Click here to see all the pictures from Part One.
When Red and I visited Mom and Dad is St. Louis, I made sure to snap LOTS of pictures of the furnishings and original everything in the home. Outside of the appliances (kitchen) and some toilets and light switches, EVERYTHING is original. SWOON! Here’s a picture of the butler’s pantry, with the light fixture that originally hung in the kitchen:
The servant’s entrance is alongside the driveway, complete with mail slot, separate door bell and radiators. Nearly 1/4 of the house is segmented for use by the servants, unseen by the family or the guests. The stairwell leads to the hall outside of the master bedroom where laundry and linens were done.
The small switch and connector on the baseboard in the servant’s hall is actually a central vacuum that no longer works, but was kept intact. “Gert”, Mom’s make believe maid, “lives” in the servant’s room with her original sink and bathtub. (above) Half of the original kitchen cabinets still stand, and the rest of them are reproductions with original style hardware. What is pictured below is 100% original, down to the black and white marble flooring. The tile does, in fact, extend throughout the kitchen and butler’s pantry.
This smattering of rooms feature some more original features. The top photo depicts the lady’s dressing room, with original whitewashed cabinets all around the room with cubbied drawers for linens and clothing. Since most garments were folded in the teens and 20s (heavy silks) there is little hanging space in this specific room. The center island was set on top of the floor by Mom and Dad for more storage, but fashioned in the style of the room, with marble top. Other rooms featured: marble kitchen floor, original photo of the master bathroom suite, dining room with original detail and tile floor, the smoking lounge that was originally used as a second floor study for the family.
The original bathroom has to be one of my favorite features in the whole house, especially since EVERYTHING is original. I took a different view of this same bathroom in Part One.
Lastly, I collected some of the finishing touches in the house – the toilet is from the master bathroom above, just behind where I was standing to that the photo. Even the toilet seat is from “St. Louis Co.”. The radiators are the way the home is heated, with one under nearly every window and sometimes 2-3 in the room. Most of the taller radiators are capped with a marble slab, allowing them to serve as tallboy tables around the house.
Galley switches are on every wall, lighting up the room. The strange “porthole” you see in the photo above is actually a form of communication from the butler’s pantry to the lady of the house’s dressing room. (Up there , two holes are present, the other goes to the servant’s sewing room). This way, the masters of the house didn’t have to shout to reach for assistance.
My parents have lived in this early concrete construction home for about a year, and estimate that they have 5-6 more years there before they retire. I have inserted myself as the original fixture expert, making sure that the integrity of the home is preserved as things break, need to be replaced or updated. Don’t you think the historical quality of the home is important?! Dad was about to blow out the Butler’s pantry before I stopped his plans!
Absolutely gorgeous. I actually think 1912 was the year that my parents house was built in, but in their case everything in the house is new.
This is so incredibly cool! I absolutely love that you’ve been taking us on this tour. LOL to the imaginary maid!
I LOVE old furnishings in updated houses. My house is originally from 1880, but when they updated it in the 60’s, they gutted it, and nothing remains of the original interior. Now I have wood panelling in EVERY room, and the ugliest carpets you can imagine. :/
Lovely! That is so interesting about the servants part of the house and how it is unseen by the family.
Wow, what a great old place! I’m glad you stopped your dad before he blew out the Butler’s Pantry!
What a beautiful home! My dad’s home was built in the 1800’s. I love it!
So beautiful! I love how old everything looks. I bet the history is pretty cool too!
I’m so proud of you for saving the butler’s pantry. I completely agree that maintaining the historical integrity of the home is very important!
I love the history of the home. I also love that shower curtain…
Oh wow, it is so beautiful. And the original details, oh my gosh, I’d die. The bathroom, yes, totally agree with you. It’s perfection! Wow.
So glad you’re around to prevent anything from being blown out! 🙂 I love that tile. This house is just so amazing.
This house is so amazing! I used to live in a house built in the early 1900s but we unfortunately had problems with lead. :/
oh, how I miss living in a really old house. I grew up in a 300 year old Victorian. I love the old fixtures and stuff!
There are so many sweet characteristics in old houses! It’s nice to see that someone cares enough to keep them! Good job for stopping your father! Those things are history and are so unique! Thanks for sharing these images. It’s nice to slip away into a different time for a minute!
I love old houses for all their neat and unique little characteristics. I would love to live in a house like this!
Oh my! This house is absolutely stunning. I love historical renovations. Though it takes longer to find the right fixtures and materials, the final outcome is so much more beautiful.
I love old houses! My grandparents had a large house built a long time ago. These pictures remind me of it. My favorite things are the old radiators and glass doorknobs. Thanks for the reminder!
What a beautiful old home and kuddos on keeping the butlers pantry!! Love all the beautiful wood!
Old houses are the best. SO charming!
Wow! I love this house! What an amazing piece of history your parents own. I need a Butler’s pantry in our forever home!! LOL
What an amazing house. I could only dream to have all of those cabinets!
Your home just looks amazing! Our home was built in 1959 and I need to do some major renovations. I wish I could restore it the way you are your home!
Wow, I love old houses for their charm
What a gorgoues house. So charming!
Love the pictures!
That’s so cool! I love houses that have an old style!
love this house. so much character. please continue to preserve the history
I’m in love with this house! All of that cabinetry is beautiful!
Are you stink in kidding me!?! I am so jealous right now, I love this house! Thanks for sharing!