Melissa Steinkamp and James Filchak spent much of 2020 searching for a house.

"We had lost a few homes in all the craziness of the market," Steinkamp told The Courier Journal, adding they knew they wanted something a bit older. The house had to be built before 1950 — and stained glass, a nice staircase, exposed brick, or a clawfoot tub would be bonuses.

"Un-messed with was (an important) feature," Filchak added, explaining that they were hoping to find a historic home that had been solidly maintained, with little-to-no major changes to its original charm.

As soon as a 3,100-square-foot Victorian in the heart of the Highlands was listed, the couple seized their opportunity.

"I don’t think it had been up for 30 or 40 minutes before I (started) furiously texting our real estate agent," Steinkamp recalled. "For me, this house was love at first sight."

"New builds are lovely, and subdivisions are lovely," Steinkamp added. "They have their place, but that's just not who we are as people. We definitely wanted to be somewhere that was historic (and) felt like an authentic area to be in."

Steinkamp and Filchak's house was built in 1890, and fortunately for them, the home's previous owners seem to have done their best to keep as many of its original features intact as possible. The flooring, tile work, and stained glass are all original, as are parts of the fireplaces. The couple even has furniture and accessories that complement the home's vibe perfectly.

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Steinkamp explains that when they bought the house, her grandmother was simultaneously moving into an assisted living facility and was giving away most of her belongings.

"She had a lot of family heirlooms," Steinkamp said, pointing out her grandfather's rolltop desk, trophy case, and marbles that are now sitting in the parlor. Also set in the trophy case is a bit of Filchak's family’s past: his grandfather’s wood cutouts of the main buildings at West Point Academy.

"(There's) reverence around that because he didn't have to go into combat for World War II," Filchak explained, adding that because of his high test scores, his grandpa was able to attend college instead.

"We took a lot of the family history and tried to weave it into our house," Steinkamp said.

Steinkamp and Filchak love the structure of their home and all the historic details that remain but have figured out how best to utilize each space as they see fit, making accommodations for modern life. Two of the bedrooms, for example, are not used for sleeping.

"Since it’s a four bedroom and only us two, we each got our own room," Steinkamp said, explaining that she chose to transform her space into a giant closet. "This is why I was OK with having such small bathroom space; I don't need a bathroom for (applying) makeup or getting ready or anything."

The walls of the room are lined with shelves and rods, offering ample space for her clothes, shoes, and accessories. Next to the window, Steinkamp has set up a vanity and lighted mirror with everything she needs to do her hair and makeup. There's also a pet bed tucked into a corner, offering a cozy spot for Sansa, one of the couple's four kitties.

On the third floor, Steinkamp and Filchak have set up the space connected to the guest bedroom as a playroom for the felines.

"It’s the cat quarantine, in case they’re not getting along," Filchak said with a laugh.

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The main structure of the house and most of the paint remains unchanged from when Steinkamp and Filchak purchased the abode, but they have added a few of their own personalized touches. On the back staircase, Steinkamp painted various flowers on the risers. And in the dining room, a bold color choice creates a dramatic and moody effect.

"The chandelier was already here, (as was) the beautiful stained-glass door," Steinkamp said. "(I told him), look, we’ve got a massive crystal chandelier and a very bright stained-glass door — lean in!"

Filchak says that initially, he was skeptical of Steinkamp's idea to paint the walls dark green. But he had faith in his wife's design eye — and he's pleased with the way it turned out.

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"We wanted this room to be ‘a lot’ on purpose," Steinkamp added. "(I also want to) get a really loud, black-and-white geometric wallpaper on the ceiling. That’s a someday project — I love someday projects."

Filchak added, "We’ve only been here a year, (but) we've got (home project) plans in perpetuity."

Know a house that would make a great Home of the Week? Email writer Lennie Omalza at aloha@lennieomalza.com or Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory at kgregory@gannett.com.

Owners: Melissa Steinkamp and James Filchak. Steinkamp is a clinical psychologist and Filchak is a librarian. Also in the home are cats Sansa, Spaghetti, Artemis, and Ouija.

Home: This is a 4-bed, 2-bath, 3,100-square-foot Victorian home in the Highlands that was built in 1890.

Distinctive elements: Closet room, original flooring, original tile work, and stained glass accents throughout.