Columns in Kitchen?
Amanda H
2 years ago
Hello! There are 2 existing columns in the kitchen with a beam connecting them. I assume they are structural. (see attached) Would love to have the kitchen more open to the living area. Not sure if it can be reconfigured somehow? Any creative ideas or suggestions what could be done?
Thanks in advance!
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Sammie J
2 years agoRelated Discussions
Tobacco Road color issues! Help!
Comments (5)I have SW Whole Wheat in my kitchen and family room area. My understanding is that this is very similar to Tobacco Road and I actually had SW give me color to go samples of both that were quite similar. In the rest of the adjoining rooms I have SW Believable Buff. It complements the Whole Wheat very well, but it still has the gold undertones, it is just lighter. The house is still under construction, and much of the wood trim work is not yet done so I apologize for the mess, but here are a few shots of each color. This is Whole Wheat in family room: Whole Wheat in kitchen: Believable Buff in foyer: I also think your rooms look great in the pictures, but you need to be happy living in them every day. Your kitchen is stunning with the mix of painted and stained cabinets! I loved SW color sample pots and they saved me from making some huge mistakes while choosing colors for the new build. I wish I had used them more! Every color looks different in different lighting/housing situations and the $5 was worth avoiding an expensive mistake. Good luck!...See MoreRemodeling Requirements (aka wish list): Help!
Comments (5)First ... absolutely FIRST! Make sure you have a sound roof, no leaks. Same around windows and doors Sound footings and walls ... all the foundations and beams and cross ties and stuff Water control ... all the seepage, drainage, etc. See this post for why you need to do this first: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/realestate/msg0700333329476.html?14 ====== Check structural things before removing anything ... sometimes old chimneys are serving as floor joist supports. Then do your "remove this stuff" for everything you don't need ... old plumbing, dead wiring circuits, etc. ======= Make a plan of what has to happen in each area, and double-check the sequence for "sanity". Make a detailed floor plan with call outs and scribbled-on pictures of walls. Sometimes what you think is low priority may have to get done before a high-priority thing can happen ... Wherever you plan to "add a light" later, make sure you have a wire and an outlet while the electrician is there. =========== Things people (including me) forget ... Vents FIRST, Insulation LATER...See MoreReplacing ugly columns in kitchen
Comments (15)Are the caps and bases wood or are they a foam like material? "Most" times (with man made columns ((cast material)), the caps and bases are purely asthetic and just basically slip over the column before installation. In which case they "could" be removed. However that being said if they are a wood column its possible that the caps and bases are wood and the column truly rest on the base and the cap is structural as well. Impossible to be certain from my living room....See MoreOld home renovation
Comments (12)Agreeing with all of the above comments, I would leave the aesthetics of 1900s architecture, nothing can beat the natural beauty of wood. When I was starting out in the early '80s there were lots of requests for naturally stained wood, solid wood doors, wood columns, beautiful trip packages, etc as time went on all that was slowly fading away, and I can't remember when the last time a customer requested for a nice stained wood trim package and most homes you enter today it's the same old boring colors, and when you come across something like this with original woodwork you can really appreciate woodwork and true craftsmanship. Good luck with your renovation!...See Moreanj_p
2 years agoYour kitchen is already open to the living room...those columns don't really make it less so. If anything, it's the two level counter that makes it feel more closed. If you make it all one level it would make a big difference. These are a bit different from your house but just for a visual.
Island modification, columns, Salinas White Granite, Herringbone tile · More Info
Day-Dodge Residence, ca. 1737 · More InfoAmanda H thanked anj_pAmanda H
2 years agoAmanda H
2 years ago
decoenthusiaste
2 years agoIf you plan to go to all that expense, why not hire a structural engineer to go up in the attic and get the real story on the columns? Then you'll know how to proceed and they may offer you an idea of what it may cost to take them out and do what's necessary for your home's structural integrity to remain intact. My inclination would be to drywall the opening closed and pre-wire it for TV opposite the FP. Put your chair/hassock in the TV spot with a table and lamp for a reading texting and online hang out nook. Move the sofa perp to TV & FP, and add a pair of swivel chairs instead of the straight chairs, which don't look inviting or comfortable.
Amanda H thanked decoenthusiasteAmanda H
2 years ago
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