Love this series! But when this dude suggested tearing out a 200 year old fireplace for a bathroom sink, I instantly thought “Dishonor! Dishonor on you, dishonor on your cow..!”

This man should never be allowed near a historical home. He's not talking about renovations, he's talking about completely destroying everything that makes people like an old house.

“Wow look at this totally uncommon built in kitchen for the time period! Let’s rip it out!!” I can’t hear things like this anymore, nowadays it’s becoming trendy to buy and renovate old houses because: “they have so much character, and we love that” and then they just destroy all that because “it’s old and not even”.. Where is the character left then ??? Stop buying historic buildings and trashing them just because you want to brag about character. I don’t understand, the USA has such a short history (compared to older countries), and so many people just don’t seem to understand that it’s very important to preserve what has been left for the future!

A lot of people in Mass would kill to get a house like this with an original 18th century interior. Keep it the way it is. Just clean it up, fix the problems, and add modern appliances.

If one wants a "modern" home, they should build or buy one. There are too few of these precious gems left, and what's special about them should not be destroyed.

I restore pre-1900 houses professionally, and know something about the long term harm of invasive renovations. On the strength of that experience and knowledge, I'm compelled to beg you NOT to touch that glorious kitchen. Don't move or change a thing except perhaps add a traditional marble (or quartz) countertop. Those cabinets are incredible, and positioned just right. Even the colour is beautiful. If the buyer wants more countertop, a refectory table would fit in the space. And don't under any circumstances, touch a brick of that incredible kitchen fireplace and its bread ovens. That's exactly the kind of very special feature people pay the most money for. I would also urge you in the strongest possible terms, not to rip out the upstairs fireplace for the sake of a bathroom. Once gone, it's gone forever. Build your bathroom around it - make it a feature of the room. Very pleased to see you understand the importance of retaining those original undulating floors, meantime. Ripping those out would be a big mistake.

This video should be titled "Touring a surprisingly intact colonial home that some random dude wants to destroy."

I came to the comment section to rail about all of the changes he started suggesting halfway through. I'm so happy to find it full of preservationists already. 💖

With all the upgrades and remodeling you are suggesting, you’re totally creating a whole new living space, which, to me, totally defeats the purpose of living in an historic home. Keep the original rooms as they are, upgrade them as minimally as possible to make them livable and structurally sound and please, keep that giant hearth in the kitchen, with its bake hearth beside it. That is the whole wonderful character of that kitchen.

Love the kitchen fireplace. Fix the mold, repair what you must but don't ruin a perfectly lovely and cozy layout. I have never liked open floor plans, used to live in one. Everyone told me having a master bedroom upstairs was a mistake, 😒. It wasn't. I get so many compliments on my house and my rooms are all separate! Not one big giant room you do everything in so the view is always the same. We cook in the kitchen, eat in a separate dining room, watch tv in a different room and the tv isn't visible from anywhere else. It's fabulous. These old houses had it going on whether they are colonial, victorian, or something else.

Please don't break away the existing kitchen! It's very unique, and although it's newer than the original house, it's stil over 170 years old. Don't make it a modern kitchen, because that really doesn't match the aesthetic and feeling of the whole place.

Ugh I liked everything he was saying until he started going on about completely doing away with the old kitchen. There’s so many modern houses that you can decorate and build in modern ways. Why the haste to do away with historic elements? And I understand that the kitchen was an addition, but its a centuries-old one. It still is historical, and it’s big and not tacky. Could easily be restored as well and just have modern appliances put in.

Totally disagree about the kitchen fireplace. No way I would do anything with that. The kitchen is big enough that the ‘real estate’ the fireplace is taking up isn’t needed, but the charm it is lending the space is priceless. Also, I think the first thing I would do is get that huge branch off my roof.

Nooooooo! No stupid open floorplan in a historic home! Leave that kitchen fireplace alone!

To find an original kitchen like that is rare. To suggest ripping it out is insane!

I love this house. And I would never gut that kitchen. Whoever built those slanted cabinets was familiar with 18th century flat wall cupboards and was paying homage to the antique originals of the period . The gambrel roof on the back wing makes me think this was a earlier 18th century house and that both the front part and back wing were renovated in the 1850s. This appears evident in the front door, interior 4 panel doors & their trim and the front staircase newel post and balastrade. The slanting floors are part of the house’s charm but I would check under for dry rot. I hope whoever buys this does not gut it of its historic integrity.

The huge fireplace was the original 1786 cooking hearth. They located these outside t he original structure to keep the home cooler in the warmer months. PLEASE keep that historical feature.

The house should be maintained as it is right now and not completely converted to today's "everything in one open room" idea. In a couple years the fashion for open-spaced living will have moved onto something else and you'll have changed a lovely 18th century home into something even more removed from what it originally was. You could create a beautiful kitchen in the current house and just make a separate living room. Plus side is it would cost you a lot less :) Also that fireplace in the kitchen is absolutely gorgeous!

The fireplace in the kitchen doesn't need to be touched at all! It's gorgeous!!

An absolute travesty to touch that fireplace in the kitchen!!

Do Not Change the kitchen fireplace….this is the aesthetic that makes this room!!!

I hope that the huge fireplace is restored and not made smaller . I can’t stand it when original character is stripped from antique houses.

I honestly think the kitchen is so beautiful and I love the huge fireplace with 19th century cabinetry around it. I would be so mad if I bought a house and found out builders modernized the kitchen too much and boxed in fireplaces I could have had in my bedroom.

Leave the fireplace the hell alone! That’s history!!

With just fixing structural damage, paint, mildew / mold is enough. This house is absolutely beautiful

That's a Vermont Casting woodstove and therefore is one of the BEST woodstoves to have there, especially since the design elements is in keeping with a 1700s house.

don’t change that kitchen. don’t. it’s beautiful and fine the way it is. you change it and everything you did in the front of the house is pointless. keep the charm, keep the character. a modern kitchen would look like trash next to the front of the house. don’t ruin this masterpiece. not everything has to be modern. update the appliances, fix the fireplace, add an island and leave. it’s finished.

The kitchen is the best part of this house. And forget the view from the bedroom and keep that fireplace!

Well I certainly hope whoever buys this property does NOT listen to your idea that one should gut the 1850's addition!

listening to him talk is so upsetting. i hope whoever buys it actually appreciates this amazing home and doesn't change any original features! or remove fireplaces etc.. open concepts are horrible and if that is what you want, buy a mcmansion. as someone searching for a home currently, we've had to pass on so many homes because of how they were "fixed up". we're looking for a historical home with all the original details. if we wanted a mc mansion or modern home we'd look for that type of home, stop destroying home beautiful homes! which is also why I find this video so upsetting, we could afford this home after the "fixing up" but if they did what he suggested wed pass! nothing worse than paying for a home that has just been renovated with the mind set of ripping it all out and putting it back to the way it was before, walls and all.

I find it ironic that we are now seeing so many of those houses that were gutted for an open floor plan are now showing signs of permanent structural damage. If I had a home like this I would hire an architect to preserve and respect its structural integrity and restore it as close to its historical state as possible. What a gem!

No to getting rid of the cabinets and kitchen fireplace . Paint, modern countertops and appliances, maybe new cabinet door hinges and a unique freestanding island. Edit: don't cover up the 2nd story fireplace! Make it work!

As an interior architect, his vision makes me cringe. Removing so many original, or very early additions and features is just a travesty. When you remove history, you can never get it back. We have enough "new and modern" architecture in this country. Respect and preserve what is old and quit trying to bring everything into the 21st century.

Why do I love the current kitchen? If painted cream with some marble worktops and a cute custom built island I think would have a real charm to it. Even if you have to change the doors I think the unique shape of the cabinets is a fun touch.

Modernize the wiring and plumbing if necessary, and obviously put new appliances in, but leave those kitchen cabinets alone! Clean and refresh them, but don't gut that great kitchen. And while I like a well-done open concept plan well enough, this is a historical house and it'd be a shame to do that here. And frankly they're overdone, the market is oversaturated with open concept. There are people who absolutely loathe open concept and they should have options, too. Restore the fireplace area rather than removing the wall. And a bathroom fireplace sounds kind of amazing, to be honest.

He seriously never needs to give advice on an historic home ever again. If he had his way everything would be gutted and a brand new home would be built. Note, the comment about replacing/upgrading all the windows. Also, the addition, circa 1850, is also historic. He was willing to completely gut the addition with no respect to its significance.

No, not the kitchen 😡 that area has some of the coolest look, should be keeping the neat cabinetry it has some of the most character in the house

omg no, keep that fireplace for the master bath! Can you imagine, sitting in a claw foot tub, crackling fire keeping the whole room toasty warm, reading some classic literature, eating strawberries with champagne, and waiting for your man candy to give you a foot rub? Yeah, me either.

The original cookhouse was tied into the main house at a later date. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly people will destroy the original integrity.

I am just so glad to see the comments of this video condemning some of the suggestions that were made, especially for that kitchen!

please don’t ruin this house please don’t ruin this house 😭😭😭😭

This is my dream house I wouldnt change a thing just fix what needs to be repaired and update it

My family's home..I am a Colton. So cool to imagine my great great great grandmother as a child playing on those stairs!

Such a shame if those that buy this house gut it and take away all the character. In the UK this house would be 'listed' and you would not be allowed to do that. Yes, make it livable with bathrooms etc but don't take away all the history. Open plan living will become less fashionable with time and change. My first task would be to look at the roof!

this house needs Restoration not renovation. Is this architectural digest or cowboy builders digest??

The hearth in that kitchen 😍

Gutting the kitchen is STUPID!

Please do not alter this totally intact original cooking fireplace with it's beehive oven. This is what makes this home valuable . Find an original crane and reinstall it. With all the changes you are planning to make, leave this period house alone and just build a new house. There are many people out there that would just want to do repairs and a few mechanical updates .

I love the original kitchen cabinets. Keep them!!

I can not believe the suggestions. So much history! The house needs restored. Period. I live in Texas and I would kill to restore a home of this age and be its care taken until I could pass the next generation.

Longmeadow is my hometown! With the star on the front, this home is likely protected by the Longmeadow Historical Society, which may have prevented it from being completely torn down!

Houses with history and character like this are my fave

That kitchen is what dreams are made of! I'd love to restore this home!

This video made me sad. Why rip out an beautiful old kitchen and fire places? Why buy an old house if you're gonna replace everything with very modern design. Why not just buy a modern home/ build you own home and leave old historical homes intact for the people that do appreciate them?

With what little history America has, you'd have thought he'd be keen to retain as much of it as possible.

I've renovated about 5 period homes (abroad) and I'm staggered at the proposed costs. I'm female, 71 and do huge amounts of the work myself along side my builder. Leave as is and make structurally sound. A house will 'tell you' what it needs......if you listen

I would so keep those cupboards, they are so cool. Just need new paint and to refinish the hardware. Love this house!

The kitchen was a nice when I was in there walking in the back door the fireplace was going nice and cozy I would keep the kitchen right where it is

I loved this house so much that I hope this guy never touches it 😆

This kitchen is probably the best part of the house ! Put a big farm table for dining or if you absolutely want a separate dining room, pur an island with seating (in keeping with the style of the rest of the kitchen) and use the room next door as your formal dining room.

I love these series from AD! Talking about old homes is just as fun as seeing new homes please never end this series

Sir that kitchen is stunning etf dont gut it

Really enjoyed the first part of this until he mentioned gutting the 1850 addition...it would be a SHAME if that huge fireplace was reworked into something modern.

I can't believe you would give an eighteenth century home an open floor plan! I had to stop the video at that point. There are plenty of new houses with open floor plans that will go out of style in 5-10 years. Why would you mess with a beautiful colonial home??

Love this house! But I wouldn't take out or cover up anything that came with it, but incorporate it. I grew up on a 1914 house with a stone foundation. My husband and it seriously considered a house that had the original deed from Madison on the wall!- and a fireplace you could sit in. The inglenook also had them original turn-spit, and a little window for smoke. We ended up with an 1898 Victorian.

Don’t destroy the garage. It’s amazing such an old house has a garage

It would be a really great house to take it back to the way it looked when it was built. I really love that original fireplace very rare do you see that in a house

It's the rat running in the background @ 2:44 for me lmao

I think the kitchen is perfect the way it is. The cabinets are beautiful.

Please continue this series! Would love to watch the progression of these different projects you're finding. Find some architects to discuss their work on similar projects as well!

It seems likely that the peeling paint and mold are caused by lack of climate control. So keeping the house warm would solve all those problems. I loved the house, but didn't like the ideas to modernize it. That kitchen has charm and I would spend the money to save it. It's easy to gut stuff and rebuild. It's harder to work with original design, but that's what saves the charm and integrity of the house. The more you modernize something very old, the faster it looks dated and out of style.

Love the tour and the property but I agree....preserve what can be saved/restored....and that means working around that lovely kitchen. If you want a modern home, then you should buy a modern home. Leave these beauties to those of us that appreciate them.

I love seeing this old home, but realistically it's cost-prohibitive. It'd cost you probably a million or more just to renovate it and take you a year to complete. This means, someone rich looking for a second home... and who would be looking for a second home in Longmeadow, Massachusetts? No one. So who would actually do this? Which would explain why it's been abandoned for what looks like 30+ years. The tour guide says the Longmeadow market can justify such a project, but comps say otherwise... A 6 bedroom house in the area is closer to $500,000 without renovations needed... so if you bought this reno for $400,000 and spent a million dollars... no, the market doesn't justify the cost.

Buying a historical house to tear down the walls and create something new is just... wrong. I see how the idea might appeal to the nouveau riche.

He tells us "the addition was built in 1850," and then goes on to advocate gutting it and turning it into a modern, 2021 kitchen space. Sorry, no, The Secty of the Interior's Standards would suggest doing the research and documentation to establish what was original to each part of the home and then restoring each section to the period in which it was constructed. AD should know better than to have a "builder" come in a guess at what might have been original and then throw around unsubstantiated ideas for remodeling a HISTORIC home which should be restored properly. This is why we see so many remuddle jobs on home improvement shows! There are plenty of opportunities to create brand new kitchens out there, PLEASE leave the 1850 kitchen additions in their period. Love the house, disappointed in the video. Next time, please help inform viewers and bring in an expert on historic homes.

I like the layout of the house. The best features for me is the stairs and the kitchen, can put an island in the kitchen & it would be fantastic. With a lot of love, dedication & cash injection, it can be restored.

He has the best job. To be able to restore these beautiful, historic properties to bring back the life in them and allow another family to move in is amazing.

I am seriously so so sick of combined kitchen/living/family concept. There's even an uptick in new condos serving the demands of consumers who want separate kitchens behind doors that close them off. Bring that back in a big way please! The thought of doing a gut job to this kitchen and opening it all up made me stop watching!

I am in love with this house and would not want to take to much of the history out of this house. I want the character. There would be very little updates unless something was unsalvageable . Thanks for sharing this ♥️👋🏾have a blessed week

We need Nicole Curtis on this one! She’d keep the character of the home and would never tear it all up to modernize it!!

omg pleeeasseeee don't tear out/shrink the historical kitchen fireplace, whatever you do!!!

May not agree with some of his decisions as a preservationist but I’m thrilled to see AD creating content highlighting restoration!!!

Please, everyone, dont mess with the ORIGINAL BEAUTY OF THIS HOUSE.

Uneven floors after 300 years gives character and interesting talking points, not a 'problem'.

Love the mouse running across the floor at 2:45

I`d keep all the kitchen cabinetry the way it is, beautiful and original!

Looks like an swedish traditional big farmer's house with the red paint and white trim. The interior also reminds me somewhat of it.

I concur with everyone here that wants to leave as much that is original to this historical home! If I were to buy this home and renovate, I'd work on the fireplaces and chimney's to make them workable, and absolutely save the fireplace in the kitchen and repair it so that it can be used as it was intended. Fix the structural issues, refurbish the original woodwork, repair or replace plumbing and electrical, install HVAC, but leave the original design intact. Modernize minimally, most people who want to buy an older historic home will WANT it to be as close to original as possible, don't go overboard!

Beautiful and well built 18th century home! Even if it means paying more for a good quality air conditioning system to solve the moisture and mold problems, I still think it is a very worthwhile idea!

Gorgeous! I love this house! I wouldn't change as much as you suggested though. I love the fireplaces, love the wide plank floors, the rooms, the colours, the character, love love love this house!

that massive hearth in the kitchen is gorgeous, and why not have a fireplace in a bathroom?! i think that's trendy now, and makes sense if you're going for an old fashioned look throughout the house.

I really hope they don’t modernize it to much with whites and marble but keep it woody and cabin like :/// Colors there already look nice together

That kitchen is a dream. Just replace the appliances by new ones.

I grew up in a house built in 1763. I was fascinated by friends houses because their furniture didn’t lean away from the walls and nothing rattled when big trucks drove by. It is very different.

The floors are mostly dirty a good cleaning would go a long way. The issue with a old historical house is the the ongoing maintenance

You fool - that fireplace in kitchen is GORGEOUS and should not be touched. No one wants to see a colonial era home suddenly go modern as one steps into the damn kitchen.

I really like the way this guy explains things.

I would kill for a house like this! Love it!

I'll never wrap my head around 'primary suite.' To me, it's a master bedroom and that's what most people understand.

Beautiful house. I hope someone restores it.