details. It’s the kind of slow-burn renovation series where you see how small decisions early
on pay off in the final reveal.
What’s New in the 37th Season of This Old House
Every season has its big storyline. In the 37th, the Arlington Arts and Crafts house becomes a showcase
for thoughtful modernization. Rather than blowing out every wall and starting fresh, the
crew:
- Reconfigures the kitchen and bathrooms to improve flow and functionality, while still echoing Craftsman-era design cues.
- Adds a primary suite and home office, acknowledging that remote work and “retreat spaces” are now essential, not extras.
- Upgrades the mechanical systemsplumbing, HVAC, and electricalso the home can support modern appliances, better comfort, and long-term efficiency.
- Reimagines the yard with practical outdoor living space, solving grade issues and carving out room for kids, pets, and gardening.
One standout moment is the addition of a custom outbuilding used as a yoga studio and flexible outdoor
living space. Instead of tacking on a generic structure, the team works with a shed manufacturer to
create a building that fits the style of the main house and feels like a natural extension of the
propertynot an afterthought dropped in the backyard.
Preserving Craftsman Character While Updating Everything Else
If you love Craftsman and Arts and Crafts architecture, the 37th season feels like a love letter to
original details. The homeowners are committed to keeping the character of their 1909 house, so the crew
leans heavily into restoration:
- Original wood trim and doors are carefully repaired, stripped, or color-matched instead of replaced wholesale.
- Built-ins and fireplaces serve as anchors for new room layouts, reminding you where the house started even as walls move.
- New windows and finishes are chosen to echo the home’s historic proportions and textures while meeting modern energy codes.
At the same time, the team isn’t afraid to make bold moves when function demands it. They open up
cramped spaces to bring in more light, reroute circulation so the kitchen works better for a busy family,
and use modern insulation and air-sealing techniques that homeowners a century ago could only dream of.
Behind the Scenes: Season 37 Goes Beyond One House
While the Arlington project anchors the season, the 37th year of This Old House also ties into a
broader storyline for the brand. Around this era, the show leans even more into:
- Training the next generation of tradespeople through apprenticeships and partnerships with local programs.
- Highlighting revitalization projects in cities like Detroit, where historic homes get second chances instead of the wrecking ball treatment.
- Showing real budgets and timelines so viewers understand what complex renovations actually involve.
As bonus content and companion features roll out on partner stations and online platforms, viewers get
behind-the-scenes tours, additional interviews with the homeowners, and extended looks at specific
techniqueseverything from insulating an old foundation to choosing durable exterior materials that still
look appropriate for a century-old home.
Practical Lessons Homeowners Can Steal from the 37th Season
You don’t need an Arts and Crafts house in Arlington to benefit from what you see in season 37. The
projects and decisions offer real-world lessons almost any homeowner can use:
1. Respect the House You Have
Instead of forcing a slick, ultra-modern design into a period home, the crew leans into its strengths.
They preserve the trim, proportions, and materials that make the house special, then carefully add modern
elements around them. For your own home, that might mean keeping original floors or doors and focusing
upgrades on layout, lighting, and systems.
2. Plan the Floor Plan Around Real Life
The new kitchen isn’t just bigger for the sake of being biggerit’s reorganized so cooking, homework, and
entertaining can all happen without people tripping over each other. Bathrooms get updated with better
storage and modern fixtures, and the new primary suite provides privacy the original layout never
offered. It’s a reminder to plan renovations around how you actually live, not just what looks good in
photos.
3. Budget for the Unseen Stuff
Like most older houses, this one has surprises lurking in the walls and down in the basement. Structural
repairs, foundation work, and mechanical upgrades aren’t glamorous, but they’re what make the pretty
finishes possible. Season 37 quietly underlines a key homeowner truth: spend money on the bones
first, then enjoy the decorating later.
4. Treat the Yard as an Extension of the House
The landscaping work shows how even a tight suburban lot can support multiple outdoor “rooms”: a play
area for kids, a small entertaining space, a garden zone, and a path that ties everything together.
Instead of one big lawn that no one uses, you get specific, intentional spaces that feel like extra
square footage.
Why Fans Still Talk About the 37th Season
Ask longtime viewers to name a favorite era of This Old House, and the mid-30s seasons frequently
come up. Season 37 hits a sweet spot: the show has decades of experience behind it, the on-screen team is
well-honed and relaxed, and the projects feel both aspirational and attainable.
The Arlington Arts and Crafts project, in particular, stands out because it feels relatable. It’s not a
sprawling mansion; it’s a well-loved family home where every design choice has to work hard. You see the
crew wrestling with the same questions many viewers have: How much original material do you save? What’s
worth upgrading now versus later? How do you blend vintage charm with open, light-filled spaces?
For fans of home renovation TV shows, the 37th season offers exactly what made the series
famous in the first place: real timelines, real budgets, real mess, and genuinely useful advice you can
transfer to your own homeeven if your “project house” is a modest ranch, a starter condo, or a
long-neglected duplex.
How to Watch the 37th Season of This Old House Today
If this sneak peek has you itching to watch the full transformation, you’ve got options. Depending on
your region and provider, episodes from the 37th season may be available through:
- Local PBS stations and their streaming platforms.
- On-demand and free-with-ads streaming services that carry This Old House seasons.
- Digital video storefronts that let you purchase individual episodes or full seasons.
Availability changes over time, so it’s worth searching by season number and episode names associated
with the Arlington project. Look for descriptions that mention a 1909 Arts and Crafts home in Arlington,
Massachusetts, plus the familiar crew members and recurring “Arlington” episode titles.
Real-World Experiences Inspired by the 37th Season
One of the best things about a season like this is how often it sends viewers straight into their own
basements, garages, and backyards. After watching the Arlington project unfold, many homeowners report
seeing their houses differently. That old trim they were planning to rip out suddenly feels worth
saving. The unused shed in the backyard becomes “future studio” instead of “future landfill.” The show
doesn’t just entertain; it changes how people look at the places they live.
Imagine a homeowner with a small 1920s bungalow in a typical American suburb. Before watching the 37th
season, they might see only problems: tiny rooms, awkward hallways, not enough storage. As they follow
the Arlington project, though, they see how the crew uses built-ins, smart reconfigurations, and
thoughtful trim details to maximize every square foot. Suddenly, that homeowner starts sketching ideas
for turning a wasted corner into a reading nook or converting an underused porch into a mudroom that
catches backpacks and boots before they invade the living room.
Another viewer might connect most with the outdoor work. The Arlington yard isn’t a sprawling estate;
it’s more like what many urban and suburban families actually havea modest plot with competing demands.
Watching the landscape plan come to life inspires people to rethink their own yards. Instead of one big
patch of grass, they start planning zones: a tiny herb bed near the kitchen door, a paved area for
grilling and outdoor dinners, a play space tucked safely away from traffic. Even small changes, like
adding a path or planting a row of shrubs for privacy, feel more achievable after seeing professionals
lay out a similar lot step by step.
There’s also the “permission” factor the show gives viewers. Season 37 quietly reassures people that
it’s okay if their homes are works in progress. Emily and Nick’s Arlington house doesn’t become perfect
overnight. There are weather delays, tricky inspections, budget decisions, and classic “Well, that’s not
what we found in the plans” surprises. For anyone feeling overwhelmed by a renovation, it can be oddly
comforting to watch a skilled crew admit that old houses don’t always cooperateand then see how they
solve problems methodically instead of panicking.
The season also nudges viewers to appreciate the trades. Watching Tom, Norm, Richard, and Roger in
action often sparks a newfound respect for carpenters, plumbers, electricians, masons, and landscapers.
Some fans say they now ask better questions when hiring pros, understand their bids more clearly, and
feel more confident collaborating on design choices. Others are inspired to try smaller DIY projectslike
building a simple bench, upgrading weatherstripping, or installing a new light fixturebecause they’ve
seen how the experts break tasks down into manageable steps.
Finally, there’s the simple joy factor. The 37th season of This Old House isn’t about flipping
properties or rushing to meet a dramatic deadline; it’s about stewardship. It shows what
it looks like to care deeply about a home, to honor the people who built it originally, and to leave it
better for the next generation. For many viewers, that mindset becomes the biggest “takeaway experience”
of all. They come for the kitchen redesigns and bathroom upgradesand leave with a different, more
generous way of thinking about their own houses.
So whether you’re planning a full-scale renovation or just daydreaming from the sofa with a notepad in
hand, this season offers both inspiration and grounded, real-world examples. By the time the credits roll
on the final episode, you may not have a new primary suite or a custom shed in the backyardbut you’ll
almost certainly have a clearer vision for what your home could become, and a better idea of how to get
there one project at a time.
Conclusion: A Season That Honors the Past and Plans for the Future
The 37th season of This Old House is more than a single renovation; it’s a case study in
how to respect a home’s history while making it genuinely livable today. From the Arlington Arts and
Crafts project’s intricate trim details to its reworked floor plan and modern systems, every episode
reinforces the same idea: old houses can absolutely meet modern needs when you pair craftsmanship with
smart planning.
For fans of This Old House and anyone dreaming of their own renovation, this season is a must-watch.
It’s packed with practical tips, thoughtful design ideas, and enough “before-and-after” satisfaction to
keep you hitting play on the next episode. Consider this your sneak peekand your invitation to look at
your own home with fresh eyes, just like the crew does with that 1909 Arlington gem.