Live in it for a year and as you do you determine what you do and do not like about it. In an old house moving interior walls can be very expensive.

Thanks Millworkman, that’s what my husband wants to do. I can’t help but want to figure out the overall plan for the house so that I can slowly but surely put the pieces together. I want it to be mostly done within a year. Maybe I’m just too impatient :)

Completely agree with David. This is a Grand Old Home. Don’t butcher it up.

I hear you. That’s exactly what my husband wants to do, restore it. We had a heated discussion about the windows the other day. I personally don’t care if it’s original or not. I just want the clean look. Not to mention the cost and time required to get them done, but i’m fine with it so long we can get the other areas of the house done in a timely manner. I also do like the historical charm of the house. My plan is to decorate it with a mix antique and modern furniture and decor. I actually love this style. I do not necessarily want an open floor plan, with the exception of the kitchen and family room. But I think the overall layout can be improved by widening some doors or remove most of wall but leave the columns in place. I also have no idea how to utilize all the rooms in the first floor. I’m used to kitchen, “dining”and leaving room only. To be honest, I didn’t even know what a parlor was lol

More reasons to make sure you know your prospective spouse really really well before you tie the knot. :)

Seriously, that's kind of the point. If you want the "clean look," you don't buy an old house. That's just not in its nature.

I have to agree with above. Its a beautiful house, and I really like your floor plan. I just do not understand, why people think the mess from preparing meals in a kitchen, should be visible to those eating in the dining room, or worse yet, to a family room. I dont mind arches or wider doorways, between some rooms, but, to me, a kitchen should be closed off. Sure they look pretty in all the pictures opened up, but, thats for photographs, and most peoples kitchens, do not look like that all the time. Now, all that said, I have a kitchen open to the dining room. This house (older house) was actually built that way. If there was a good way to close it off, I most certainly would, but, there isnt. When I have company and the dining room gets used, one side of the table gets to look out the windows to the back yard, the other side and one end chair, they get to view the mess in the kitchen where I have cooked the dinner. It bothers me a whole lot. Because of my age, this is probably my last house, but, if I get a chance to move, you can bet it will have a closed off kitchen.

David is wise. It saddens many of us who adore older homes to see them turned into HGTV clones on the inside, and it's happening more and more across the country. Removing walls? Creating open spaces? Why not simply spend some time learning to appreciate the home for what it was intended to be? There are myriad ways to make the house your own without denigrating its integrity in the process.

Thank you everyone for input. It reinforces my husband’s opinion on how this improve the project should be approached. I will certainly listen to him more. Any suggestion on how I can set up/ utilize the parlor, the second living space and the 4 extra rooms in the floor?

I don’t think your questions are internet-able. They are too big. You need an architect and interior designer to be onsite to help you.

Thanks.

OMG do not buy this house if you "don't care if (windows) are original or not" You clearly don't understand or appreciate old houses.

I came here for support and guidance. I get that you’re passionate about old homes and I really appreciate the responses that tried to educate me on this matter. But the judgmental tone is unnecessary.

I agree that you should wait and live in the house for a while before making any structural changes. You may find that there are some issues with plumbing, electrical, roofing, etc which will take priority (it's an old house after all). That said, I would consider using the "living room" as the dining room, since it has the butler's pantry leading to it. The "dining room" on the plan could become a breakfast room. The "parlor" could become a library /study. Longer term, I'd think about creating a master suite on the ground floor, converting one of the smaller bedrooms into a full bathroom.

As others have said, live in the house for a year. See how you naturally use the space. See what you end up loving and what drives you bonkers. Move furniture around occasionally and try different things.

We can't really tell you how to use all those extra rooms during that time because we don't know you and your work, hobbies, and lifestyle. Personally, I would make them dedicated spaces for a library, an office for my husband, a playroom/craft room for our daughter, and a music room. But that's because we love music, books, and crafts, and my husband works from home quite a bit. My cousin who has entirely different hobbies would make one a dedicated room for her very large loom and another a game room because her family loves leaving long board games and jigsaw puzzles in progress for days; that's what fits her life. What fits yours?

Then, after you've lived with it for awhile, if you still want to make changes, find an architect who is skilled at respectfully updating historical houses. There are ways to do it without "remuddling" that balance your needs with the history of the house, but you'll need an expert to help you get that balance right. I'm of the theory that you can respect a house's history while still making some updates. So, for example, you can probably get good flow, but you're probably also not going to get an open floor plan (that would definitely be remuddling).

Good luck to you! You have a beautiful house.

Thank you so much for your input. I agreed with your remarks. Our family loves listening to music and hosting dinners and parties. So maybe we will use that family room as an party/lounging area. With Hubby’ turn tables, old speakers and a cozy charming sitting area. I’m getting all excited here! Thanks :)

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><md>The library idea sounds lovely ❤️

...And good observation on the butlers pantry. Maybe I should swap the dining and living room areas. Thank you so much for your input

the biggest flaw w regards the schematic paper outline is the tiny nook in the kitchen, cooktop on the counter in the middle of traffic and no where really to seat people coming in/out from the large patio. the rooms are best not reconfigured, generally..... so the outdoor large living space and connection to the kitchen/inside of home for "getting things" and mingling ought to be improved. Think about a range on the right wall in the kitchen.....different seating..either an island once you abandon that center counter and utilize the L of two walls only.....or a U with seating on the peninsula side of it …..Older homes with all the 'rooms" have their charm..yes…. but the opportunity here is with both the living room [ can get a set of French doors to the patio ] and the kitchen with rear connection to your patio as well. that's what I would focus on. the usage of all the "rooms" will happen naturally .

Thanks herbflavor :) I like your ideas. I just can’t envision the U with a peninsula. There is a butlers stairs in one end and in the other end is the tiny nook.

The U has two short sides: refrigerator wall and a run opposite and the middle or window wall run. But a kitchen plan really is for later when you figure how much cabinetry....island or not......etc/ and the window wall may have to be evaluated to get a range and hood there. But the cooktop like that and the tiny nook.....just measure the space entirely and start thinking. I don't think the kitchen originally had that narrow run w cooktop.

I think so too. The house is from 1902, but the current kitchen seems to be from the 80-90’s. It’s actually the ugliest room of the entire house because it just look outdated ( pink tile everywhere- from countertop to backsplash).

The strength of your starting situation is simply the living room and kitchen both have possibility to connect well to your rear exterior living space. Most colonials do not have both kitchen and living room w that kind of possibility.

Nice to know :)

Any suggestion on how I can set up/ utilize ... the 4 extra rooms in the floor?

The 4 extra rooms look as if they are in an addition to the original house. Convert them to a one bedroom apartment for a rental, then when the initial investment is paid off, use the income to finance the changes you want in your living spaces. That will also give you time to live in the house and decide on priorities. The rental could eventually become an in-law apartment, space for an older child, or a first-floor master suite as you age.

I removed the windows on the patio side, to provide privacy for your family, and enlarged the windows in the DR and study. It might be unorthodox, but I'd just cover those windows, in case you want to open them in the future. I put the fridge on the wall against the shower, to allow as much light as possible to enter the kitchen from the DR window, but the L could be flipped, to put the plumbing on the wall shared with the bathroom--to save on costs. You might even be able to salvage and re-use some of the built-ins.

Since the door to the basement will not be open all the time, does swapping the dining and living room, make it any easier to access the dining room from the kitchen? My inlaws had a similar set up for the dining room, and it wasnt any problem carrying dishes etc from the kitchen to the dining room. The basement was used very little in that house though, so rarely was an open door. Is your basement finished, that you will be using it a lot, so the door will be open blocking that hall often?

Hi Cat-ky

Actually, the the door to the basement is on the other side of the house ( near the family room). The stair you see between the kitchen and Dining room is the butlers stair it goes to second floor and attic. I’m sure we won’t be using it at all.

Wow mama goose

I couldn’t believe my eyes. Thank thank thank you!!!! Let me review it again, and take it all in

You're welcome. Here are a couple of other variations--the one on the left has the flipped L in the kitchen layout. The plan on the right has a slightly larger bathroom, with a shower stall, and the stacked w/d (or w/d combo) moved from the entry foyer. I added a console table in the entry, but that space could be used to park a bicycle, or a bike could be hung on brackets above the TV.

The kitchen and DR have been switched in the plan on the right, and the kitchen sink placed against the bathroom wall, to combine plumbing. Both plans have the range on the exterior wall, for easier venting.

OP, I’m a compulsive planner, too. But you do need to live there at least a year before you bring in a saw or hammer, and during that year, please LISTEN to the house. Don’t just see how your daily patterns do (and don’t) fit with the layout and think how to change it.

Instead, open yourself to how the layout can shape the human activities. Do some adapting of your lives to the house, rather than vice versa.

Not many people have the chance to live in a historical home. It deserves respect in the same way that an elderly person does.

Good luck!

Thanks DN,
I am already holding my horses with layout change. My husband is confused of the sudden change lol

Oh, this is a beautiful house! Is that what drew you both to it? What else did you love about the house, to choose it?

I think the living room would become my den, a perfect spot for tv, or reading, chatting. View of the back garden, and close to the kitchen but all the work waiting for you in the kitchen (not dishes waiting, but it IS the room where we work hard) is out of view. The back nook is just right for a small table for morning coffee.

Do you have children?

Are you zoned to have a rental apartment? Or Air BnB? That’s what the annex looks like it was designed for.

Thanks bpath Oh Sophie,

I like the overall charm and grandiosity of the house, but we bought because my husband fell in love with it. We are not zoned to have a rental. The previous owners run dance and etiquette schools and had the 4 rooms in the back set up as the business office. However it seems to have been previously used as a medical office because of the sink and cabinets that are in place.

Anyways, my main difficulty is furnishing the rooms to make then functional. The living room for example has not enough wall space for a TV stand. There are 4 doors in that room. There is only 1 wall that can be used for with a tv stand or a couch, and I need both lol. The fireplace is in a weird spot, where the foot traffic is and has no enough space for a sitting area near it. We just moved yesterday. I will post pics of how it looks so far :)

It’s coming along, guys :)

So pretty! I’m a sucker for toile, though that might be a little much. Is the furniture yours? I think as long as you keep the bones of the house, you can furnish even in ultra-modern.

Just a thought: one wall change that I think would be appropriate to the house as well as enhance your living in it would be to, if possible, add a doorway from the foyer to the butler pantry, take out the sink and cabinets there, and add a door from the butler pantry to the back yard. It will be easier to use than the kitchen door when you entertain, allow for nice cross breezes, make The foyer more open, and just look airier. However, the stairs are above that small wall so that might be an issue; you couldn’t take out the wall altogether, but a doorway might work.

I imagine the doorway next to the firestove and the built-in in the living room are not original. Maybe not the Firestove, either.

The furniture is ours. We got them at a state sale. and YEAH my intention is to mix vintage and modern, but we only got the old pieces so far, and I’m a little uncertain how to pull the modern vita from style off. I thought about replacing the dinning tables with bright upholstered velvet ones. As well as modern abstract art wall.

The ceiling is much lower in the butlers pantry area. Not sure if it’s still an option though.

I have mixed feelings about the toile. I think they add character but I find it overwhelming sometimes. Every room has a different one.