Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Renovation Plan for the Maison Mansard

On the one hand, we have big plans for this house.  On the other hand, we're keeping the basic layout and not making major changes.


Huh?  Let me explain.

Big picture, we're going to do all the stuff we usually do - update all the electrical, plumbing, insulation, add heat pumps, etc.  We will also create a brand new kitchen, renovate the existing bath and add fa irst floor half bath.  We'll also take the small 4th bedroom and turn it into a new bathroom and a walk in closet.  So many changes!  But the overall style and flow of this Second Empire home will remain the same as it has been for almost 150 years.  And we're keeping the character and architectural elements intact (the window and door moldings are gorgeous!)  

Here's the plan.  The first floor has very clear, compartmentalized rooms.  This was great when it was first built.  But we will be updating all of that, which will allow for a better flow between rooms.


The new plan removes a few key walls, to create a more cohesive floor plan. We'll share a lot more about the kitchen design later - but the new kitchen will be even larger with a central island and so much storage!

The rear bonus room is a great entrance from the driveway, so we'll create a mudroom entrance with closets and mud bench. And then the new owners can use the rest of this bright space however they would like. 

Upstairs, we have lots of plans as well.  Here's the existing plan with 4 bedrooms, a hall bath and a funky turret room (it's 8x8 feet, but with the sloped ceilings, it feels much smaller).  


The big change is creating a true primary suite.  The existing front bedroom will get larger and include the fun little turret room as a sitting area (and will include some additional closet space!).  The small bedroom will be incorporated and become a primary bath and a walk-in closet.



These changes will make the house work better for modern living, but we'll make sure we honor the antique styling as well.  

The guys have been hard at work and it's starting to take shape.  Here are a couple of sneak peeks.  The first thing you see as you walk in the front door is now a large open space to compliment the beautiful staircase  My guess is the foyer was cold and drafty in the past and that's why you see the plastic accordion door to the living room.  Once we finish air sealing and insulating the house, that won't be necessary.

The kitchen is the darkest room in the house, in large part because of large shrubs and trees outside the windows.  Our arborist is working on that.  And of course by opening up the walls, we allow light to flow from the rest of the windows.  

The dining room will be open to both the kitchen and living room.  It's not a true open floor plan, instead the spaces retain their own function, but flow seamlessly from one to the next.

What else do you notice?  Well in some rooms we gained as much as 18 inches of ceiling height!!!  And by opening the spaces, the house now feels so big!  It's a dramatic change.

The structural beams go in next and then it will really start to look like we're making progress!


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2 comments:

  1. The secret to a happy marriage is not sharing a closet. Turn the primary sitting area into a second walking closet and then the layout will be oerfect.

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    1. Ha! Somehow my husband and I have been married for 45 years and have always shared a closet! When I see how beautifully the sun streams through that front window into the room, I can't turn it into a total closet. It is the perfect spots for a relaxing chair to read a book. But the back straight wall will have a wall of storage. So if someone wants to make it a full closet in the future, they certainly can.

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