Since we’ve all been talking about larger houses, I wanted to post my personal example of a large (old) house that lives well, and all of it gets used, with a family of five. Frankly, I like the space in biggish houses. We’ve done a significant amount of internal re-juggling to fit modern usage, and a bit of adding-on over the last 16 years. Still have to finish the attic for the kids’ playroom, and build the permanent stairs.
Forrest
This thoughtfully designed home preserves the character of its neighborhood while maximizing space for a growing family through careful attention to scale, rooflines, and material choices.
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Replies
Forrest, thanks for sharing that. I've been curious about the layout and room use, especially since you posted the total square footage.
Looks like there might be an layout idea or two I might be stealing from you, too.
Allen
RE: Basement laundry vs. upstairs laundry.
Is the basement strictly for the maid's use?
Allen
The basement laundry was the original one we built (we added-on that section). It's wonderful and all, but 130 steps from our bed to move stuff into the dryer - impossible with three-kid quantities of laundry!
In the same vein, the upstairs laundry was my office, until the noise of three kids made that impossible. It's just super handy, being between us and the kids - no more baskets up and down stairs.
Basement does kitchen and shop laundry now, and now has a potter's wheel and stuff in it, as well.
My office is now in the RV camper in the barn! Quiet and calm, furnace and AC; wireless internet. All can be moved out in an hour or so for camping (not that I have to go)
Forrest
So the kitchen/breakfast/master bdrm is an additionto the original footprint? When was the original residence constructed?Saw your other thread about building the "Outbuilding" for thethe kiln... That is going to be a big help w/ keeping heat out in summer.Lastly, how many bottles in the wine cellar? :)
Mclaren
Looks like a great house plan. Do you have a picture/rendering of the outside? I'm trying to invision the style of the house based on the plans
Walnut Hill Construction
Looks like good use of space.
Do you have a floor drain or pan for the upstairs laundry?
Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood
<floor drain or pan for the upstairs laundry?>
No! was that bad? It's above my painted, coffered, dining room ceiling . . .
Forrest
We did one years ago and the owner's brother was a plumber and they had us recess the floor for tile with a drain. Don't know if they ever had a problem.A pan would be pretty simple.
live, work, build, ...better with wood
"No! was that bad? It's above my painted, coffered, dining room ceiling . . ."
I know you're kidding. Anyone with your attention to detail would not have overlooked a provision for overflow or whatever.
When I saw the basement laundry, I was wondering about all those steps from the bedrooms ... especially when a quick scan revealed no laundry on the first floor.
I've often thought second-floor laundries would be best, but my wife prefers it off the kitchen so she can multitask easier. Despite having to lug clothes up and down the stairs to the second-floor bedrooms.
You say you really use and enjoy all the space you have. I've often wondered about sitting areas in hallways and bedrooms. Are they really used for sitting? Or just beautiful backdrops to other rooms or daily activities? Which, if so, is certainly a fine thing.
How about those exterior photos? I've been anxious to see them also. And "before" photos or floorplans. You've posted a couple interior shots before ... the stenciled room, for example. Which room was that? Love to see more.
Did you say the house is 1920s colonial revival? Or teens?
Allen
<"before" photos>
Nice!
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Forrest - glad that's over!
Edited 10/19/2007 11:31 am by McDesign
Pretty rough shape. Looks like the only thing in your favor was that I don't see a lot of signs of remuddling.
Anytime you think the current projects are getting overwhelming, just pull out those 'before' shots. Wheew!jt8
"They deem me mad because I will not sell my days for gold; and I deem them mad because they think my days have a price." -- Kahlil Gibran
<remuddling.>
Yep; the ONLY work done on the house since an addition and plumbing and electricity after a fire in 1916, had been the addition of a shower and toilet in the left hand parlor for the old lady that could no longer make it up the stairs.
Just right out there in the room she used as a bedroom! She and her sister had been born here in '06 and '09, and lived all their lives here 'til nursing home time.
Forrest
Amazing shots. The exterior paint job (so far) looks great. I know you've described your painstaking step-by-step, and that effort sure shows.
You're fortunate you weren't faced with UNdoing a lot of previous work. (Now, if I had just gotten my house nine year sooner ...)
Like you I had to remove a toilet from one of the downstairs "public" rooms. There was a partial wall hung from the ceiling, diagonally enclosing a small corner. Then, apparently a curtain had hung from there. That's a LITTLE more private than what you described!
Allen
As i was scrolling through, i was thinking the same as John: no remuddling, no paint on the woodwork, no green shag carpeting, no walnut-finish paneling...perfect!If you've told the story about how you found this house, i missed it. If you don't mind telling or repeating...
Here's some this AM, walking around in the rain - obviously the exterior is still an ongoing project!
These pictures start at about 8:30 (clockface) relative to the floorplans posted (where the front of the house faces to the right, or 3 o'clock), and continue on around CCW to about 6:30.
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Forrest
Edited 10/19/2007 10:37 am by McDesign
Ooooooo do I have a list of Plants-You-Must-Have. That house just screams for botanical diversity<g>.Did I get Chocolate Cupcakes for National Chocolate Cupcake Day?!? Noooooo. All I got was clear sky, half moon, serious wind & an eastern view of HUGE thunderheads complete w/bright flashes of lightning.
Great photos. The current photos are definitely an improvement on the before shots. The house definitely has some great character in it. I like the brick foundation detail with the arches over the basement windows. Also good color choice for the gable shingles. Very classic.
Build it right the first time.Walnut Hill Construction