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tammyte

Tweaking the main floor...the little things

tammyte
10 years ago

I'm probably old school but we just have basic cell phones and rarely use them. We have a land line that doesn't have voice mail so we like to have an answering machine. :) Right now the machine is in our master bedroom but I would prefer that it be in a main part of the house.

Where would you put it in this plan?

I was thinking maybe on the end of the kitchen counter that has the sink but I'm not sure I like that. Another thought is on the wall beside the fridge (perpendicular to the fridge). I would like a thin wall on the outer side of the fridge. Possibly for clipboards or a dry erase board type thing.

I'm really hoping to somehow get the fridge pushed back a bit but I'm not sure if it will work or not with how the garage wall is placed. I don't know how to fix that other than making the mudroom smaller which I really don't want to do. My only thought was to move the exterior door in the dining area to the back wall of the house and move the entire garage/mudroom section back a bit. Would that even work?

Where would you put outlets for charging things like cell phones and such? As I said, we're not real techy but the kids are getting older and will probably end up with stuff that needs charged. (We have five children.)

Other suggestions on things I haven't thought of?

ETA: I was thinking of trying to get the master bed section pushed back a bit too so there would be room behind the door to the master bedroom. So the garage section and mbed section would still be even in the front.

This post was edited by TammyTE on Thu, Jun 20, 13 at 10:40

Comments (12)

  • chicagoans
    10 years ago

    It seems like the classroom would be a good spot for a charging station and for the answering machine since it's close to the kitchen but won't clutter your counters. I would consider some built in shelves on the back side of the hall closet (just inside the door to the classroom when coming from the kitchen - so upper left corner of the classroom in your picture.) I don't know what your space is there, maybe a foot? But the shelves don't need to be deep, just have several outlets and a phone line in the wall.

  • dadereni
    10 years ago

    Why not in your mud room, if you tend to enter this way? A drop zone for mail, keys, cell phones that is screened from your main spaces. You could push "play" as soon as you come in, and then listen to messages while you hang your coat, empty pockets, wash hands, etc. And it would be near enough you could hear it while you're in the kitchen. This way, you could still be doing other things.

    Alternatively, I think your thin wall next to the fridge idea sounds promising, but might you even take that a step further--instead of a partition wall that you hang boards on, you could make it 12" deep, full height cabinetry, perhaps with a message board integrated as one of the door panels. Answering machine and charging outlets inside. Part of it could be open shelves, if you'd like. Right now, the side of a fridge isn't doing much, and counter space is precious!

  • LuAnn_in_PA
    10 years ago

    Our answering machine has lived inside one of our kitchen cabinets since 1987.
    We also charge our phones there.

    The cabinet door has a cork board on it, mainly for business cards that are frequently referenced.

  • kirkhall
    10 years ago

    (off topic, but I think you will hate your garage entry to mudroom door... It will be blocking your path (into the house). Mock that up.)

  • tammyte
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    cork board inside the cabinet. I like that. :)

    Kirkhall - I redid the mudroom and I think the door is different. Let me look for the pic I did. I don't have her updated version of it in the actual floorplan. (Oh and that is totally not off topic. I appreciate any thoughts.)

    Here it is. Although I notice in this plan the fridge is closer to the door. I'll have to double check those measurements in the most recent plan.

  • lavender_lass
    10 years ago

    If it were me, I'd like it on the living room wall, next to the basement stairs (laundry wall)...I'd put in a built in cabinet on that wall and hide all kinds of extra stuff, including any media equipment or record/cd/movie storage.

    The basement stairs door would still open (or you could put in a glass/french-door style pocket door) and you'd gain so much storage. That way, you can check messages, charge phones and have easy access to everything in the evening.

    Maybe it's just me, but i like the answering machine near the TV/living area, so I can go see who called, when I don't feel like answering the phone. Less walking :)

  • tammyte
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Lavender - I am checking with her on that area. I had the stairs bumping out about a foot past that laundry room wall. She has them flush. I don't know if she has 8' or 9' ceilings in the plan so that may be the difference. I was thinking of putting bookcases along the wall to end up flush with the basement door if it bumped out, so your idea might work. Thanks!

  • dekeoboe
    10 years ago

    Why not in your mud room, if you tend to enter this way? A drop zone for mail, keys, cell phones that is screened from your main spaces. You could push "play" as soon as you come in, and then listen to messages while you hang your coat, empty pockets, wash hands, etc. And it would be near enough you could hear it while you're in the kitchen. This way, you could still be doing other things.

    This is how ours is set-up. The only difference is our mudroom leads into the family room.

  • lyfia
    10 years ago

    I would try to do it in the mudroom - out of the way, but close enough.

    BTW how about turning the powder room 180 degrees. Then you can put a window above the toilet and I would also put a window in the mudroom. Doesn't need to be big, but nice to have the natural light.

  • tammyte
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks.

    Lyfia- I have considered turning the bathroom for the exact reasons you mentioned. Still thinking on that one. :)

  • carsonheim
    10 years ago

    Or you could simply reverse the toilet and sink, and put a window over the toilet. I would expect you will have a mirror over the sink, yes?

  • tammyte
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yes, mirror over sink.