Staircase ideas - Remove wall or spruse?
Anthony Liversidge
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Hi,
We bought our house last year and now that we've done the bedrooms, its the landing and stairs next. The staircase has a brick wall running from top to bottom as shown in the photos.
Our first thoughts was to have it removed and replaced with a spindle kit for both staircase and landing, in white with a grey stained oak banister.
However having looking at it again today I'm wondering if there are some creative ways to make it more appealing than it is now so that we could happily live with it.
I've been told its not load bearing but I will get a structural engineering around before hand to be sure.
Any thoughts welcome :)
Thanks
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Comments (9)
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Comments (10)That's looking a lot better. A few followup comments: 1. I agree with bepsf that the opening to the dining (formerly living) from the entry should be an "archway" or similar opening. A pair of pocket doors would work or make sure the french doors can open 180 degrees and stay out of the way. Similarly, I'd add an opening (with french doors if you must) on the other side of the fireplace to match the ones you have. 2. I'd flip the door to the utility room to the left so it aligns with the exterior door. Much more efficient use of space OR (better yet) flip the exterior door to the east and move the countertop to the other side. This way the door won't be as visible from the entry, you'll get more countertop, and the flow will be better. 3. Sitting room - if you need to keep the entrance from the front hall, why not move the fireplace to the southeast corner, flip the couch to the north wall and use this as your formal living room (and no door). The flow into the room will be much better. It also gives you much better use of the bay window. Then you can use the room now labeled "living room" as your more informal sitting/family room. 4. Squeezing past the shower to enter the powder room is still awkward. 5. Kitchen - it looks like the island (I assume that's what's in the middle) should move to the west to give yourself enough space to have a usable counter on the east wall. 4'6" is a pretty good distance between counters.. You seem to have more space than you need between the island and the patio doors. There's also a lot of inefficient space between the fireplace and island. I'd make sure that there's either enough room for a small table, or just make the island and east wall cabinets longer. 6. One last thought - since you rearranged the use of the rooms, had you considered switching between the dining and living? I think this would make things work even better. If you do, I'd go back to my comment of opening the sitting room from the study ha...See MoreNarrow House (15.4ft / 4.7m) - what are my layout options?
Comments (9)HI -- gross635 -- Your right to some degree but you can't move the main floor bath to the other side because then that interfers with the floor plan on the second floor. Would not work . I would have loved to turn the whole plan around but it won't work in this case. Added note to what I posted before is to get rid of anywalls you don't need and also not every room has to have a door. Like the one on the lounge and the one at the end of the hall. I would open the lounge up by not having the walls on the entrance hall . As for a closet , there is space in front of the set back powder room for some coat hooks etc. I also question the fact of , if the lounge is really needed. Everything could have been shifted to the front and the kitchen set back , then that would have made a larger dining/familyroom area . But that would have ruined the resale value . So I think moving the bathrooms was the lest and best for this plan. One question I have , is this an English plan ?, because the English love putting doors on every room ?And usually the doors swing the wrong way....See MoreEntrance hall makeover. Suggestions needed!
Comments (9)removing the door to kitchen would be easiest & cheapest way to open up & brighten the hall area. Next best, but more costly would be replacing door with one with glass panels. Look for used one in 2nd hand or @ your local Habitat for Humanity store. Keep the one you take off just in case other one gets damaged and needs to be replaced. Replacing only two panels would not achieve much I don't think. A mirror should only be placed where it can reflect something of interest & expand the room. If I recall, the staircase is what would be reflected? A photo collage frame? I think more colour is called for here. Your home, your choice. Bottom line is you decide what is right for your space. As you have likely noticed everyone has a different opinion, professional or not. Most important in re-styling a space is what the home owner wants to use the space for & to be their taste....See MoreNeed some ideas for my bathroom
Comments (13)East Kent Eco - again thank you for your input. As a pro I wonder if you could offer your thoughts on a couple of scenarios 1 - Leave bath where it is - what would be involved in moving the shower 4-6 inches to the centre of the bath? I did consider the P shaped bath and will consider your suggestion for a shorter bath to allow room for the toilet, but I currently had to put in a door stop to protect the shower door from the entrance door handle and I would be concerned about a rounded door being even closer. If I left the bath where it is I have a couple of options, turning the toilet and cistern 90 degrees to the adjoining wall - see above for the considerations there, or I have also considered switching the toilet and sink. I would put the sink facing the wall where the cistern currently is have a large-ish vanity from the base of the bath to the wall, and the if the toilet was where the sink is it would not interfere with the doors for the hot press as the seat would be considerably lower than the sink is currently thus giving me the better access I want. In this scenario the main issue for me would be the toilet would be facing the entrance door, a bit unsightly but if it gave me the space I want I think I could live with the compromise. 2 - A bit more involved, but I have also considered moving the bath sideways along the short length of the room, shower end over the space where the cistern is currently and moving the sink and toilet to the space where the bath is currently. I think this would allow me room for a vanity and maybe also a tall storage cupboard for the towels and linens currently in the hot press. The obvious concern with this is the shower spray in the direction of the hot press, if I got the storage I needed elsewhere in the bathroom I wouldn't be concerned about those getting wet, but would want to ensure I don't end up with a leak over the stairs. Access would also be an issue if repairs were required for the shower pump or the hot water system. You would have to step into the bath to gain access. Is there a solution to waterproof the cupboard?...See More
Sonia
3 years agoI like the clean lines, so leave it as it is. Maybe paint the walls in a more interesting shade, such as F&B Ammonite or Skimming Stone?
First pic is Ammonite, second is Skimming Stone on the stairs.
Anthony Liversidge thanked Sonia
David Rowden
3 years agoI’m off the view remove wall and replace with a traditional banister. I did this on a unsympathetic Victorian conversation 25 years ago. Hence brown and creams in the colour pallet and not greys as is today’s fashion
Anthony Liversidge thanked David Rowden
arc3d
3 years agoAMB
3 years ago
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Anthony LiversidgeOriginal Author