Can you spot the five differences in these pictures?...

OK...just kidding about the differences.  Boy have we (and by we I mean Andrew) been busy! The house is almost completely gutted and I think the ceiling in one more room may have to go as well.

Main living room area viewed from the front door.

Same room as above, different view.

 This is the large half of the upstairs you see from the top of the steps.  The cross ties (horizontal boards at the top of the picture on the bottom) are going to be replaced with 2x6's, left exposed and painted to match the trim.  Andrew is also going to raise them up about 6 inches to increase the ceiling height and to make that window look a little more comfortable.  Right now the poor thing looks like the ceiling is falling onto it.

 

I think this is probably the most amazing difference of any of any space in the house. That is the narrow stairwell in the almost middle of the picture on the bottom.  The picture at the top shows a closet that used to be between that stairwell and the chimney (which was hidden).   The chimney is pretty great, and will probably be left exposed.  The plan for now is two barn doors (the kind on rails not red ones with big white X's) on either side to act as a movable wall between the main upstairs and what will be a small bedroom behind the chimney.  The doors would slide in front of the chimney when open.