Family Rm Ideas Desperately Needed:Please Help An Unimaginative Person
cupofkindnessgw
8 years ago
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European-inspired house plan ideas needed!!
Comments (26)Before you make any decisions on style alone, get a budget number in mind and stick with it. All the homes everyone has posted are gorgeous, but if you looked at the prices, they were million dollar homes. Of course location makes a difference, but not really a huge difference. Make sure your architect sticks to your budget as well. Know what 3500-4000sq.ft. includes. Cost per sq. ft varies depending on what materials you choose, sometimes depending on your builder or location or all of the above. Architects, at least the ones we interviewed cost anywhere from 20k to 100k and some included different services than just the design. We opted for a home designer that cost 5k. Was it a mistake or was it just this particular home designer? Maybe it was both. Maybe you are one of the lucky ones and you don't have a budget, but if not, you don't want to have a beautiful dream home on paper that is useless to you. Research this and other websites. And if you are on a budget, know now what you can live and live without and don't let dreamy websites make your eyes bigger than your wallet. Hindsight stinks. Been there, doing that sitting somewhere between depression, desperation and hating to admit my naivety and stupidness. I guess I chalk it all up to a good problem to have, but it still stinks. Good luck!...See MoreDeath and a wedding - Desperate for advice
Comments (32)I know the event has come and gone and hope it was okay. But I did want to point out that people really don't "have" to attend family events that will distress them. There is nothing wrong with passing on the wedding with a sincere apology that you are simply not able to do such things yet. There's nothing wrong with their going ahead with their plans, either. If it is ok for them to have the wedding because that is the best course of action for them, why wasnt it ok for you not to attend, if that would have been better for you? Sometimes I wish we still had the custom of not going to social events for a set mourning period after the death of a close relative. Just think--- no invitations to have to decline, no well meaning friends urging you to get out and have a good time or move on, etc. and at the end of mourning the social restrictions would be over. ....much less chance of breaking down in public, etc., and those inclined to dwell on sadness would have a sort of built in mechanism and set point at which to stop mourning and come back out socially. I think that would be a useful custom to revive, at least for a three months period and preferably for six months. People would still have to go back to work during that period, but imagine how nice it would be not to be asked to take on extra volunteer responsibilities during that time, like company-sponsored Habitat events or teams running 10k's for charity, etc....See MoreDoes peninsula seating make sense in our kitchen? Layout help
Comments (10)Round and round on what to do...very familiar ground for most of us here! About your layout above... I get that you want: More counterspace (and, I assume, placed where it will actually be useful for prepping) Keep some form of FR in the existing space - is that b/c of the fireplace? Keep the formal DR as-is b/c you don't want to knock down the load-bearing wall b/w the kitchen & DR Keep the formal LR as-is since you don't want to knock down the load-bearing wall b/w the kitchen/FR & LR Have table seating in the kitchen itself -- or -- Have peninsula seating But... You have very limited space to fit all that in - that's why you currently don't have a lot of counterspace. So, if you aren't willing to add more space (by adding onto the house or by merging existing spaces), it's going to be difficult to "have it all" The peninsula, as drawn, will not comfortably seat 5 people and seating inside the "U" puts people in the middle of the work space. That seat on the end is also in the aisle of what you have said is a busy path. So, are you willing to consider doing a few things such as: Move/change windows? Open a doorway in the LR wall to lead into the LR - not so wide that you have to do expensive load-bearing posts, etc., but wide enough for a doorway? Move the Powder Room to add that space to the kitchen? Move the closet? Eliminate the FR as a "FR" and merge it into the kitchen to add yet more space? Here's a layout that might work if you're willing to make the changes I asked about above. (Note: Your floor plan is missing key elements like the windows on the top wall in the kitchen and the measurements in the other rooms since they are not all the same size...I think I've got them.) General... The Powder Room and Closet have been relocated to off the Foyer. They do take about 6" off the FR/LR, but I don't think it's an issue(YMMV) The former PR + Kitchen have been merged into a larger kitchen The FR has been converted into a dining area that's completely open to the kitchen - much more comfortable seating for everyone for meals, visiting, etc. With it open to the kitchen, guests can easily sit there and enjoy your company + fireplace + comfortable seating. A 5' wide doorway has been opened b/w the former FR/now table space and the formal LR The formal LR has been converted into a Family/Living Room. You might consider a future fireplace (gas or wood-burning) in that room as well...if you're into fireplaces (I am, so if you are, I can relate!) The formal DR can remain as-is or it could be converted to a Library/Computer Room with a comfy chair or two that would be a quiet respite from the hectic day-to-day activities! Put a door at both entrances (Kitchen & Foyer) to close it off when needed - for either quiet or to keep casual traffic out of it to help keep it tidy. ......See MoreLiv rm pics:Please make me over!
Comments (61)It's the same one, I'm afraid. I'll see if I can find a pic for you. I'm pretty embarrassed of it though:( I guess I like things to look good for at least a few years (I've had it for 5 years now). It's my mistake because I knew that the pillows might be an issue because of the way you sit on the sofa). The connection between the chaise and the sofa do not connect properly so there's a gap. The good thing is that when the frame broke, they came and fixed it and they'll continue to do so for the entire ten years so that's good. I do have to say that I adore the leather. It's buttery and beautiful. My theory when it has come to getting furniture has always been to see how it wears in a showroom because that is usually an indication of what it will look like in the house. For my formal living room, I almost went with an Ektorp sofa from Ikea but then saw how lumpy and rumpled it looked at Ikea. It has great reviews online but I just couldn't get passed how it looked in the showroom. When I see how it looks online in people's homes, it only strengthen's my thoughts about how it can look. Some people like that crumpled look, I guess. I still think you should find a different style with a tighter back. I did like buying it at Macys and if the sofa doesn't have a good warranty, then you can buy the extended warranty....See Morecupofkindnessgw
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