The First Post

I was hesitant to start a blog but i felt it would be a good way to document our attempts to renovate my house. For the past two years my girlfriend and i have lived in an 1868 Colonial that needs updating. Up to now we have only done small tasks like stripping wallpaper and painting.
This past month we were feeling a challenge and decided to rip out the wood paneling and dropped ceiling in the dining room. Our initial plan was to patch the plaster and paint but the damage was more extensive (now i know why the paneling was up in the first place!). So now we are debating whether to repair the plaster or drywall over it. Here are some pics of the worst spots.



















You will notice the holes on the bottom of the left pic; this is where the updated electrical was run across the wall (over the lath!). The right pic is the wall covering the old fireplace that is now attached to the furnace. Since this can of worms has now opened up old knob & tube wiring in the ceiling we have to address that issue first. Hopefully it wont sit like this too long since all the dining room furniture is stacked up in a corner, not fun!

drywall or plaster that is the question. Any thoughts??