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The addition makes no sense...What to do with this space?

2 years ago

Hi! SO just moving in to our new house. I have been fixating on this space hoping something would come to me, and it just hasn't. So basically the house from 1950 has a relatively functional layout ( minus the kitchen but just ignore that for now). I'll include photos of the plans. Then in 1976 they added on a sunroom/ breakfast room. So my question is, what would you do with this space? The sunroom has french doors to the dining room, and a big picture window to the living room. Then a wide hall ( on plans looks like it used to be an indoor planter but that is gone now) down to the breakfast room which has a wet bar and sort of little window openings to the kitchen. Lots of light. Open to any ideas how you would decorate/ use this space. Also have considered making the window into just a solid wall.

Comments (3)

PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
I am not clear on what you are talking about. I can not tell how the two drawings relate to each other, and can not tell where the pictures are from the drawings.
Janelle H
Original Author
2 years ago
Sorry, they are pretty old plans. The first photo is the original from 1950, you can see the house is kind of a modified L shape. Living room on the bottom, then left to the dining room with kitchen above and all bedrooms off to the left. Second photo is the 1976 addition. You can see where it says breakfast room- that part is new sort of wrapped around the inside of the L. I'll try to post another few photos to see if they are more clear.
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Hi, lavender, I hope everything is OK. It's raining here, too. Copycatdesign, I hope you don't mind if I play. I reworked the part that LL didn't address, which I hope gives you better flow, as the above posters mentioned. You have a new entry, and a central hallway, which took a little from the LR and little from BR#3--36" total. You can keep the back entry to the LR or skip that. I put a shallow shelf/bookcase along the stair wall--that can be omitted, too. I hope the appliances and fixtures are in proportion--you might have to adjust walls and doors. In the laundry, above the W/D and along the bottom wall I have upper cabs, with hooks under the cabinets, and hooks on the top wall. Your pantry is now reach-in, and I left off the doors. You could have a door that opens into the hall, or bi-fold doors. The kitchen looks good to me--I think I'd try to get more prep space between the sink and stove. If you want it reviewed, you can post in the kitchens forum.
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^Agree with eld6161. First priority is the baby (congrats!). Use one of the secondary bedrooms for the nursery. Next is your husband's gaming space and a distant third is entertaining overnight guests. I know the need to nest is strong, especially during pregnancy, but I don't think taking on the basement rehab now is a good idea. As mentioned above, put those guests on a sofa bed or in a nearby hotel until you get the basement reno done - after the baby is born. Do the basement reno when time and budget permit which may be longer than a couple of years :)
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you have a nice neutral base. a few more thoughts... the long wall that connects your living and dining could use a little oomf. have you considered doing that entire wall with shiplap or board and batten? that could help break up the expansiveness of it. i would consider the art between the two rooms to be bigger, both in length and width. i like the idea of art there, but think bigger. I would also put drapes on the window in the dining room. definitely rugs, love the idea of layered rugs using a cowhide in the living room. a console in the dining room on the far wall under the window could also help. I would consider a metal console in the dining room to bring in another texture. looking forward to see what you do.
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Having lived in SoCal until three years ago, the mister and I never had a basement until we moved and the idea of a separate freezer never occurred to us (we adopted our two oldest kids and right now we have six year old twins that are foster placements, something we only were able to have a big enough house for doing once we moved to Nebraska - when we move the older two into the 3rd bedroom that is currently set up as my home office, we'll have 4 beds in the bedroom on the main floor open due to the twins going back to their bio family in June...) since we had enough room to keep all the frozen and refrigerated foods we needed back when it was just the mister and I. Some of the reviews I've been reading for freezers complain about the lid freezing shut or breakdowns that mean throwing away a bunch of food...What is your experience with owning one in general?
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PRO
The Wonder Ways
2 years ago
I would use a different approach and ask yourself what you want in your home, and them try to make them fit accordingly. A playroom? Guestroom? Office? I believe in your skills to make any of them work. If it were me, I would probably turn the smaller breakfast room into an office/craft room with a wet bar (hey sometimes you need to loosen up to gain inspiration ;) and the larger room into a multi-functional den with a convertible couch and drapes that could turn it into a guest room if needed.

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