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- A Riverfront Renovation With More Plot Twists Than a Tool Drawer
- What Is the Auburndale House Project?
- Season 32 Episode Guide: The Auburndale House Arc
- Why the Auburndale Episodes Still Matter
- Key Design Lessons From the Auburndale House
- The Most Memorable Parts of the Transformation
- Who Should Watch Season 32 – The Auburndale House Episodes?
- Experience Notes: What the Auburndale House Episodes Feel Like to Watch and Learn From
- Conclusion: Why Auburndale Is One of Season 32’s Best Renovation Stories
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Note: This article is written for web publishing in standard American English and is based on verified information about This Old House Season 32, the Auburndale project, and related renovation best practices.
A Riverfront Renovation With More Plot Twists Than a Tool Drawer
This Old House Season 32 begins with a project that sounds simple at first: update a 1940s Colonial Revival home in Auburndale, Massachusetts, and help a family enjoy better space, better light, and better views of the Charles River. Easy, right? As any homeowner who has ever opened a wall knows, “easy” is usually the first thing to leave the job site.
The Auburndale House episodes follow homeowners Raveen and Allison Sharma as they work with the This Old House crew to transform a dark, awkwardly arranged house into a brighter, more functional family home. The project includes a larger kitchen, updated bathrooms, a rebuilt sunroom, a new family room, improved landscaping, better river views, and a major curb appeal rescue mission for a front facade that was not exactly winning neighborhood beauty pageants.
What makes Season 32’s Auburndale arc especially useful is that it does not treat remodeling like magic. The episodes show the real sequence of renovation: inspection, demolition, abatement, structural fixes, design decisions, mechanical systems, finishing work, landscaping, and final styling. It is not just “before and after.” It is “before, oh no, what is that behind the wall, call the expert, revise the plan, then after.” In other words, real life.
What Is the Auburndale House Project?
The Auburndale project focuses on a 1940s Colonial Revival home with Georgian influences located along the Charles River. The home had several promising qualities, including its neighborhood, its riverfront setting, and its traditional bones. However, it also had a plain exterior, small windows, a cramped kitchen, dark interior finishes, a garage that looked visually disconnected from the house, and a sunroom that needed serious attention.
The design goal was not to erase the home’s history. Instead, architect Harriet Christina “Chris” Chu and the This Old House team aimed to make the house feel like a more graceful version of itself. That meant adding a projecting entry, improving the roofline of the garage, opening interior spaces, installing larger windows, updating mechanical systems, and connecting the home more naturally to the river landscape behind it.
The renovation also had a less glamorous but extremely important side: safety and compliance. Because the home dated from the 1940s, the crew had to deal with lead-paint rules, asbestos removal, termite damage, floodplain concerns, and conservation measures near the Charles River. This is one reason the Auburndale House episodes remain valuable for homeowners today. They show that a smart remodel is not just about pretty tile and a dramatic front door. It is also about what happens behind the plaster, under the slab, and around the site.
Season 32 Episode Guide: The Auburndale House Arc
The Auburndale House project occupies the first 16 episodes of This Old House Season 32. Each episode builds on the last, creating a clear timeline of how an older home moves from investigation to transformation.
| Episode | Title | Main Focus |
|---|---|---|
| S32 E1 | A Ho-Hum House on the Charles River | The project begins with structural investigation, asbestos discovery, lead-paint concerns, and erosion control near the floodplain. |
| S32 E2 | Regulations and Challenges | The crew removes overgrown landscaping, demolishes the sun porch, and cuts through thick foundation walls for the addition. |
| S32 E3 | Bringing in the Structure | A heavy steel beam is lifted into place, insulated concrete forms are introduced, and the old kitchen begins its transition. |
| S32 E4 | Fixes, Framing, and Floods | Kitchen floor repairs, new mudroom framing, pest control, and Charles River flood-control context take center stage. |
| S32 E5 | A New Approach to the House | The front entry, garage roof, kitchen layout, deck footings, and sunroom framing begin to reshape the home. |
| S32 E6 | The Artistry of This Old House and Jules Aarons | The crew works on the sunroom roof, plumbing changes, air conditioning decisions, and the home’s connection to photographer Jules Aarons. |
| S32 E7 | Progress on All Levels | Radiant heat, basement concrete, window openings, and early interior design planning move the project forward. |
| S32 E8 | Shingles, Ductwork, Lights, and a Pocket Door | Exterior shingles, hydronic HVAC ductwork, LED lighting, and a pocket door kit show the project’s mix of craft and modern convenience. |
| S32 E9 | Stucco, Kitchen Design, Roof, and Insulation | The exterior addition is blended into the old foundation, the kitchen plan is reviewed, and multiple insulation types are installed. |
| S32 E10 | Landscape Decisions and a Duck Tour | The front yard plan develops, a Norway maple is removed, and the crew explores the Charles River setting. |
| S32 E11 | Planning for the Pergola | Pergola footings, stone stoop improvements, window trim, vine selection, and shower prep shape the finish details. |
| S32 E12 | Making the Most of Green Products | Composite decking, low-VOC paint, and fireplace updates highlight practical green remodeling choices. |
| S32 E13 | Absolute Curb Appeal | Fieldstone walkway installation, kitchen cabinet assembly, bathroom tile, sunroom beams, and a bold red front door add personality. |
| S32 E14 | Front Yard Transformation | The pergola is installed, staircase details are refined, a river birch is planted, and basement flooring is added. |
| S32 E15 | Systems, Security and Surfaces Take Shape | The island top, closet systems, security system, high-efficiency heating and cooling, countertops, and sod bring the finish line closer. |
| S32 E16 | Transformation Complete! | Lighting, plumbing fixtures, finished kitchen design, bedroom reveals, basement function, and the wrap party complete the project. |
Why the Auburndale Episodes Still Matter
They Show the Real Cost of “Just Opening Things Up”
Open floor plans look effortless after the dust settles, but the Auburndale episodes remind viewers that removing walls is never just a design decision. It affects structure, heating, wiring, plumbing, flooring, trim, and sometimes your emotional stability. In this project, the team used serious structural planning, including a large steel beam, to support new openings and make the interior feel lighter and more connected.
They Treat Safety as Part of the Design
Lead paint, asbestos, floodplain protection, and pest damage are not glamorous television moments, but they are essential. Older homes often hide hazardous materials in ceilings, walls, pipes, flooring, and joint compound. The Auburndale project makes a strong case for professional inspection before major demolition. A sledgehammer may look heroic on camera, but responsible remodeling starts with testing, containment, and the right specialists.
They Balance Old-House Character With Modern Life
The best old-house renovations do not turn a traditional home into a showroom with no memory. In Auburndale, the crew keeps the home’s Colonial Revival identity while adding practical features for a modern family: a better kitchen, more useful bathrooms, improved heating and cooling, larger windows, a family room, and stronger indoor-outdoor flow. The result feels refreshed rather than replaced.
Key Design Lessons From the Auburndale House
1. Curb Appeal Starts With Proportion
The home’s original attached garage had a flat roofline that clashed with the main house’s hipped roof. Rather than ignoring the problem, the design team used roof changes, a new entry, exterior color, lighting, shutters, and a pergola to make the front elevation feel more balanced. This is a valuable lesson for any homeowner: curb appeal is not only about paint color. It is about proportion, rhythm, and how the pieces relate to one another.
2. Windows Can Change the Mood of a House
One of the biggest problems inside the Auburndale home was darkness. Small windows limited views and made the interior feel closed off from the river. By adding larger windows and opening connections between rooms, the renovation made sunlight part of the floor plan. Natural light is one of the most powerful upgrades in a home because it improves both appearance and daily comfort.
3. The Kitchen Should Serve the People Who Actually Cook
The old kitchen was narrow and isolated. The new kitchen was designed around the Sharma family’s real habits, including Raveen’s love of cooking and the family’s need for gathering space. A wood-topped island, improved work zones, and better connection to the dining and living areas turned the kitchen into a practical hub. The takeaway is simple: a good kitchen is not just a collection of expensive surfaces. It is a traffic plan with appliances.
4. Outdoor Connection Is a Living-Space Upgrade
The rebuilt sunroom, new deck, cascading stairs, and river-facing windows gave the house a stronger connection to its setting. This matters because the best renovations respond to where a home is located. A riverfront house should not behave like a cave. By improving views and access, the Auburndale renovation made the location part of everyday family life.
5. Green Products Work Best When They Solve Real Problems
The project includes low-VOC paint, composite decking, upgraded insulation, energy-efficient windows, radiant heat, and efficient mechanical systems. What makes these choices effective is that they are not random eco-label decorations. Each one answers a practical need: durability, comfort, indoor air quality, energy performance, or lower maintenance. That is the sweet spot for sustainable remodeling.
The Most Memorable Parts of the Transformation
The Auburndale House episodes are packed with small moments that show why This Old House became a trusted name in home improvement. Tom Silva’s structural problem-solving gives the project its backbone. Richard Trethewey’s mechanical work makes the home comfortable and efficient. Roger Cook’s landscape planning softens the exterior and connects the house to the street. Norm Abram’s careful carpentry brings order to the finish details. Kevin O’Connor ties it together as the curious homeowner stand-in, asking the questions viewers would ask if they were standing there in work boots trying not to step on a nail.
The final reveal is satisfying because the project is not a fantasy mansion makeover. It is a family home made smarter, brighter, safer, and more beautiful. The front entry now has presence. The garage no longer steals the show for the wrong reasons. The kitchen welcomes cooking and conversation. The sunroom and deck celebrate the river. The basement becomes useful family space. The finishes add color without turning the home into a paint-sample explosion.
Who Should Watch Season 32 – The Auburndale House Episodes?
These episodes are ideal for homeowners planning a renovation of an older house, especially one built before 1978. They are also useful for viewers interested in Colonial Revival architecture, riverfront properties, kitchen remodeling, exterior upgrades, green building products, and the step-by-step logic of whole-house renovation.
If you are planning to renovate a house with a questionable addition, awkward garage, dark interior, small kitchen, or confusing floor plan, Auburndale is practically a master class. It shows how to improve a home without flattening its personality. It also shows why budgets and timelines need room for surprises. In old-house remodeling, surprises are not exceptions. They are roommates.
Experience Notes: What the Auburndale House Episodes Feel Like to Watch and Learn From
Watching the Auburndale House episodes feels a bit like walking through a renovation with a very patient teacher. The project starts with a house that many viewers can recognize: not terrible, not falling down, but clearly underperforming. It has good bones, a great location, and enough awkward details to make any design-minded person start whispering, “What if we just changed the entry?” That is where the fun begins.
The first experience the episodes deliver is honesty. The crew does not pretend that renovation begins with throw pillows. It begins with inspection, site protection, demolition planning, and the discovery of materials that need professional handling. For anyone who has ever watched a home show and thought, “Why does my project take longer than thirty minutes?” Auburndale offers reassurance. Real remodeling involves permits, dust, temporary support walls, abatement crews, weather, budgets, and at least one moment when someone points at a hidden problem and says, with impressive calm, “We need to deal with that.”
The second experience is visual education. As the episodes progress, you begin to see how design changes relate to one another. The new entry is not just a prettier doorway; it helps organize the facade. The pergola is not just decorative; it visually softens the garage and gives the front yard a stronger rhythm. The larger windows are not just expensive holes in the wall; they pull the river into the house. The kitchen is not just new cabinetry; it is a family workflow. Once you notice those relationships, it becomes harder to look at any house the same way again.
The third experience is practical confidence. The show does not encourage reckless DIY heroics. Instead, it teaches viewers how to ask better questions. Is this wall load-bearing? Has the house been tested for lead or asbestos? Will the new HVAC system work with the existing structure? Does the landscape plan respect drainage and site conditions? Is the exterior design solving the real problem, or just decorating around it? These are the kinds of questions that save money, stress, and possibly a few weekends of regret.
Finally, the Auburndale episodes offer the pleasure of seeing a family home become more itself. The finished house is colorful, bright, and functional, but it still belongs in its neighborhood. It respects the Charles River setting and makes daily life easier for the Sharma family. That is the best kind of renovation story: not a house pretending to be something else, but a house finally getting its act together. If houses could exhale, this one would.
Conclusion: Why Auburndale Is One of Season 32’s Best Renovation Stories
Season 32 – The Auburndale House Episodes remains a standout arc because it combines everything viewers love about This Old House: old-home surprises, expert craftsmanship, careful design, practical problem-solving, and a final reveal that feels earned. The project begins with a modest Colonial Revival that needs light, structure, safety upgrades, and curb appeal. It ends with a warm, modern family home that makes better use of its riverfront setting while keeping its traditional character intact.
For homeowners, the biggest lesson is that great renovation is not one dramatic decision. It is a chain of smart decisions made in the right order. Fix the structure. Respect the site. Improve the flow. Bring in light. Choose materials for durability and comfort. Then, yes, celebrate the red front door, because after all that work, the house deserves a little applause.
