I'm guessing non-load bearing. But if there is an attic above or a basement below, you could check to see whether the columns continuing up or down in some form.

i'm *guessing* load bearing.

Might it be better to ask a professional who could inspect them IRL?

If you plan on removing them, then you should plan on putting in new floors too.

I’m with Jan. Why create a “walk smack into the living room” situation?

I'm guessing the far area in the photo is the living room, and the photo is being taken from the dining room.

The liklihood that they are structural is slim, but since you plan to have the work done professionally, why not let the experts tell you when they come to bid the project? You can also go up into the attic or floor above and look to see if they continue up to the roofline. I would always advise that you error on the side of seeing what a pro says, however.

All about what you do with it. I would go dark on the columns and surround.

I think it would look pretty fab. Hey, if you don’t like the results, then you can rip it all out.

I think it is structural.

You'd have to look down from the attic above (if there is one); or, up from the basement (if there is one); to see if there are support beams in the ceiling and the floor. A load bearing wall would have support beams in both -- support for the ceiling and support for the floor.

look up in the attic (if this is a one story) and see if the joists run opposite of that wall. if the joists run the same direction as that wall, then it's prob not load bearing.

are those columns original? are they solid wood?

That's crazy. Those are beautiful columns with the archway, and why would you want to open it up any more? Its already pretty much open and first room flows into the next room. The problem is the front Big Box door. You could do so many cool things with your space, like paint the trim a different color for example. If you want to open up the space, do you have a cohesive, defined plan on what it should look like? Because it will be a big, ranch style large room where you walk into the front door, and boom, there you are, with no defined spaces, unless you put in a bunch of rugs, that is.

IF it is load bearing, and I doubt it, you could wrap/hide what is likely a 4"x4" post -- or at most a 6"x6" post -- differently. Removing the excess material that creates the round colonial column vibe would be a huge improvement.

Wrap any post actually needed for support to be smaller and square (rather than round) and build a cabinet between the post and wall.

You could then add shelving between the post and the wall -- open shelves on one or both sides, with or without doors -- solid or glass.

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/92/b6/74/92b6745c785bf73ff0cb269c1ed56b86--red-chairs-red-dining-chairs.jpg

For those asking why we would want to walk right into a living room is because its a Baltimore Row home, thats how all the homes are laid out ;) thanks everyone.

Sorry to say......... but just because "everyone" has something, doesn't make it great. But as you will, it's hour house! Hence, when someone put the columns and knee walls? They felt a need to create a transition form outside to inside and then lost courage. : ) Result is an indefinite, "I can't make up my mind space" leaving all confused as to intent.

I can't believe some of the responses here. People: it's a Baltimore row house. That little itty-bitty space at the door is the living room. It's not a foyer. The columns were installed either when the house was built or much later. They were placed there to separate the living room from the dining room.

Its a row house. Usually enter into living room, next dining, kitchen in the back, hall and stairs to one side, bedrooms upstairs. There may have been a wall with a regular door there originally.

I think the space is cute, but shelving in place of the columns would be more practical while still dividing the rooms.

No one can tell you definitively if those columns are load bearing from looking at a photo online! If you rely on any of these opinions, take out the columns and your house falls down, what's your recourse? Whose liability is it? Get an engineer or architect to come to your home and do an evaluation.

ssleenyc, as I stated in my comment above yours, call a structural engineer or an architect.

Wow, I can't believe how rude some of these "pros" are. Chicago bungalows have front doors that walk right into the LR; my first starter ranch also had one. Not all houses have "grand foyers".

I don't believe anyone was remotely suggesting a "grand foyer". For heavens sake, if you want it out, simply check to make sure it isn't structural. I doubt it is structural if this is the original structure . Someone added it to create the transition between outside and inside. .........and stopped. : ) If you want it all out , take it all out after you verify.. Heavens to Betsy......

The more important point is it is indeed an "itty bitty" space. So you either close it a bit more and dedicate it to entry of a sort, perhaps with some great storage, a bench etc, and make it a welcoming area, .......or get rid of it entirely assuming the ceiling will not fall down.

History aside, the reason we don't usually build to the "plop, you are in" method or style.......is all of the above. Storage, weather, drafts, and the need to welcome and TRANSITION. Which btw can be accomplished via open etageres......and many other ways as well.

The guy you want to tell you if those are structural or not arrives in a truck with tools and wearing work clothes, not a note pad and pocket protector. With that many of the same houses in a row, somebody has peeked under the skirt of one of them. Find him, please.

ssleenyc, if the posts are not load-bearing, the cost of removing them is minimal. You can even do it yourself with a lighter weight sledge hammer. The cost is all the skilled labor that comes next. The walls and ceiling have to be repaired. That might mean plaster or furring strips and drywall. You will have a gap in the baseboards where you removed the bases. Nothing in the local home improvement store is likely to match. That's why you carefully saved the trim from the bases. If they came out in large pieces, a good carpenter can work them into the existing trim. If you aren't so lucky with the removal, you'll take a piece of the trim to a place that does custom millwork. If they'll already have knives in your profile, this isn't expensive. If you have to have custom knives made, that will be quite a bit more. The ceiling, walls and trim will have to be painted. None of this is astronomical, but it adds up. Now we get to the expensive part - the floor. If the structure was added after the original floors were installed, you'll just need to refinish the floors in the whole room. If they are original, it is unlikely that the flooring went under the bases. Your flooring person will have to tooth in strips to repair it. This is labor intensive, but people who do this well are worth every penny! Again, you'll have to have the floors in the whole room refinished. Which brings up another question for your flooring person. Based on the width of the strips, the flooring could easily be 100 years old. It has definitely been refinished. Is there enough wood left for another refinish? If not, the floor will need to be replaced.

If the pillars are load-bearing, you will need to have a beam added to support the structure. Be sure to add a healthy cushion for surprises. Old building always have them. Once the walls are open, you may find things that don't meet code and have to be fixed in order to pass building inspections. This can be extremely expensive. (I'd leave the pillars in this case.)

The important things are to do the research up front, plan your budget so that you know how you can fund the different scenarios, and get a really good, reputable contractor.

You can actually tell a lot from a picture, if your home has a basement then there should be either a wall, post or header directly under that wall if it is bearing.The load transfers.You can just as easily educate yourself on how to identify a bearing wall, than to waste money on an engineer. Also seeing (from the picture) that the header course above the columns are curved this says that there is no header. Could be a stack of ceiling or floor joist in the ceiling, but that again would point to the load being transferred below, or carrying a roof load.

Maybe if you know what you're doing, you can figure out the physics of load/nonload-bearing walls. However, if someone asks a question on an online forum, clearly they DON'T know what they are doing, myself included. So in that case seeking professional help is warranted.

Thanks everyone! I posted pictures because we were considering putting an offer in on the home. We actually passed on the house and decided to offer on another one :) I know the idea of walking into a living room isn't everyones favorite, but its the Baltimore style. And its my favorite style in the world! Once again, thank you!