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“Garden State of Mind” opens This Old House Season 48 with an 1893 Dutch Colonial Revival home in Essex County, New Jersey. The 23:42 episode introduces homeowners Ethan and Harley, surveys what the house and yard need, and ends with a dumpster arriving as kitchen demolition is set to begin.
What happens in “Garden State of Mind”?
The first episode is an orientation to the renovation rather than a reveal of finished work. Host Kevin O’Connor meets Ethan and Harley and tours the house’s original details. Heating expert Richard Trethewey examines the vintage heating system, while landscape contractor Jenn Nawada helps the homeowners distinguish yard wants from needs. Kevin and Zack Dettmore then look into the kitchen’s messy renovation history. The listing closes with a dumpster arriving to kick off demolition.
The episode establishes the project’s central tension: planning changes while taking stock of a historic home’s original character. It does not specify what heating, landscape, or kitchen solutions the team will ultimately choose.
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House and episode details
- Series: This Old House, Season 48, Episode 1
- Episode listing title: “Essex County Colonial | Garden State of Mind”
- Project home: An 1893 Dutch Colonial Revival in Essex County, New Jersey
- Runtime: 23:42, according to KET’s 2026 episode listing
- Premiere: October 1, 2026, according to KET’s 2026 episode listing
KET’s episode listing provides the synopsis, runtime, premiere date, and scheduled broadcasts.
Where to watch
This Old House announced that Season 48 begins on PBS October 1, 2026, with free streaming on The Roku Channel starting October 5, 2026. Those are the announced dates; check local listings and current service availability for your area. The official This Old House season announcement has the viewing details.
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What the episode does—and does not—establish
This installment sets up areas the renovation will address, but its listing does not say what repairs or replacements will be made. It identifies no specific heating technology, fuel, kitchen fixtures, or landscape products, and it gives no project cost or energy-savings figures. Treat it as a setup for the Essex County project, not as a recommendation for a particular renovation approach.
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