Chelsea Moor Makeover: I Turned My Camera On

(Guest post from Marie Hejl –   http://cocinamarie.wordpress.com/ )  

And that’s pretty much all I did on this phase of the project.  As you’ll see from the pictures, my dad, my husband, and our trusty contractors deserve all the credit for the next phase in our home remodeling process.

When John and I bought the house, the living room had wood paneling on the walls, carpet on the floor, and thick wood beams on the ceiling.  Here is a picture of the room in its original form.

For reference, the breakfast room and kitchen are located on the right side of the picture above.  The picture below provides another view of the breakfast and kitchen area from the living room.

There were a number of issues that we wanted to correct in this space.  In addition to removing the paneling and carpet, raising the sunken floor, and re-doing the fireplace (see previous post), we wanted to connect the living, dining, and kitchen areas in a way that would be suitable for large family gatherings, dinner parties with friends, as well as occasional cooking classes (and possibly another cooking show!).

With those goals in mind, the first step was to remove the paneling and carpet, along with the beams on the ceiling, and the half-wall (and lovely spindles) between the living room and breakfast area.

Then we had to deal with the back wall, which contained an off-center window, some awkward wall space, and a door leading to a sunroom.  For us, the sunroom would have been wasted space.  We decided to make the sunroom into our dining room, and we wanted this new dining room to connect to both the living room and kitchen.  To achieve this connection, we removed the door to the sunroom and part of the adjacent wall, thus, broadening the opening between all three of the spaces.

Next up?  The window.  The original placement of this window truly did not do the house any favors.

The window looked out to an inaccessible and poorly maintained outdoor space—crammed between the walls of the dining room (on the left) and the master bedroom (on the right).  In removing the window, our goal was to allow this outdoor space to serve as a connection—rather than an obstruction—to the backyard.

And it looks better already!  The living room now opens to a partially-shaded area (soon to be a rustic limestone patio), providing a seamless connection to lush green grass and mature oak trees.

Here is the view from the inside.  We had to use some temporary supports before the actual framing (hence, the two-by-fours from ceiling to floor).

Here, the framing is complete.  Then it was time to bring in the sliding glass door.  Although we considered using double French doors, we decided that a large sliding glass door would be a better fit (more modern, less colonial) for our personal style and the intrinsic structure of the house.

As it turned out, the sliding glass door was indeed very large, and very, very heavy—weighing nearly 300 pounds!  It took four strapping young (er, middle-aged) men to move it from the truck to the back of the house.  Not an easy job.

Once they got it this far, my dad realized that we did not have enough of the glue that we needed to secure the door to the concrete.  So John ran to Lowe’s to pick up the supplies.  And my dad (wisely) took that extra time to re-read the instructions for the installation of the door.

Now, they’re back at it.

Finally, the door is in place.

After a making a few final adjustments, the installation is officially complete.

Here is a view from the inside.  It is just what we wanted!  Open, connected, and appropriately modern.

Thanks for sharing our Chelsea Moor Makeover!

Roselind Hejl

www.weloveaustin.com

Chelsea Moor Makeover: Sun Room Converts to Dining Room

At some point in the life of Chelsea Moor, an addition was made.  This may have been called the Sun Room, since it is nearly all windows.  The windows bring in beautiful eastern sunlight. 

   
The addition was built onto the back of the house in an ill considered way.  It sits in the middle of the outdoor space where the patio was located.

We will have to make good use of the outdoor space that was left between the addition and the house.  It is now an unused area with a sickly shrub.   Those pink concrete pavers served as a sad patio.     

The Sun Room was isolated from the main house.  It was entered through the glass door at the end of the living room.  Since the living room was “sunken” there was an unexpected step-up when the door was opened.  If you had not already stumbled off the step-down into the living room, you definitely will trip here.

Here is the view from inside the Sunroom.  The exterior stone wall and the window into the kitchen make it clear that this room is not a true part of the house.  To complete the added-on look, there is a window AC, gas heater, outdoor carpet, and wall paneling. 

In our plan, the Sun Room is going to be the new Dining room.   We wanted to make this space a real part of the house – visually connected and fully used everyday. 
    

To accomplish that, we needed to break down the wall.   Thanks to Craigs List, both the window and stone found new owners. 

With the entrance to the new dining room opened up, the living, kitchen, and dining spaces now flow together.

The new dining room is filled with natural light and will be a wonderful place to eat everyday.   

Thanks for sharing our Chelsea Moor Makeover  project!
Roselind Hejl
http://www.weloveaustin.com/

Dining Area: A Core Space in the Home

 

Sitting down for a meal is a central function in the design of a home. The space for dining can range from a grand hall to a counter with stools in the kitchen. Dining spaces are as various as houses themselves.

Many homes have a separate formal dining room. Though used only occasionally, this area is often the most elegant and best furnished room in the house. It sets the design style of the house. There is something romantic about sitting down in a room especially devoted to the dining experience. Even the simplest food looks special on your best china in a formal dining room. It is a more private and serene place, separate from the work area and clutter in the kitchen.

Sometimes formal dining rooms develop a rigid, impractical look, more suited to viewing than eating. There are lots of creative ways to personalize a formal dining room to make the space feel safe and comfortable. Consider using a formal table with mix and match chairs, modern placemats, bright colors, assorted candle holders, and lamp lighting. The trend is away from having carpet in dining areas – giving the room a stuffy, impractical feel. Hard surface flooring is more inviting and can take the spills that inevitably happen.

In addition to the formal dining, there is usually a breakfast nook or a central counter for everyday meals. Although the formal dining is separate from the kitchen, it should be easily accessed from the kitchen. The passage to the dining may contain a butler’s pantry – cabinets for serving dishes or glassware.

A less formal alternative is to have the main common areas – kitchen, dining and living – all combined into one large space. Guests feel close to the core of the home, and can participate in cooking or mill around the living and dining area. This is a fun, open style that draws people together to cook, eat, and visit. A successful sequence is to have the spaces move from the most protected to the most outdoor – from the kitchen, to dining, to living, to porch.

Regardless of its location, the dining area should have enough space for a good sized table and at least one additional piece of furniture. Dining areas need natural light from windows or doors. Natural light makes food more appetizing. Dimmers to soften interior lighting at night are a good idea. The dining area is a core space in the house – a place for the important activity of eating and entertaining. How this space is configured, either as a separate room or a part of the living area, depends on the style of your home, degree of formality, and your personal preference.