Help with small center hall colonial with no foyer/entryway
Maureen P.
6 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (21)
Related Discussions
Center-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 MoreRecessed area above our front door of our center hall colonial?
Comments (10)Thanks to you all for your comments! You are correct - it's a 1978 built center hall colonial. Since we purchased the home 2 years ago we have removed the overgrown shrubs in the front beds. Where the window WOULD be above the front door on the second floor is actually the exterior wall of my daughter's walk-in closet for her bedroom (which is at the end of the center hall). We have toyed with the idea of adding a window just to create that symmetry (despite it being in her closet), but we are still torn. I can't seem to find example photos of homes WITHOUT that center window above the front door. Again, thanks for your responses....See Morehelp with a center hall colonial
Comments (1)If it's truly a center entrance colonial, then one of those rooms was intended to be a dining room. If that doesn't work for your lifestyle, how about a library? Bookshelves, a couple of welcoming chairs with Ottomans, side tables with lighting conducive to reading and a cup of coffee.... A quiet adult space. Or a craft room if that's more you, with a large center table, counter height with storage in the table and/or around the perimeter....See MoreDividing the living room in a 1920s center hall colonial
Comments (10)I lived with a floorplan almost identical to that for the last 16 years. My living room was the same dimensions as yours too. What is your sunroom was an outdoor porch on mine. I just sold the house a week ago. I would never, ever shrink that living room. It was fabulous and perfect. Choose one of the doorways to the sunroom as your entrance/exit to that room, and keep the french doors shut on the other side....See More
Maureen P.
6 years agoMaureen P.
6 years agoHere are a few pics. The front door, which faces the steps upstairs (52" from door to first step), flanked by dining room to left as you enter (2nd photo) and living room to the right. And a closeup of the wall molding that's on all the walls. Thanks for the ideas.
melle_sacto is hot and dry in CA Zone 9/
6 years agoMaureen P.
6 years agoMaureen P.
6 years agojennifers_lunsford
6 years agoHi Maureen! It is wall mounted. I think it has 4 screws in the back. It does not interfere with our base moldings. I love that the depth is perfect. Ikea has a tall one and a wider one. Just search "hemnes shoe" on ikea and you can see what is available. They hold a ton of our shoes as well as keys, mail etc. I have the wide one in our kids basement are and the tall one in the living room.
The backs are mostly open with two support bars that go across that may or not interfere with your moldings. You would have to measure up to see where your molding comes in play. I would be happy to measure the height of the two support bars if you would like.
We also used a coat tree in the corner of our living room.
Maureen P. thanked jennifers_lunsford
auntthelma
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoA hall tree or a shoe bench would work easily to the left of the door. (Looking at the door.)
Prepac Sonoma White 2-Piece Shoe Bench Entryway Set · More Info
Flynn Storage Bench · More Info
Beach Style Entry · More Info
Shoe Storage Bench · More Info
Century Hall Tree by homestyles · More InfoWe used to use a bakers' rack as a 'portable mudroom.' With some baskets added - it works great. And even has a place to hang your keys.
Bryony Metal Baker's Rack · More InfoMaureen P. thanked auntthelmaMaureen P.
6 years agoMaureen P.
6 years ago
Related Stories
TRADITIONAL HOMESHouzz Tour: ‘Plain and Simple’ Update for a Center-Hall Colonial
An interior designer renovates a 100-year-old home near Boston with timeless touches that fit a couple’s busy lifestyle
Full Story
ENTRYWAYSKey Entryway Dimensions for Homes Large and Small
Find out what makes a foyer important, how much space it needs and how to scale its elements
Full Story
DECORATING GUIDES8 Ways to Decorate a Center Table
Make a feature table look grand no matter what its size, with artistic arrangements of flowers, vases and more
Full Story
REMODELING GUIDESRenovation Ideas: Playing With a Colonial’s Floor Plan
Make small changes or go for a total redo to make your colonial work better for the way you live
Full Story
CURB APPEALFront and Center Color: When to Paint Your Door Yellow
Bring a burst of eternal sunshine to your home's entryway with an invigorating yellow front door
Full Story
FRONT DOOR COLORSFront and Center Color: When to Paint Your Door Black
Love the idea of a black front door? Here are 8 exterior palettes to make it work
Full Story
ENTRYWAYSDefining Spaces: 6 Ways to Work With an Open Foyer
No entry hall? Here's how to get the look of one anyway
Full Story
SMALL SPACESIt Can Work: No Entry Hall
See 5 creative homes that know how to make an entrance
Full Story
DECORATING GUIDESSmart Solutions for Nonexistent Entryways
Barely enough space to hang your hat? Front door swings past your living room couch? These remedies are for you
Full StorySponsored
More Discussions
groveraxle