Need some fresh eyes and fresh ideas on these plans
Alex House
12 years ago
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12 years agolast modified: 9 years agoAlex House
12 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Need some fresh eyes to look at plan.
Comments (30)chisue, Me, too! I like the Abandoned Plan -- first one -- *with* elevator, and presumably AP quarters off the first floor. So...why did you scrap it? First off, these are only 3 of the many iterations I've knocked out, so I hope you all see that I'm not wedded to a plan and trying to defend it as perfect. I'm very willing to scrap and start again. My problem is that they're all variations on a similar theme. Anyways, to your question, I scrapped the plan because 1.) That huge basketball court of open space by the fireplace, behind the LR, just gnawed at me, I couldn't think of how to use it or fill it, and 2.) as I analyzed how I live I realized that I'd never be sitting directly by the window playing a board game or what have you - that "keeping room" solution was more of an idealization of how I'd use the space than a reflection of how I live now and how I would live in such a house. Once again that volume of space between the kitchen and the living room was driving me bonkers. I already had the bench seat by the window covered in the LR. Here is a render of the bay window. Another issue that bothered me with that 1st plan is the bathroom being an island room. If it was a powder room it didn't take up enough room, by putting in a shower my office could do double duty as a guest room. Then I realized that if I have a full bath and bedroom down on the first floor, why do I need to put another fully dedicated bedroom for my parents up on the 2nd and install a 3 floor elevator system, Now all I needed to do was connect the bath and bedroom and away we go. Oaktown, The thing is, much of the in-law suite, the stairs, and every upstairs room but the master BR currently are "buried." The inlaw suite has windows on two walls, it's just the closet and bath which are buried. As for the upstairs, the plan isn't completed, but every room up there has windows except for the "kids bath" and the laundry room and I'm completely fine with using a bathroom without windows or doing laundry in a room without windows in that I'm hardly spending any time in those two rooms. Thank you so much for your ideas on a new layout, that's exactly what I need to break my ideas out of the rut, some fresh eyes and ideas looking at my problem. I'm really going to play around with what you've laid out. Don't take this short paragraph to be indicative of my appreciation, you've done me a great favor. I dpn't know if it will work but it's definitely a reimagining. cpartist, The dining room doesn't need to be facing the best views because hopefully when you're using the dining room, you're interacting with your table mates. I agree that the DR doesn't need to face the best views, but some room does. That fireplace will be aesthetically interesting, like a massive sculpture and across from it will be a wall of windows in the center of the house, so just having a hallway there rubs me the wrong way. With a dining room people are sitting down, spending time there but with a hallway all I'd be doing is walking past a central focal point, which is what led me to revert the DR back to that location so that at least we'd be sitting in a room bounded by a massive sculpture and impressive views. All of your comments regarding the 1st plan are appreciated because I suspect that they represent the issue of resale value and how future buyers, with tastes and interests different from mine, will see the house. I need to find a way to square the circle here....See MoreNeed some fresh eyes on my kitchen plans!
Comments (9)Second plan, with the addition of a prep sink on the island. Your fridge doesn't need landing space on both sides, and the island will be extra landing space. Pull the cabinets on the fridge/range wall out to meet the fridge box, and you have an instant built in fridge, with the added bonus of deeper counters--unless that puts the clean-up sink against the perpendicular counter. I can't tell where the windows are, exactly. As twosit mentioned, the dish hutch is in a good spot in the second plan. A helper can load or unload the DW, or gather dishes to set the table, while you are prepping or cooking without interfering in your tasks. You have a small secondary prep space between the clean-up sink and the range, if you have help prepping. Given the choice of a window over the sink, or a window in the pantry, I'd choose the sink--how much time do you plan to spend in the pantry?...See MoreOC Living Room Furniture Arrangment - Need Fresh Eyes!
Comments (6)The sconces highlight the offset in the windows above, so they are okay. You can use some more seating if you need it.. The shelves could be wider and taller... The Records storage you want, would be good behind your couch? The height is just right so it could serve as a sofa console and you might put decorative items on it, that are on your current shelf...the photos, a candle, some heirloom serve ware...etc....the shelves could use 3 or 4 matching baskets, which could hold the small toys or craft items for your children? Or hide the items less decorative that you have on it now, even and give it more presence I suppose is the word? You might create a cushion for the window seat area, using fabric which matches your painting and your rugs, if you can find some. Very pretty space, and I think your furniture, rug and painting all go nicely together. You might find a floor lamp that works by the chair? and use the table by the couch just as a place to put something pretty including a coaster or 'candy dish'.. :D ...(cover the table with a pretty color cloth that matches your room, and it will be lovely, if you just want to use it, it serves it's purpose). Just a couple of things in looking at it you might try if they work for your family....See MoreNeed fresh eyes re: my backsplash
Comments (29)Stephanie, it’s a beautiful space. Crackle is not without it’s maintenance issues, regardless of the manufacturer or the quality of install. You might call it a living surface that will “patinate” over time, meaning it will never be perfect once you start using it - which is exactly what you are experiencing. Stainless would definitely look out of place, but a sheet of your counter material behind the cooktop would be completely in keeping with the feel of the space. When you rule that out, come on back and we will get you the right tile, probably Fireclay Tile, possibly in Calcite....See Moredekeoboe
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12 years agolast modified: 9 years agoAlex House
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12 years agolast modified: 9 years agoAlex House
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Alex HouseOriginal Author