plexiglass railing

Since, I despise viewing kitchens from a living room, and I love having more cabinet and countertop space, I would put in a full wall, if you dont really want a full wall, then at least a half wall. Safer for kids too.

I'd prefer a 1/2 wall with cabinetry. Because there's no such thing as too much storage space. What's the need to see over it?

Are you putting a table there? Can you post a picture looking toward the kitchen from the lower level? Since the "ceiling" is right there, I feel like a half wall or something solid will look like a skinny pass through. Try hanging a sheet over the banister now and you will have a feel for what a solid wall will look like.

I would probably simply remove those decorative ball pieces, fill the holes from them and paint it out to match your cabinets.

Good luck

thanks for the replies . That corner has been open for a while because the table was closer to where the island will be. Now that we are adding the island (see brown paper on floor) we will be moving a new table closer to where the wobbly railing is. This is going to be a full gut job on this project, just hoping to save as much wall as possible. Here's some additional photos to help explain what we are working with. Debbi - I agree with you that a half wall would compress the area looking at the F/R. Kathi - fantastic idea but our D/R is pretty small and rarely used...All we can do is the round table and a few stools at the new island . The existing railing has to come out as it is at the point of failure btw.

I would create a half-height wall (at least), probably with built in bookcases open on the kitchen side. I kind of like the idea of a half-height wall with a bar-type top and bar chairs too.

But I really think that if it were mine I’d wall it all up. What’s the charm of being able to see into a working kitchen? I am not a fan of wide open floor plans.

I like the idea of bookcase half wall.

I would use glass or plexiglass. If not that, then a thin metal rail. Anything solid will block more light between the two rooms.

I would do half wall with counter and cabinet with overhang... the people below cannot see up into the kitchen with a half wall there, so there will be no mess to be seen.. I would not put up a whole wall, i like the openness.. can see the tv from the kitchen area.. great for super bowl parties., etc..

thanks for the ideas - keep 'em coming. I do have to maintain room for a round table between 36 - 42". The kitchen design has 3 pantry cabinets and a ton of storage so no additional cabinet storage is needed. The bookcase idea is giving me some thoughts. Above all I have to keep it safe. Someday a new family will move in here with little ones and I don't want to design something where a head can get stuck or to play climb the mountain and skydiver!

I think I'd like at least 6"of something, just to keep stray peas from rolling of the edge!

I think I’d block it off completely by putting up a full wall or (visually, at least) opening it up as much as possible with glass. As it is now, it looks like an elevator stuck between floors. :)

I agree with calidesign - glass or thin metal railing that is not so obvious as the thick wood, with nothing blocking it for light and spaciousness. My friend has a very similar house and they changed the railing to thin metal. It made a huge difference and almost disappears.

To stay true to the style of a split level I wouldn't do a full wall. Unless you are going modern in the kitchen and family room IMO the glass/plexiglas would look out of place. I'm assuming the home was built in the 70s or 80s then wrought iron would also work.

Wayne, why do you have to have a round table? A rectangular table with leaves along the long edge would serve you well. You could build a half wall with bookcases on the family room side...~12" deep and a nice finished board on the top. You could scoot the table up to the half wall and still have room enough for 4 to sit at the table. Something like this....

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/413486809529949059/

We replaced our eat in kitchen table in our small eating area with a table high counter. You could do the same with a table.

have you considered a corner banquette there? two upholstered seats at the corner with two dining chairs, a round (pedestal) table in the middle.

thanks Kathi . - interesting idea to explore. I have a hunch this is going to be the last thing we do during this renovation of the Brady Bunch Kitchen (orange counter tops - which look great for two weeks in October) . Smiling - yes I did all the measurements and tried to make a corner Banquette work also - just not enough room...

Cable rail. We had to use it on a substandard width staircase We priced glass but it was expensive. I was afraid plexi would get scratched up.

You have an office in your kitchen? How do you function? If you don’t need the table, I’d close up that corner as much as possible and move your office over there. You can get a much better functioning space and probably hide the printer too.

It's just a small built in desk in a good size kitchen. Probably a good idea to show what this will look like after the demo and once the new cabinets are hung. Keeping the desk, moving the printer and shredder. The corner not shown in these images is where a table would go and whatever replaces the wobbly old railing - thread topic (in the above pics of the current kitchen) Cabs will be KM Sedona - custom white, Counters will be Cambria Montgomery, Island KM surfside. The island is smaller than the image to gain more access around it. thanks.

Have cabs been ordered? I'd rethink the whole design and look at whether you can get rid of either the table or island altogether. Where is your dining room? If it's adjacent to the kitchen, I'd turn it into a usable space and get rid of the kitchen table.

I've never understood having a whole room that is rarely used. Make it part of your actual daily living space.

I think the thing that makes this difficult is that the lower room does not have a high ceiling. Filling in anything solid is really not going to look great IMO

Here is my attempt at a mock up

I would just get a simple style of railing - cable, glass, or straight posts.

Thanks Debbi - I appreciate this - Family room ceiling is 8' just like the kitchen . It may look compressed in this photo. I think when the whole project is close to completion in about 2 months I'll put the new pics up and see what you and other interested people think

IMO a 1/2 wall would allow more cabinets and work space I too do not like my LR open to the kitchen