Cheap Old Houses Book Talk with Elizabeth and Ethan Finkelstein
Welcome to the magical world of Cheap Old Houses, where the new American dream comes with zero mortgage and an affordable lifestyle fit for a storybook. The League was thrilled to host Elizabeth and Ethan Finkelstein for a Preservation Book Club author talk in support of their new book Cheap Old Houses: An Unconventional Guide to Loving and Restoring a Forgotten Home. In this webinar, they discuss the process of putting the book together and the importance of everyday old home stewardship. Following their presentation they were joined in conversation by Reagan Leslie, preservationist, interior designer and founder of Leslie Tyler Design & Construction. Reagan's 1908 Tudor Revival home was featured in their book. She can be found on Instagram @blackhouseseven.
About the book: Within these pages, you’ll discover sprawling Victorian mansions, Italianate–style farmhouses, off–the–beaten–path cabins, and even old churches, schoolhouses and hydropower stations turned into residences. You’ll meet a couple who camped out on their back porch while they made their 6,000–square foot manor livable, and homeowners who found a free bungalow and moved it seventy miles to their property. Additionally, we give information on the details to preserve in historical houses, from pocket doors that might be hiding in the walls to badly cracked plaster walls that are worth repairing and butler’s pantries that are once again desirable for storing dishes and small appliances. With hundreds of beautiful photographs capturing these homes in all their glory, you’ll be inspired to find “the one”—a fixer upper to rescue that will rescue you right back.
About Elizabeth and Ethan: Elizabeth + Ethan Finkelstein started the Instagram account @cheapoldhouses in 2016 and have since grown the brand into a show on HGTV and a cultural movement that has helped thousands of people find and restore their own pieces of heaven. Elizabeth has a master’s degree in historic preservation, and for their work both she and Ethan received a Pillar of New York Award from the Preservation League of New York State. They’ve been featured widely in such publications as New York Magazine, Architectural Digest, The Financial Times, Forbes, Buzzfeed, and Business Insider, and on programs such as The Drew Barrymore Show, Today and Good Morning America. They live with their son and rescue dog in upstate New York, where they are restoring their own cheap old farmhouse.
Reagan Leslie is a preservationist, interior designer and founder of Leslie Tyler Design & Construction. Reagan’s professional work in preservation began in 2019 and evolved out of her experience stewarding her 1908 Tudor Revival in Peoria, IL. Reagan established the boutique design and construction firm rooted in meeting the unique needs of Peoria’s historic infrastructure and understanding the nuances and cadence of the old home steward. Reagan has sought to impact Peoria’s historic and preservation initiatives by connecting local resources to an ever expanding national network of professionals dedicated to making a societal impact through preservation. In tandem with serving as Principal of Leslie Tyler Design & Construction, Reagan spearheads BlackHouse Seven, a B2B consulting firm aimed to provide support for companies and brands seeking opportunities to support their clients in historic spaces. Reagan also serves as trustee on the Peoria Historic Commission, and Peoria’s Historic Society. Reagan’s efforts have garnered attention through social media outlets and network television HGTV [Cheap Old Houses 2021] and Magnolia [Diary of an Old Home 2023].