In some circles, Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania are already famous for their varied and interesting older houses. From the Victorians of the North and South Sides, to the Craftsmans of Thornburg and the South Hills, to the Harmonist and other farmhouses of surrounding counties, there is much to celebrate, renovate and, of course, maintain.

		Gardening contest Garden contest finalists chosen

From Oct. 31 to Nov. 5, preservationists from around the country will discover our wealth of homes in tours and seminars connected with the National Trust for Historic Preservation's national conference in Pittsburgh. Let's give them something to talk about.

Renovation Inspiration is the name of a new home renovation contest sponsored by the Post-Gazette and Community Design Center of Pittsburgh. Our aim is to honor and encourage sensitive renovation.

Houses must be at least 50 years old, and renovations must have been completed within the past four years. Entrants can be homeowners or design professionals (who have homeowners' approval) living in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Washington or Westmoreland counties.

There are two categories:

Small -- renovation of exterior or one or more rooms or areas costing $50,000 or less.

Large -- renovation of exterior or one or more rooms or areas costing more than $50,000.

Entries are due by mail or online by Oct. 3. Next Saturday, the Post-Gazette will publish complete rules and entry forms in the paper and on our Web site, www.post-gazette.com. Entrants must also send no more than 10 photos, including several "before" photos, if possible, and an essay of no more than 250 words explaining their renovation's motivation and execution.

Projects will be judged on:

Appropriateness -- Construction and materials used should fit the style and period of the house and neighborhood.

Functionality -- The house should be livable, not a museum.

Imagination -- Creativity within the appropriate style and period. Has a room been put to a new use? Was an addition made that looks like it's always been part of the house?

The judges will be Post-Gazette staffers and architects and design professionals who work with Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation and the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh's RenPlan program, which provides renovation advice to city homeowners.

Contest winners (three in each category) will receive a free RenPlan design consultation and get to attend select events at the National Trust's conference. They'll also win pairs of tickets to all 2007 city house tours and books published by Pittsburgh History & Landmarks. And, of course, they and their homes will be featured in stories in the Post-Gazette Home & Garden section, beginning Nov. 4.

So, get started, homeowners! Now is the time to show off your pride and joy to old-house lovers everywhere.