Great question jayapple21! This house has a full third floor that is unfinished. When the house was fitted for HVAC, the handlers went up in the attic. There is an original full bath up there as well, with a beautiful vaulted ceiling. No plans to refinish it yet, but we’ll see. It also has a full basement, which is rare for eastern NC.

There are permanent, wide stairs into the attic from the second floor. It has primarily been used for storage. The original design had an arched roof, which can be seen in the attic. The renovation in 1942 removed the circle staircase which went all the way to the third floor.

The third floor looks to have been the living quarters for the servants, as evidenced by the doorbell from the Master to the attic.

That's fascinating! Thank you for responding to my inquiry. What an amazing home you have!

Thanks for sharing that charming picture of the two of you! It’s nice to be able to visualize the residence of this lovely home. I look forward to your future posts! All the best to you in the new year 👏🍾🥂

Residents…as well as residence 😉

Simply divine! You two look so great! Thanks. Love what you are doing to this treasure!

Well, a couple weeks ago, we were hit with ten inches of snow! Rare for these parts. A couple winter wonderland shots!

Wow. Pretty. Thanks for sharing.

P. S. When spring comes, consider painting those gutter downspouts same as main wall color behind them. In other words, make them visually disappear. 🤗

The last of the ice just melted off our driveway and roof here in Raleigh!

I assumed the downspouts were oxidized copper?

Yes, they are copper!

Stunning heritage home! Do you have official heritage status? It looks like you should. So great that you’re working to restore this.

The snow only made it look more romantic!

Cool. Don’t paint copper! My mistake. Sorry. You know i love your home and the tender care you are giving it! Carry on!!

So pretty! And so unusual that far South. We still have about a foot of snow here in southern NY!

Since that amount of snow is a bit unusual in your part of the country, and since you have two lovely photos of the house with pristine snow (no tracks), consider using one of these photos for your 2026 Christmas card - either the house alone or a collage of 2-3 photos including one of the house with perhaps one or two photos that include family. I like the contrast of the soft yellow house with the brilliant blue sky in the second photo.

@liasch we do have historic designation and been working with local preservation department to continue the work.

Thanks Flo! I knew your heart😀. My biggest decision is whether to keep the wooden shutters and restore them, or keep them off.

No worries jayapple21, Christmas card for next year is already set:) my wife captured the before shoveling images!

Does the shutters/no shutters decision affect the response of the historical preservation board?

No, it does not. It is simply a matter of choice whether to use them (and the expense of restoration). If they were altered or changed in any way, that would be a problem

With all those windows..And uniformity in the house design..I would be looking to avoid different window dressings that vary noticeably…perhaps matching linings?……in a

Sheer curtains or even limiting the curtains to the bottom half of the windows would allow more natural light in the daytime…relieving the need to open every day

Your home seems elevated enough that minimal privacy requirement is needed…

Hi there to the Ed Ollies, lovely home 🏛️❤️
I live and work in a historic town, restorations and revivals always afoot 🙂
A few quick notes —
Yes, it IS a Georgian — but the roof trellis as we say, and some of the molding detail was the builder’s homage to Monticello. The cross hatch diamond shape was an inspiration Jefferson picked up from the French, who had Asian ( here Japan) inspired woodwork they saw on bridges in the east.
Lol!
You don’t have to paint the walls Chrome Yellow or acquire the deep green floor of Monticello, or even go all way with classical furnishings (Greek/Roman) — but a touch of the Oriental might be a great nod? And be in keeping with the range of furnishings found in these homes— everything from Windsor chairs to ceramics of the East.
Our decor spirit today is so very like the Colonials — you can make a happy mix of treasures in every hallway lol — a few thoughts on the decor frame following —

Moulding, phone!

Taking a look at your other projects…

Back, with just a few suggestions 🙂
I have seen Georgians updated in nearly every way, from coastal chic to midcentury modern, including a spectacular Gatsby Gothic!
But I do admire anyone who wants to honor the original heart of Georgian design — the refuge of the world traveler. While the original style was lifted from English travelers going on Grand Tours to the Mediterranean classical world — Greece, Rome, Morocco — American Colonial Georgians were also filled with treasures from their own explorations. This meant New Orleans, France, Spain, Cuba, Bermuda — and by that time, the newly opened Far East.
Georgians look best with a high contrast decor frame, meaning dark and light — which provides a stable for any furnishings. Dark floors — dark cherry? A Violet Mahogany? White to lightest cream woodwork. The goldenrod yellow of the walls is the correct original color, and can be deepened.
Unlike other coastal palettes, which have a cool red/white/blue base, the Georgian retains the deep warm red but requires a primary color palette — yellows required. In England this palette is Tuscan, but in the Americas, the yellow is brighter — chrome to goldenrod — NOT ANTIQUED. Think cooler colors in warm shades:
Violet, yellow, warm blue, coral reds. Greens can range from dull sage to a Kelly green.
With high contrast, defined textile patterns but!
The house did this for you — its
cross hatch detail allows for a more modern feel.
Textile mix:
Crosshatch/diamond / deigned floral / stripe.
I would recommend a pattern called Jacobean but ONLY in bright, warm colors.
Vertical striped lampshades (or solid dark red metal, traditional) and Roman pull shades.
Paper fine in dining and bedrooms.
I think I would avoid sheers, and opt for simple drawback curtains in yellows or blues.
Floor textiles — when we say far east, not the beautiful oriental rugs we love (I know 💔) but update with matte flooring in crosshatch or fiber.
The brick walk already picked flooring textile pattern for you.
Whatever you all decide, I hope you post more about this WOW lol! Spectacular adventure! and when it all gets a bit rough — b c bringing out the inner artist WILL BE — remember to take the weekends to just have fun! And when you get back to it, the makeover part will be!
Adventure ahoy and keep houzzers posted, thanks for sharing with us! ❤️

As we get into warmer weather, keep your eyes out for estate sales. You can get great pieces for your home that way. I nabbed two wing back chairs from such a sale and then used my funds to reupholster. Small antiques like side tables are often very inexpensive at these kinds of sales.

So true RedRyder! North Carolina has so many wonderful pieces due to the furniture industry of the past!

If the cabinets are 1936 solid wood, do not even think of removing them!!!! They are valuable and the quality is not made today. Leave the kitchen!!!

Yo might try selling the rugs on Chairish or 1stDibs. They both list high end furnishings.

Terrib962…we kept the cabinets and refurbished them. We chose not to do a white kitchen this time, with no regrets.

Please HOUZZ, write up an article on this house.

Ed, all of us who've been following you since you purchased the house know exactly what a great job you have done! You don't need to explain yourself to those who haven't even taken the time to read the discussion to know that your original white kitchen cabinets are now painted that luscious green!

Yes…love what you are doing inside, you have a great eye! Congrats on the historical designation and on shutters…tough choice, but house looks great either way. Shutters mean a lot of extra upkeep, don’t they?

Yes, shutters need some occasional TLC (painting, cleaning), but provide protection in times of storms or hurricanes. We love the clean look of them off. We’ll see.

Unlike some Houzzers, I love shutters. The fact that yours are functional/operable would lead me to re-install them. A contrasting color, like black or green, would look beautiful.

My feelings is if shutters were original to the home then shutters should remain. I will assume these are "real shutters" and not "dummy Shutters" like so many modern homes have based on the age of the home. I think the home definitely has more presense with them on

The dark green shutters would be beautiful. With a dark green door, too.

I love shutters too but I watch This Old House on TV One weekend and behind their shutters was a bunch of bats when they took the shutters down I forgot if they were going to paint the house or what they took the shutters down and they spats just flew out

Oh, that's frightening!

I shutter just thinking about it!

You, dear person, are really alert for so early in the morning! Your comment made me laugh out loud...

Thank you, Ed, for bringing us along on your home's journey! 🏡

The only negative to shutters is that when the next owner buys it - many decades from now - there will be “shutter shadows” if they decide to remove them. Not your problem. Shutters enhance any stately center hall colonial. Go for it.

I guess the other thing to consider is… Are these the original shutters as someone has mentioned. If so, it seems a shame to discard them. The next owner might possibly want them.

These are the original shutters to the house which have been retained in storage.

Use the originals and proper hardware too. Wonderful look. The Historical folks might have requirements on this. The designation is nice, but it does come with certain requirements and approvals. Dark color would be beautiful and fit the era.

I also love the look of shutters, they serve a function as well, they are the original! What a treasure that is. Regardless of your personal preferences I hope you will preserve them, for the future. They would be a lovely historical enhancement.

Flo is right. You have an historic designation, which comes with rules. Using the original shutters will probably get a resounding “yes”.