Split-Entry remodel in Ohio; Layout/Reno advice?
I posted, last Thursday, in the Remodel forum, but I get the impression it's not very active. I am re-posting here, with some edited details, since my largest focus is a kitchen remodel.
My 1990s split level needs some work. I have halted my DIY projects mid-completion to consider a remodel given recent information that I may be able to spend more than I originally thought. I am about to have two newly-college students move in with me, for their fall semester, so I am trying to fix things up as much as possible.
My budget is a very strict, $32k. The house is about 1500 sqft; 1000 upstairs and 500 downstairs. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms. The current kitchen is almost-perfectly, 12'x12' (see below). When I bought the house I fully intended upon a kitchen gut, and had the money, but some unexpected life events popped-up, and it just didn't happen. At this point, I have, unused, 400 sq ft of Brazilian walnut wood floor, 500 sq ft of salt-and-pepper granite tile, and about 100 sq ft of my basket-weave ceramic tile.
I am curious what everyone's layout opinions are, within my budget, as well as whether I should do a basic DIY or take a chunk of the budget and go with a design-build company.
Obviously, a kitchen would be my first choice, especially since I love cooking, baking, preserving, etc. I'm wondering how far can I stretch my budget to make my entire house more appropriate compared to similar houses, and hoping I can give it a bit more style, but am not unreasonable.
A few of my ideas have included moving the kitchen/dining space downstairs and adding a semi-open den upstairs (we work from home, a lot), or doing an open-concept kitchen upstairs, trying to keep with the same foot-print. I'd love to include a face-lift of the main bathroom and a glass sliding door to the shower. These are all just brain-storming, though.
I live in Columbus, Ohio. Below is a "lovely" orange-brown-colored montage of when I bought the house and a few of what I have now.
At purchase:
Living room + downstairs
Upstairs (left) and downstairs (right):
Let me know what you think, and any questions. I'm, still, very torn on the whole thing. It feels crazy to put as much as a down-payment for a new house into my house, but moving isn't an option, and we would see a return.
Thanks!
Comments (10)
Kay
7 years ago@mama goose_gw zn6OH
Thanks so much for taking the time to do those! You've definitely prompted some ideas that I'm going to try in a VR. The corner-as-eat-in-kitchen was something I had originally done (except I just placed a table there) and I have no idea why I didn't continue that idea as a built-in!
Here is my idea, thus far. I'm really only vaguely sure of the cost. Depending on thestore, it's estimated at $10k.
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Lighting Layout -- Need Advice for Kitchen Remodel
Comments (16)Move (4) upwards some so its light isn't blocked by the top of the fridge. Maybe split (1) into two cans placed horiontally about 2 feet apart lighting the largest, most-used section of countertop - let's call these (1) and (1 1-1/2). Main thing here is to have four, not three, recessed lights for the back counter - two on the left, one between the sink and stove, and one to the right of the stove. This will illuminate evenly and reduce shadows in the crucial sink and left-of-sink workspace area. Light (6) is fine as long as it's supplimented by undercounter lights so you don't get shadows, which it will be since over-the-range microwaves have a light or two underneath to light the cooktop (but for the microwave, you would be better off with a non-range-hood over-the-countertop model that doesn't needlessly include an exhaust fan, like the Sharp R-1214: These have more room inside, yet are only 24" wide rather than 30", so the hard-to-reach cabinet above the MW can also be only 24" wide, allowing the more useful adjoining wall cabinet to the leff to be a half foot wider whilst remaining the same overall width for the right and left wall cabinets combined. And the microwave controls are easier to reach with all the buttons conveniently placed along the bottom. You'll want good general-purpose lighting fot the corridors that run between the counters/walls and island, perhaps LEDs, under-soffit LEDs or fluoescents, or some other onobtrusive edgelighting. Can the outdoor entry door near the stove be reversed in swing direction? As it appears now, someone entering the kitchen thru that door could startle someone holding a pot full of hot food in front of the stove, or at least the cook could get in the entering person's way....See MoreLayout Advice Requested - Old house kitchen reno
Comments (15)Wow, lovely home. Try to go with 30" deep counters on at least the bottom wall, although I would do both. You can do this inexpensively by building a 2x6" frame behind the counters, or more expensively by ordering extra-deep countertops. You will incur the extra square footage cost on the countertop materials, but it's sooooo worth it. I grew up in the tiniest kitchen but never really noticed because it had 30" deep counters. This will also make the kitchen easier to work in by virtue of shrinking the middle aisle. Also, those uppers over your prep space will be much less in your face, although I would try to get rid of them altogether or at least not let them come down to face height.. it's miserable prepping with uppers in your face. As for layout, I would make the bar sink 6" larger, the cleanup sink 6" smaller, and switch their positions. Like this: Top wall from left to right: 24" DW with dish storage above, 30" cleanup sink w/ trash underneath, rest of wall as shown in your plan. 18" lower next to Fridge becomes dish storage. Bottom wall from left to right: 18" dish storage overflow/cookbooks, 36" cab but with larger square prep sink instead of small round bar sink and trash underneath, two 27" cabs for your prep for a total of 54" inches of prep space (you gain 6" because of the loss of the DW from this wall), rest of wall as shown in your plan....See MoreCenter-Hall Colonial in Northern NJ Kitchen Remodel Layout Advice
Comments (23)Your home is gorgeous! I spent a year renovating a 1939 petite colonial (1700 sf). In my case, I had to add a kitchen as the old one was tiny had badly renovated in the 1990s. A few workflow tips in your newer post with the kitchen. I'd put the prep sink at the range end of your island, instead of at the dining room entrance end. Think about it -- you chop, then have to carry the food to the range. Please rethink that desk in your kitchen. I've had "work/message centers" as built-ins in previous homes, but here in my new old house, I'm using a piece of furniture -- a drop-front secretary where I can close up the mess when guests arrive, but sit there and work (printer in the bottom). You can put the secretary in any room. Where your desk is located, it's not a drop station for bringing in the mail, schoolbooks, etc. For aesthetics, please try to make the kitchen fit the spirit of the house. White cabinets would likely fit it better than stained wood. Consider having at least a few glass-front upper cabinets. If you turned that desk space into storage, you wouldn't need to line the walls with upper cabinets. It's amazing what you can fit into a "hutch" look that would fit the aesthetics of your home. I had hutches flanking my farmsink in my previous home. One for pantry items, the other for dishes. My current 1939 home new renovation -- hutches -- the one of the left of my paneled fridge is for dishes and the one one the right side is filled with food items stored in canisters and containers. My kitchen is only 12x12 as the dimensions are in keeping with the original room sizes. The dining room is 12x12 and the living room is 12 x 21....See Moreadvice for remodeling a kitchen in a split level home
Comments (11)I'm afraid I don't fully understand the plans. Where is the window in the little eating area (below the AC, beside the one sad red chair)? My first thought was what about a kitchen with no upper cabinets? You could run lower cabs / countertops right to that half wall above the living area, getting rid of the "bridge" of upper cabinets. Maybe a shallow pantry cabinet on the load bearing wall, and possibly shallower cabinets opposite it as well depending on the aisle space available....See MoreKay
7 years ago@mama goose_gw zn6OH
I do want all drawer bases, and I completely understand their utility (Ikea has so many awesome ones in their example kitchens!), but I wanted the clean lines of the slab doors, plus the expense of all drawers is significantly higher, and that concerns me. I did consider making the one under the sink a pullout. My compromise, thus far, was to do slab fronts and add pull-outs to the inside. I have an interior pullout drawer in the cabinet by the range and it serves me well.
My earlier layout does keep with the same plumbing, though I'm not averse to changing it, if I can afford it. Part of the consideration for the layout was to keep the existing boxes for the cabinets, veneer them, and replace the bottom of the cabinet in the sink box. I think (by my estimate) it would save me around $1500 on those wall/base boxes, excluding installation. I still need to find a pro to give me real estimates, though.
I made simplified versions of your plans in Ikea (takes a lot longer in sketchup). I like the corner one, though I lose a lot of storage cabinets. I can't get myself to like the plain Galley-Style kitchen. I'm not sure what bugs me about it. I do want a hutch-style, if I can, because we are big tea drinkers (boba, hot & cold) and I'd love a "tea station." That was the reason for the spot on the left in my earlier post.
mama goose_gw zn6OH
7 years agoKay
7 years ago
Terri_PacNW
7 years agoKay
7 years ago
mama goose_gw zn6OH