Post 6: what the frick are we doing, anyway?

So things are progressing really well after only 2 days!  But towards what? We told you the basics, the 'scope' as it were--but do we have a plan? A design even?

Well, I'd love to say this all just plopped in our laps from the sky HDTV-style, but in all reality it's taken months of careful consideration and long hours of trial-and-error planning to shoe-horn our big ambitions into this strange little house, with our modest little budget.


The images in this post should tell the basic story of what we're aiming for. We'll see how close the 'after' photos come to matching, but so far it's looking like it will actually be better.  How is that possible?  We will just have to find out...

Our original upstairs.  See that strange little room just off-center? That was (was!) a shared walk-in closet that you couldn't really walk into, what with the chimney in the way and no space for hangers.  Also, check out that long, un-usable area under the eaves at the top of the master bedroom on the right. We had a couch there, that just looked nice and was mostly neglected.

The new upstairs! crawl-in closet becomes new bathroom, middle office gets a little smaller but with a closet of its own, and just enough space for our upstairs nap-couch. And the long un-used space in the master bedroom gets a new closet under skylights, with actually MORE hanging space. what?!? how's that even possible?

A cross-section view of the new upstairs bathroom. Not huge, but just right.  A little haven of penny-round and subway tile. And yes, that's a bench. In the shower. Under a skylight.



The original downstairs, with that ubiquitous 50's-diner style checkerboard vinyl floor in the kitchen, the huge box-out around the chimney (aka the Space-Obstructor), and a large but strangely cramped bathroom--with the toilet right next to the door, looking directly into the dining room. Whoever laid this out must've had very little faith in their cooking. The kitchen was (was!) a combination of 40's homemade cabinets, crumbling tile countertop, and cobbled-together IKEA storage pieces along the bottom wall. It served us well, but we can all do better.



The new downstairs, with re-configured bathroom, and a kitchen that opens up the front of the house with the back, with space-obstructing chimney box gone. A double-row of cabinets is added, with whole acres more countertop space, and a sink with an actual view out the window.  Oh, and a real working range hood. Our tired smoke alarm is rejoicing in silence. Can you spot the original IKEA piece still in use?



Original view from the dining table, with the Space-Obstructor front-and center, and the toilet just through that door on the left. Awkward, much?



New view from the dining table. Twice the function, 3-times the light and air, all in the same little space. Hello there, back garden.

Original kitchen from another angle.  Those who've been here before can attest to how...charitable this image is to the actual clunky cabinets and worn-out floor.  Anyone remember that sweet floral backsplash tile? And that big white area in the middle isn't a mistake in the image upload.  It's the Space Obstructor in all its glory.


And now its new incarnation.  The cabinet faces are walnut, their sides white lacquer, and the countertops are quartz.  With the exception of the microwave we're keeping our sturdy appliances. And we will actually be installing an even better range hood than the one pictured here.  We'll just have to keep that one a secret for now. The backsplash is a 1x4 mosaic by clayhaus ceramics in a more rich blue than shown, and the floor will be Marmoleum 'click'.  The screened-wall that replaces the Space Obstructor will capture daylight from the window beyond, while preserving some privacy for the hallway to the stairs and bathroom.  It uses the same basic pattern as the screens on the stair wall, just rotated back to its original Japanese-inspired orientation.

If all goes the way it has been so far, you're more than welcome to come and cook for us here, come October.