This isn't a 1930s farmhouse. It's an 1850s farmhouse. I doubt it has major foundtion problems. It probably has a stone foundation, it's been there for one hundred and sixty years and probably will be there a hundred and fifty years from now. I know that area pretty well, it's miles from my husband's birthplace, and I get up there often. My brick farm house is at least twenty years old than this one. Moneypit would have been a compliment, lol. The brick is probably soft brick and needs to be looked at closely as when they get that age, they often powder away, but the pictures look decent, although they aren't close-ups. The door upstairs leading to nowhere may have been to a portico or porch over the front entrances, or even a sleeping porch. It is amazingly in better shape from the few pictures I see than ours was. What I'd expect to see in this house before ever going to see it is plaster issues, wiring issues, window issues, plumbing issues, possibly septic issues. We found out ours had makeshift septic, lol, and we had to have a drainfield and tank installed. It may have a low output shallow well, too. But, all these are easily answered questions. Somebody may have taken care of these issues since it's been habitated. The major thing I'd worry about is how to heat it. I see it has oil. Ours didn't even have central heat when we bought it, and of course we put in a modern heating system. Given that acreage, given that house, I would go see it and dicker but then again, I have been there and done that with ancient house renovations and still working on them in a very similar house. I love my old house and it has been worth it to me. I had to laugh however, that they call it a 'horse farm'. That's the tag the realtors hang on small pieces of farms with the original house, like they are pandering to country gentlemen. LOL. This one started out as a quality house, compared to most.

Hi, and welcome! Those floors, and the stairs, what a great space you have. I see that the two windows flanking the fireplace are reminiscent of Arts and Crafts. So any builtin cabs you make, put doors with the four-square look to them. And of course a flat panel if you do a TV. Hide it behind a pair of doors.TV to the LEFT of fireplace, since traffic will be walking or stranding in front of the RIGHT side of the fireplace. If you do decide to lower the cabs adjacent to the fireplace, relate the top height of them to the height of the firebox, so the eye makes a straight line across that wall and it will be much more satisfying. Long lines can add size to a small space. You decide, low or high, but make the line long and continuous. I think the sofa really needs to be very small scale, and you might find a loveseat like one I got from Boston Interiors. It has plain legs, but think about the furniture not being large, and chairs not having skirted bottoms, so that more of the floor shows. It tells the eye there is more open area. I would consider a modern looking wingback chair or maybe two. Stay away from the Queen Ann style dining chairs, which is what the former owner had. It is not suitable for a younger male resident. Too really old fashioned. More appropriate for your grandma, don't ya know. I'd say if you got parsons chairs for your dining area, then two of the chairs could serve in the LR by the windows. It is easy to pick up different colored slip covers for parsons chairs, with or without long skirts. If you are the kind likes to entertain formally, then a special set of slip covers for such occasions might be worth considering. If you go with the smaller table beneath the larger window, make it a type of tea table. That could serve as a breakfast or coffee spot, and give you a chance to observe what is going on outdoors on your street....that is, if you are facing a street with a sidewalk? Pretty interesting way to become acquainted with the style of your street. Make your dining area work hard too. Do not forget to put at least ONE storage piece in the dining area. But no big buffet. A skinny 60" long parsons table against the wall with a floating shelf arrangement above it would be a good way to create display space without restricting yourself to a set wall hanging. Such a table works as a serving space in the dining, or any number of ways in the LR. If need be, a nice place to also use baskets beneath it for hidden storage. Look for a skinny vertical piece with or without doors to display artwork or pretty large serving bowls in it. We will wait while you give us a tour of the other floors, where are the bathrooms. I bet two baths, right? Do they have original ceramic tile? Wainscoting up high or woodwork like at the mantle wall? How cool your new house must be. And is the upper floor, the third level, where you have a master? Does it have small closets and a bath on that floor? Is it tucked under the eaves, or are ceilings full height? If you have a space with slanted ceilings, then that is a good space for a headboard, or a chest that can fit with it. Or, a desk and book shelves or a console. Whatever you do, enjoy the experience. The first house I bought, I had only a pair of wicker chairs and a cypress coffee table. I rattled around in that place like a bee-bee in a washpot for a long time. So many options. Do not buy a lot of stuff just to fill it up. That will happen soon enough. And if you have a lot of friends, watch out for them.....they will want to feel GOOD about giving away their old stuff so they can feel GOOD about buying NEW for themselves. :) Enjoy. We realize how much fun it is to begin with a blank slate. Oh yeah. No recliners in the living room. That goes in the study or den. If you are single, it will favorably impress your dates. A second thought here. It might be a good idea to locate that 20" TV in the kitchen, or somewhere in the dining room that can be seen from the kitchen. Also, think about mounting it on an articulating arm that can be swiveled toward the LR, or made visible from the kitchen. If you have friends over to cook and watch a game, will they be in the kitchen with you? Is there room for that? How many of them will there be USUALLY? And do you need to have a counter space devoted to kibitzing guests with stools that can be tucked away? Is it possible with the current setup? Is the kitchen unfitted enough that you could have a rolling tall island with space for 2-3 stools and a second person helping with cooking chores? Enough already. Glad you dropped in. See ya later.

Matt and Ash Construction and Design Inc. - yes, this is just the look I am going for! What sort of material would you recommend for the patio itself? kiminpl - I think I am leaning towards that, the concrete. Seems the simplest and most cost-effective. I would love to get the name of a contractor, but I can't figure out how to private message you! I was resistant to the big chunky pergola look, but maybe I'm just used to seeing ones not made to fit the scale of the homes (looooot's of cheap flips when I was house shopping). Dig Doug's Designs(8A) - I really like this! I wonder if it would look as nice not raised. The only problem I have with putting anything in front of that room to the right of the patio is that wall has my only access to the crawl-space under the house. Maybe it could be moved... l pinkmountain - That's what I am leaning toward. Terracotta tiles are beautiful but I imagine quite expensive to install outdoors and might be fragile/take a lot of maintenance. What do you think I need to look out for to make sure it is done properly?

Do NOT put it in the front hall, not only will it squeeze the bottom of the stairs, it will looked tacked on. Or, block the view to your fabulous staircase. Plus, I suspect the water lines are in the back of the house, so it would be expensive. Is the porch enclosed? I can't quite tell from the layout. If so, absolutely steal it from the pantry. Ideally, you'd want the bathroom door facing the porch. But if that is not possible, I would make a tiny butler's pantry area off the kitchen, which you walk thru to get to the bathroom (PD's idea). It would also be easy to vent to the outside, since the bathroom is on an outside wall. And, check the code in your area for bathroom size. In my municipality, a bathroom only has to be 3x5, so you could easily keep 3 feet of floor to ceiling cabinets in the pantry :)