Hello All,
I posted a help wanted add for this but Chuck S. suggested I try here also.
Looking for design help on our victorian house. I’ve posted about some of this before but this post will sorta round it all up in one spot.
Here’s what we need help with;
An interior stairway from Unit A up to Unit B. The diagram for Unit A shows a spiral stairway but that’s just our best idea so far. We can’t figure out how to get downstairs without seriously screwing up the layout of the middle floor.
On the middle floor we need to figure out how to stuff 10 pounds of poop in a 5 pound bag. We can’t figure out how to make the kitchen an ‘eat in’ kitchen and fit everything we need in there.
On the top floor which is gutted we want to make our ‘master bedroom retreat’. Its gotta have a decent sized bath, a bedroom and a den/office. The ‘walls’ are actually 6′ high walls with 6′ behind them (in some spots) because of the 12/12 pitch roof.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
couldnt put the images in the post because they are pdf’s and a bit large-sorry.
Thanks,
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
Edited 5/13/2008 12:56 am by madmadscientist
Replies
We are open to almost any sensible idea. Moving doors, windows, walls etc.
Don't all jump in at once now...
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
I wasn't able to open those files--said they were downloaded, but nothing actually happened. May be something wrong at my end.
Anyway: As far as stairs, could you add on a stairwell in a tower-looking addition? You could also gain space in your kitchen either through the same addition (assuming it would work to have stairs near the kitchen). Or you could bump out a kitchen or DR wall a couple feet (perhaps with a cantilever). Kitchens are good for this because sometimes you can just cantilever the cabinet base out into like a bay window-like bump out.
For the bedroom suite upstairs, I would consider dormers--those would give you some head room and make use of the attic space. You can also push into the "attic" triangle under the ever with things like beds and bathrubs without needing space above for headroom. Storage drawers/cabinets can also be built into that area.
But, I don't think you can achieve what tyou want without expanding the footprint a bit in places--mind you, this is all shooting from the hip since I couldn't see your pictures. Anyway, this will kill time while others get ready to respond!
The files worked for me.
Hmm--okay, you answer him then! ;-)
I converted your pictures to JPEG's, let's see if this furthers the discussion.
Sometimes PDF files are difficult to open and manage.
Are theses floor plans in the same building? As in Unit A is the basement or first floor, Unit B is the Main floor or 2nd floor and Unit C is the 3rd floor?
The floor plans do stack on each other with the garage being under the formal parlor, living room and entry hall?
The circular stair would come up in the sun room?
The chimney chase and all its weight is bearing over a closet and not to a footing?
You walk around the side of the house from the garage man-door to get to the steps to take you up to the front porch and entry but you really want to avoid going outside to access the garage and laundry, etc?
I just finished an addition that included a bathroom and laundry room the same size as Unit A. You don't have room to turn around, much less install a stairway or even circular stairs.
If you didn't have that Unit B bath you could probably work something out with a stairwell off the hall where the Bedroom closet back wall is and make a dogleg to the front of the house descending into the 3' space in the back of the gagrage. Gain some closet space under the existing stairs up to Unit C. Maybe lose the sunporch by pushing the bedroom all the way back and having the bath over the bath below?
Hi Ralph and thanks for replying,
Yep the plans are for the same building the stupid city makes me call each level a seperate unit because the house is offically a triplex...though its not.
The floor plans do stack on each other with the garage being under the formal parlor, living room and entry hall?
Yes the plans stack as you say.
The circular stair would come up in the sun room?
Yes that's our best idea so far...
The chimney chase and all its weight is bearing over a closet and not to a footing?
Theres no chimney there anymore so the chase is just a double wall framed cavity which we are planning on using to run mechanicals to the 3rd floor.
You walk around the side of the house from the garage man-door to get to the steps to take you up to the front porch and entry but you really want to avoid going outside to access the garage and laundry, etc?
Yes that's right sorry I forgot that these plans don't show the rear porch-stairs off the sunroom door. But yes we need to be able to access the bottom floor from the middle floor without going outside.
I just finished an addition that included a bathroom and laundry room the same size as Unit A. You don't have room to turn around, much less install a stairway or even circular stairs.
Wow really? I know its tight but the spiral stair does fit in the laundry room...we could move the washer-dryer into the garage shop area.
If you didn't have that Unit B bath you could probably work something out with a stairwell off the hall where the Bedroom closet back wall is and make a dogleg to the front of the house descending into the 3' space in the back of the gagrage. Gain some closet space under the existing stairs up to Unit C. Maybe lose the sunporch by pushing the bedroom all the way back and having the bath over the bath below?
Okay that's interesting it took me a minute but I think I get it. I really appreciate this its the kind of thinking that wouldn't occur to us. The only immediate issue I see with that is that the door from the sunroom to the outside is leads to the back deck-stairs down and I can't lose the egress from the back of the house like that.
thanks,
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
More:
1. Move the back door toward the Kitchen. Might require change in back deck/stairs, OR
2. Lose the wall returns between kitchen and sunporch.
Move the bedroom wall into the sunporch @2' 6" which leaves 3' 6" to get to the back door from the kitchen.
Convert the remaining portion of the sunporch to closet @6'x6'.
Lose 4' of bedroom along with existing closet. Bedroom now 10' 10"x 12' 6". Move bedroom door.
Room now for new bath @6'W x 6'D plus, if you change the hall wall, starting the 45 degree turn at the back wall of the closet instead of having a right angle corner. Bath is small but functional. More width available if you knock a little more off the bedroom. The position of the window would dictate the width of the bath at that point but nothing says the whole wall has to be perpendicular to the external wall.
Now demo existing bath for stairwell to below.
Hi Ralph,
Moving the door into the Kitchen would screw with the placement of kitchen cabinets I fear.
Getting resistance from SWMBO about squeezing the size of the middle floor bedroom down to much. Her 'bedroom' as a kid was tiny and she doesnt want to do that to our future kid.
That new bath is going to be tiny...the size it is now is small but 6'by6' is tiny. That bath would be the main bath used during parties and it would be the kids main bath so we are concerned about making it too small.
thanks for the ideas,
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
How many people at one time do you expect to be partying in the bathroom?
Hello <G>
View Image
Edited 5/16/2008 12:32 am ET by RalphWicklund
Hey I like that, that never would of occurred to me...
The picture is a bit hard to see but it looks like you are doing the stairs down partly in the space where the old chimney chase is?
Swapping the bedroom and kitchen is very interesting. I'll have to noodle that around with SWMBO when she comes back from her business trip.
Thanks Ralph I think these ideas are great and super helpful in forcing us to think differently.
You know if you removed the wall between the sunroom and the kitchen that would really open up the kitchen a lot.!
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
Edited 5/16/2008 1:03 am by madmadscientist
Try for a better pic
.View Image
Edited 5/16/2008 1:11 am ET by RalphWicklund
git rid of the hallway, pick up four feet
That's a load bearing wall but I can see it. You leaning towards a more modern 'open' floor plan?
Removing the walls and doors would also remove a lot of the "victorian-ness" of the place which is something that we are trying to preserve as much as reasonably possible.
I agree stealing space from the chimney chase is probably not a bad idea. We want to leave enough room for some mechanicals to be run up it though.
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
Here's the cropped JPEGS much smaller and easier to see all inline.
Bottom Floor
View Image
Middle Floor-We would really like to figure out the kitchen and stairway down.
View Image
Top Floor need to figure out how to arrange space so we can have a bedroom and seperate office-den where one person can get up early get dressed use the bath and not annoy the other person still sleeping? Plus storage-lots of storage!
View Image
The top floor is also gutted and we are open to any suggestions.
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
Edited 5/13/2008 2:38 pm by madmadscientist
Edited 5/13/2008 2:39 pm by madmadscientist
Edited 5/13/2008 2:39 pm by madmadscientist
Edited 5/13/2008 2:42 pm by madmadscientist
Edited 5/13/2008 2:45 pm by madmadscientist
make bottom bedroom smaller by one foot, lose the living room walls, lose hallway, make chimmney chase smaller
Thanks converting them to jpeg's I shoulda thought of that...I didnt think they would be readable but they are.
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer