2 story living room leaves ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF WALL SPACE **please he
Beth Sparhawk- King
6 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (11)
kulrn
6 years agoRelated Discussions
Please review my 4BR 2-story Minnesota home (updated)
Comments (18)Thank you so much for your thoughts! When I say "judicious" use of bump outs, I mean "having, showing, or done with good judgment or sense. sensible - reasonable - prudent." So only using them where they greatly improve the use of the space. Our house could go a *little* wider but not significantly. The current floorplan is approx 60.5 feet wide. The buildable width of the lot is approx 68.4 feet. The great room bumps to the left 2 feet--we could easily remove that to bring the base floorplan down to 58.5 feet wide. (The lot is a relatively square corner lot with a beautiful view out the back (west), nice views to the left (south) and front (east), and a future neighbor immediately on the right (north). I think I like where you're heading with moving the stairs/study/mudroom around. I'm having a hard time visualizing it though. What would the view from the front-door looking in be? Where would you suggest placing my workstation and the piano? I just want to make sure I follow what you're saying so I can try to sketch it up and visualize it. (I'm the kind of person who doesn't "get it" until I can see it.) :) I agree about the garage...I TRULY hate houses that look like a garage with a house attached. That said, a large garage does fit our lifestyle. We live in a very cold climate where parking outside requires 30 minutes of heavy labor just to get on the road in the morning (I am too old for those shenanigans!!!) I have an SUV my husband alternates between his sedan and his motorcycle for his daily commute. We will also need space for a lawn mower, snowblower, and kids toys and sports equipment. I don't want to build a large house for the sole purpose of making our large garage "look" right. I feel like there must be some creative way to accomplish all of the goals of an aesthetically pleasing house, a house that suits our needs, and a garage that suits our needs....See MoreNeed help with 2 story great room wall that is common with loft wall.
Comments (20)I have a feeling that the shelves with pictures and objects on them may be a passing trend, one that I personally have never found terribly attractive. I do think that more could be done to make the living area more attractive. I'm afraid the rug in the dining area is too small, and the little round rug in front of the couch looks not quite right. I would get a large rectangular rug that covers the whole of the furniture area and find a warmer color that harmonizes with the furniture rather than picking up the cold gray color of the fireplace which doesn't really harmonize with the color of the adjoining cabinets. I would choose different rugs for the living and dining areas. With larger rug areas the sound level in this huge area would probably also be dampened. The picture with the yellow sofa has a much more modern vibe which makes more sense with the shelf arrangements, and probably would look blah without the yellow couch as an interesting focal point. Your colors are all very safe and neutral if you will compare them to the photos of high spaces posted above. I think more lively colors, beginning with some bolder choices of rugs, pillows, etc. would keep the focus on where people are living rather than the high walls. You have a beautiful space (love the windows and views), and to have the furniture turn its back on the view seems a pity. A lot can be done to resolve some of these issues, and perhaps seeking some professional help would be a good direction to take....See MoreReturn Air Duct placement 2 story great room DESIGN DILEMMA!
Comments (22)Iowa, you must have a basement and returns could be "easier" to relocate. Hopefully, those are just returning the CFM required for that room and not the entire house. Be aware that with 18' walls there will be blocking somewhere above those vents or something framing in from whatever's on the other side of that wall which might prevent you from raising the vents up higher (at least easily). A well-advised HVAC designer (not equipment tech) can review the size of both stud space openings through the floor for each vent and possibly find another location/combine a couple if you can meet the CFM flow. The location to the left of FP is too close to the floor register IMO anyway....See MoreSuggestions for 2 story great room stuck in the 90's!?
Comments (36)We also purchased a custom 1990's home last year -- we are still unpacking! Our single-story house has 12' ceilings in the 'public' rooms, no crown molding, and shiny brass "gold" metal hanging lamps and accents throughout. I hated the brass and before ever spending a night in the house, I spent $2000 (on a good sale!) on chandeliers and lamps in satin nickel. Ten months later, those light fixtures are still in their boxes in the garage! Some of the "gold" is going to be too costly and fussy to replace, so now I'm thinking I only want to replace the lamps that don't suit our uses of specific rooms, and to go with maybe antique brass to blend with the polished items. That doesn't apply to your situation, except to validate the people who said wait and see! Here's what *I* see: (1) The crown molding is pressing everything down! I would paint it all the color of the wall beneath, to raise the ceilings visually. That means DON'T paint the crown molding in the all-wood library upstairs. (2) Leave the mullions/grills off the windows; don't paint the rest of the oak until you live with it some months. Adding a (3) after looking at the photos some more: Go ahead and paint the oak around the fireplace, it is that awful. Are those DOILIES??? Paint it the color of the wall and hope it disappears into it, until you find a picture somewhere of what you do want after living with it. Maybe just the marble/stone part and some big art or textile above? Oh, and if you choose to paint before moving in, in the previous house we re-did we used Benjamin Moore's Brandy Cream OC-4 on all the walls (and crown molding, and chair-rails in a couple rooms). Actually it was Sherwin Williams paint made to match OC-4, and it acted like a "full spectrum" paint, slightly changing according to the lighting... which would be wonderful with the big windows!...See Moredeegw
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoacm
6 years agoeastautumn
6 years agoUser
6 years agopartim
6 years agoAnglophilia
6 years agopartim
6 years agoUser
6 years agoUser
6 years ago
Related Stories
HOUZZ TOURSHouzz Tour: Watch a Sliding Wall Turn a Living Space Into 5 Rooms
A clever custom storage piece transforms this New York City microstudio into multiple living spaces
Full StoryLIVING ROOMSNew This Week: 4 Casual Living Rooms Moonlighting as Formal Spaces
Designers share their secrets to creating comfortable double-duty spaces with projects uploaded this week to Houzz
Full StoryLIVING ROOMSCurtains, Please: See Our Contest Winner's Finished Dream Living Room
Check out the gorgeously designed and furnished new space now that the paint is dry and all the pieces are in place
Full StoryCOLORFUL HOMESThe Best of My Houzz: 10 Living Rooms With Wall Colors to Love
Jet black, Meyer lemon yellow, mossy green — these spaces make a statement with bold color
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDESRoom of the Day: Redesign Energizes a Ho-Hum Office and Living Space
A couple find common ground in their combined office and living room decorated on a budget
Full StoryFIREPLACESNew This Week: 7 Living Rooms That Rethink the Fireplace Wall
Bold and adorned or streamlined and minimalist — which of these fireplaces would you want warming up your home?
Full StoryGARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGRoom of the Day: An Outdoor Space for Living and Playing
This small San Francisco backyard is packed with fun features
Full StorySMALL KITCHENSSmall Living 101: Smart Space Savers for Your Kitchen Walls
Get organized with hooks, baskets and more to maximize your storage
Full StoryROOM OF THE DAYRoom of the Day: Stylish Living Space With a Midcentury Twist
Contemporary decor and modern touches combine to make a well-loved great room in Portland, Oregon
Full StoryLIVING ROOMSRoom of the Day: A Family Living Space for Weekends in the Big Apple
A Long Island couple create a family-friendly and stylish New York City retreat where they can unwind and entertain
Full Story
Judy Mishkin