When we moved into the 1835 farmhouse, AKA The Manse, there was a lot of work to do. While it was move-in ready, we knew there was a lot we wanted to change. After a few years of living there, I began designing the new floor plan.

A little bit of back story…

Our last house, a beautiful Queen Anne Victorian, was the first home we fully renovated. Leaving her was bittersweet because everything we did reflected the way we live and it’s where we welcomed our babies. But change was necessary. We wanted a simpler life, more of a country vibe versus upscale suburbia. The house was sold even before it officially hit the market, which meant we had to find another house quickly.

Enter: The Manse. Since 1900, this home was the residence of the minister at the nearby church. Originally, there was a move to tear her down and build a whole new home.

Fortunately that didn’t happen, and the moment I saw her, I just knew…she was the one. I remember the look of shock on the broker’s face when she showed me the house. She couldn’t believe I actually liked it. As you’ll see, the home was in dire need of some major cosmetic updates. But I could see the potential. We did a home inspection that confirmed her bones were fantastic, and we moved quickly.

When contemplating the renovation, it took some time to figure out what made the most sense. First off, adding a fourth bedroom was important so that we had an extra bedroom for guests and our two kids still each had their own rooms, even after they moved out. Plus, it would enhance resale value. Second, the kitchen and baths needed a complete re-do. We also assumed we’d need to update the electrical, plumbing and HVAC. Within weeks of moving in, I hired the architect who designed our last renovation to come out and measure. Once I had the existing measurements, I took on the task of designing a new plan (later, we hired an architect to layer in the electrical, plumbing and HVAC).

Built in 1835, the house began its life as a very simple farmhouse, with three rooms down and 3 rooms up (and no indoor plumbing!).

It’s not clear when plumbing was added because the existing baths were re-done in the 70s or 80s based on materials. In the 1920s a kitchen was added as an addition to the back right side of the house. In the 1960s, a single story addition was added to create space for an eat-in kitchen. There was a lot of “remuddling” that occurred over the years, like adding two baths in a very awkward configuration, and a kitchen remodel (2000) that didn’t quite cut it.

My Wish List

1. Create an open kitchen that reflects the simplicity of the home, with ample storage.
2. Tear off the 60s addition and do a proper foundation in order to accommodate a second story addition.
3. Create a primary suite with bath and plenty of closet space.
4. Square off the back of the house to accommodate a mudroom with closet.
5. Move the laundry to the second floor and create a more welcoming powder room.
6. Reconfigure the 2nd floor to allow more space on the landing, and a hallway leading to the primary suite.
7. Move the wall between the kitchen and office back 5 feet to give more space to the kitchen.
8. Create 3 heating/cooling zones (split zones upstairs). For cost reasons, we opted to remove the old radiators and change the heating to forced air. The cost of adding more radiators was expensive (and I hate baseboard heating).
9. Update existing fireplace, converting to gas and add a new gas fireplace in the great room.

The biggest goal was to bring back the flow. I love the vibe of a space where you can see the back of the house from the front door. We also didn’t want to “over-improve” her. She was a simple home, with 8′ ceilings, so the fixtures and finishes needed to reflect that. We had a strict budget. We also wanted to salvage and re-use as much as possible, blending the new and old to give it a timeless appeal. I don’t like fussy. Clean, open and welcoming. That was our mantra.

The First Floor

Taking the wall down between the kitchen and music room (technically this was originally used as a dining room) completely changed the possibilities for the kitchen, allowing us to put in a 10′ island with tons of storage. We were able to fit a 7′ pantry across from the powder room.

The back of the house was transformed by removing the boxy addition on the back of the house and adding on a two story addition that spanned the length of the house.

We added less than 100 square feet on the first floor. The total square footage added was just shy of 600 square feet. We extended the second floor, adding a new primary bedroom suite, including a brand new bath and two closet areas (one in the hallway leading to the primary, and a dressing room next to the bathroom). We changed up closets in one bedroom to make room for a laundry area, and created a hallway leading to the primary bedroom. We also pushed the wall back to create more space on the landing.

The Kitchen Makeover

The old kitchen felt very cramped and closed off. It was almost impossible to have two people working at the same time. We salvaged the old cabinets for storage in the new laundry with the remainder installed in the basement. The countertops and appliances were donated and all radiators went to a metal salvage facility for recycling.

A Much Needed Mudroom

We created a mud room at the back of the house, with a large closet. We found the bench in the basement. The bench was originally used in the church (this house was used as the minister’s house since 1900 until the time we purchased it). The wood paneling was created from the original sheathing from the back of the house. I sanded them down and used tung oil to bring out the natural beauty.

The Living Room Makeover

Powder Room Makeover

The Primary Bedroom Suite

Adding a fourth bedroom allowed us to create the perfect primary bedroom suite with an incredible view. Before, the original primary was small with a boxy closet. The primary bath was circa 1980s with a weird low ceiling.

The whole renovation took five months. We moved into a rental during construction to allow the crews to work more quickly. When it was complete, I remember the best moment being the first time our kids got to see it. My daughter came home from college and said, “Mom, you can feel the love that went into it.” Best compliment ever, and she was absolutely right.

My goal was to honor our lives as a family, to create a space that felt like home again, a place where friends and family can gather and where the energy of the space enhances each moment.

While a space is never really “done,” I enjoy keeping it simple and following my instincts. And the added bonus? We stayed on budget with few surprises.

I hope you enjoyed the tour!