They kept the actual soul of this 1885 Italianate instead of turning it into a boring gray box

So I found this 1885 Italianate farmhouse out in Granville, Ohio, and it is a massive relief to see a historical renovation that does not scrub away every drop of character. It sits on seven acres of land, and whoever did the work here went deep, completely updating the guts like wiring and plumbing while leaving the vibe intact.

First impressions

When you roll up the gravel driveway, the house hits you with those narrow Italianate windows and clean siding.

That giant tree out front is an actual sycamore, which is where the property gets its name.

The front porch is tiny but has some neat wooden brackets holding up the little roof.

The main entryway

The second you open the door, you get this massive wooden staircase with a heavy, carved post at the bottom.

Work from home setup

Right off the hall is a dedicated office space with a wall of dark built-in shelving that is ideal for a massive book collection.

The room has great natural light coming through those tall windows, so you do not feel like you are working in a dark closet.

The front parlor

Across the way, you have a formal sitting room with a big chandelier hanging from a plaster ceiling medallion.

The transition between rooms uses these wide doorways flanked by built-in display shelves.

Seriously, look at the plaster detail on the ceiling. They just do not make things like this anymore.

A proper dining spot

The dining room is spacious enough for a serious dinner party and connects directly to the living areas.

The kitchen is ridiculous

This kitchen is easily the center of gravity for the whole house, built around a massive wood island.

The view from behind the island looks straight through into the family room, keeping everything connected.

They went with a heavy timber lintel over the massive range, which gives it a great rustic weight.

They also installed a deep black sink with a brass faucet right under the window.

And yes, there is a giant walk-in pantry with more shelving than you could ever actually fill.

The cozy family room

The kitchen flows right into this family room, which has exposed wood beams running across the ceiling.

It is a massive space but still feels cozy because of the giant brick fireplace at the end.

The fireplace itself has some incredible carved details in the brickwork that you would never find in a modern build.

You can easily see straight through to the kitchen from the far side of the room.

The utility zone

They put the mudroom and laundry on the main floor, complete with green cabinetry and dark slate flooring.

There is also a full bathroom down here with a glass shower and a pedestal sink.

The primary suite

Upstairs, the primary bedroom is basically its own apartment, with plenty of room for a king bed and a sitting area.

The room has its own gas fireplace flanked by custom built-in bookshelves.

Here is another angle of the bedroom showing how much floor space you actually get up here.

The walk-in closet is fully built out with custom shelving and hanging rods.

There is a second closet space too, so nobody has to fight over hanger space.

The ensuite setup

The primary bath is massive, featuring dark slate floors and a double vanity.

The vanity has clean lines, gold hardware, and a cool arched mirror.

The wet room area has a freestanding tub next to a glass-walled shower.

The tile work inside the shower niche has this neat circular pattern.

Space for guests

The other bedrooms share this clean hall bath, which has a wood vanity and slate floors.

It has a standard tub and shower combo with white subway tile.

Outside on the seven acres

Looking at the property from above, you can see how much space you have to breathe out here.

The lot has a massive pasture area that would be perfect for some farm animals or a giant garden.

There is also this dark grey outbuilding that could easily work as a chicken coop or a potting shed.

The classic red barn

Then you have the actual horse barn, which has been structurally restored and painted that classic barn red.

It sits right off a wide gravel driveway, making it easy to access with trucks or trailers.

Inside, the barn has multiple wood stalls ready for horses or livestock.

The framing and timbers are in great shape, which is rare for a barn of this age.

They even left plenty of open space for equipment storage.

The upper level of the barn is massive, offering tons of dry storage space.

Wrapping up

Here is a quick look at the property boundaries so you can see how the seven acres are laid out.

And here is the wider view showing the surrounding Granville countryside.

They also put in some neat brick pathways and landscaping around the side entrance.

Even the side driveway area feels clean.