it is BIG. and Square.

our foursquare has an offset door with an entry on the right, the smallest downstairs room, then the whole rest of the front of the house is one big room, this large room in the back left part, then the kitchen is long and skinny on the back right, because between it and the outside wall of the house are the basement stairs. Our scanner is broken or i would draw a picture...

the mystery room has a sad story behind it. we're buying the house from the 5 sons of the recently deceased owner. the sons grew up there, their parents bought it in the 60's. when we were there with our house inspector the sons were there moving stuff out, so we got to ask a few questions.
when their parents were buying the house this room was a library with floor to ceiling bookshelves. their son told us it had beautiful glass pocket doors between this room and the large front room. it explains why there is no window to the backyard, and why it seems like it's so big when you stand in it, if shelves stuck out from the walls it would definitely not seem so strange for a dining room, which it was when we saw it.
so what happened to the room, you ask? where are the beautiful glass pocket doors and all the supposedly beautiful woodwork?
while their parents were closing on the house, someone stripped the house, and stole much of the original woodwork. I'm amazed we have the matching glass doorknobs throughout, and the old doors that match at the entry and the top of the stairs. maybe they weren't worth as much then? all we really have now is the original doors, and beautiful glass doorknobs, and the banister/stairway. covered in white paint, and presumably lead clad. (removal+baby=nervous mom.)

but back the the question, what to do with this room? eventually the ideal would be to knock out a wall and enlarge the long skinny eat in kitchen. and maybe a downstairs bathroom. and an addition out back, first floor laundry (currently basement)... completely altering the back of the house. but at move in we will be at a loss as to how to treat this space. well, the carpet and wallpaper and light fixture will go! but then?

and if anyone ever reads this who has a similar room in a 20s foursquare that hasn't been stripped, i would love to see it. but if you show me glass pocket doors i will cry.



doorway where the pocket doors were, shown from the front room. sorry it's fuzzy, these are all i have, from our first walk through-