Thanks all, Your thought are confirming many of my ideas- we have had many visitors whose first thought is to "open up" the whole first floor (ie. open the kitchen, dining and bedroom to each other) but I hesitate because 1. it is an old house and I'd like to keep some of the original plan and 2. sometimes opening up a space makes it actually seem smaller- to me the private bedroom makes the house seem bigger. The vestibule/mudroom leads to a cute side porch, overlooking the driveway but without stairs down to it. It has a closet which is great, but we currently use the space as a lego room :). So, we could do without! I also do picture French doors, but privacy and sound would be a downside. We are in need of a guest room for occasional visitors and really only have three bedrooms on the 2nd floor (the 2nd floor is basically the same floor plan as the first- one needs to walk through two bedrooms to get from the front one to the bath! That's another issue, and I'm not sure we can count on a remodel of the 2nd floor to give us the guest room we'd like). Thanks all for your thoughts- it helps to cement my feelings about this space, knowing others have similar ones!

Now, my question is...how have others incorporated existing additions into an older home remodel? Did you just tear everything out (or down) that was newer? Or did you try to incorporate the different elements into the remodel? I'd like to try to recognize the different stages that make up the 'story' of the farmhouse, but still keep with an overall theme. You start by getting a structural analysis of the current house. Can the older elements be saved? Because if it turns out that the addition done in the past is not structurally sound, why incorporate that element? And even if they can be saved, does it make fiscal sense to do so? Just because something was build in the past, does not mean the workmanship is better than what you would have today. My brother has a house that was build in the 1920's. There were some tough times in the 1920's. When he opens up his walls he finds all kinds of things - any type of lumber was used because they used what they could find. And insulation is nothing like what is available today. Unless you know that the finest workmanship of the time was used, you have to be prepared for anything. Then, you consider the other systems that go in the house and how those will impact the structure you are trying to save. How will new electric, plumbing, HVAC, etc. be tied into the old systems. What about insulation? Can these updates be incorporated without damaging the structural elements that you are trying to save? If you need all new plumbing, electrical, and HVAC, does that mean you are demoing down to the studs? If that is the case, and you need a new roof and siding, then what is the value in staying with the footprint of the old house? Financially, does it make more sense to completely demo the building and start from scratch? I am not saying that this is the case for your house, but without having a complete structural analysis plus an analysis the of electrical, plumbing, HVAC, etc. you cannot determine whether it even makes sense to save the house. Once those questions are answered, then you move on to design. At this point you ask if house layouts from the past work with the life you are living today. Some people don't have a problem living in layouts from the past, while others prefer open floor plans, wide doors, walk-in closets, larger laundry rooms, larger kitchens, heck larger rooms in general. And then there are the materials that go into building a house that looks like it is from an earlier timeframe. Are they still available today, at what cost, and are newer designs better? Changes in building systems/materials have usually been made for a reason. You have posted pictures of the 1920's sunroom windows that you like. When I look at them, I see single glazed multi paned windows that are very energy inefficient and a pain to keep clean. Different strokes for different folks, you probably wouldn't care for my house. You also have to figure out how much the current footprint of the house is limiting your ability to design the house of your dreams. If you are completely renovating a house, you are going to end up with a custom home. To me, a custom home means it is customized for the people who are living there. Being unnecessarily constrained by what was, is, imo, not the way to get to a custom dream home. If you don't feel constrained by the current house, than you don't have a problem. But since you have been at this for quite some time and haven't been able to finalize your design, it doesn't sound like the process is making a lot of progress. I suggest getting a complete analysis of the current house, then taking that information along with all your inspiration photos and ideas to an architect that specializes in old house renovations and getting a professional's opinion on how best to get to the goal of a dream home.

Several things..the island will feel less contrived if you were to replace the table with a round. The current square brings too much attention to the angle of the island. Either replace the foyer wallpaper or re-do the wainscoting to match the two—tones in the d.r. If you decide to replace the foyer paper be aware of background white/off-white/creme, etc. when choosing your paint color. I agree new fans without lights is in order. I think once you have all elements in place then would be a good time to reselect your lighting. Lighting has a huge influence on the overall look you are trying to achieve. Your home is lovely and has a very nice lived-in look. Good job!

Is your attic finished, or do you have only boards over the floor joists. Homes of this age can be balloon construction, meaning you could drop a line from the attic and it would go through to basement level. I'm not a pro, but looked into foam injected (via outside) for a mid century home and was told that if foam was used, it would fill up wall cavities, making access to future electrical work very difficult. I opted for blown in cellulose by a highly reputable company who filled all voids to avoid heat loss, and installed a sealing attic entry door with vertical sides to preclude movement of cellulose. You might want to look at some DR. ENERGY videos before deciding on best type of insulation.