Wow, that is going to be one gorgeous room when you finish!

That is fantastic! Good for you! I can't wait to see it finished!

Young- Wonderful work and all in one day! That's going to look amazing, when you get it all painted. I really like your inspiration pictures, too :)

Young, another use for the reciprocating saw, with a hacksaw blade in it: cutting wire shelving to length. Zip...done.
And I am now well on my way to finishing the walkin closet shelving, have 6 more brackets for support, and I can start moving the clothing in. Of course, I also need to prime and paint the 14 drawer 66 inch wide and 54 inch high chest to go in the middle. DH will mount the bifold french doors once I get all that done.

His son and DIL are coming about March 24, so we now have a deadline for this work. I want all those boxes and totes OUT of the back bedroom, and US MOVED IN. I think it will look scrumptious even with unfinished floors. Our little house will be like a man after a big Thanksgiving dinner, with a little more space after letting the belt out a notch or two. Oh man, it will feel good to have the place tidy once again.

Sorry. Got distracted. I love good tools, Now I need a nailgun too. :)

Awesome!

Young gardener, I can't believe I didn't see this until today! I love what you've done, boy do we sound alike! I get so antsy to do stuff (one day my husband came home from work and there was no kitchen anymore...good thing he's the patient and understanding kind, especially when I didn't really have a good plan for putting it back together!), I think we have similar taste as well. It looks beautiful what you've done, I really want to see the end results!

Thanks, everyone. You're like a little support team!

Moc- I could use shelving AND the loss of some trees...perfect! I can't wait to see the pictures of the new space you're creating!

Enigma- Boy do I have my eye on the kitchen! DH better watch out! I remember your kitchen from the other forum and just LOVE it! DH says I have decorating/project ADD because I jump from thing to thing so often. I have a habit of rearranging the house. Really, I think it comes from never just saving up for a Looooong time and doing a room from start to finish. Big purchases like that scare me, so I find myself Goodwill shopping and toting home things that then add to my projecting list. :) It keeps me busy. Next year, I'm going to start working from home, and DH is nervous, to say the least.

You bet! We're here for ya. What are you going to do to it next?

It sounds to me like a whole lot of folks on here are ACES with the DEMO STUFF. That is what I can do best too. And in a hurry. Putting it back together again, not so much.

Young- my DH thinks I move things for the sake of change. But there are so many arrangements which work, why be content to live with only ONE of them.

Your post above about working from home next year, I understand your DH's fear. During the years I worked out of Texas and Louisiana in the offshore oilfield, I passed the time by drawing and rearranging my little MoccasinLanding cottage. The saving grace was, I was gone for months at a time and had to really THINK about something before I had a chance to really TOUCH anything. I would imagine and then draw a plan, then I would draw another. I believe that kept me from making more mistakes than I did.

If you feel you might prematurely demo something, then get in the habit of drawing it out. Use little cutouts the same size as your furniture to move those around on your room drawings, a lot easier on the back than a big chest! Or even big real size cardboard cutouts. Or even whole big cardboard boxes if you have some of those.

Carpenters are always saying "measure twice, cut once." In my case, I think it important to "check out all options and then remodel once." Moving stuff is a piece of cake. Doesn't cost a dime. Every now and then, I point this out to my DH.

By ML "Young- my DH thinks I move things for the sake of change. But there are so many arrangements which work, why be content to live with only ONE of them."

YES YES YES This is so true. I so enjoy simple changes. Even a color change from winter to summer or whenever I feel like it.

AND

" Moving stuff is a piece of cake. Doesn't cost a dime. Every now and then, I point this out to my DH."

I must remember this statement next time I get comments from DH. Heheheheheh So true.

Chris

Young Gardener, I like your trim and admire your energy! When it warms up, I will be doing the trim in my kitchen and family room, so I, too, will need a nail gun. Thanks for the product review. I have hands that do not like to grip for long, and wrists that bend too much, so yours sounds like it is worth looking into.

Chris and ML, I grew up in a house where we rearranged the furniture every few months. Whenever Mom was cleaning floors, you could look forward to a new configuration. In my first marriage, we would regularly switch sides of the bed, just for kicks. Getting stuck in our ways limits our possibilities. Nowadays, though, I do tend to pull out the graph paper and make little colored boxes the size of the furniture and try that first.

So true! So true!

I find myself swapping out curtains with the seasons, and I keep a few extra quilts in the linen closet so I can swap those out, too. Things feel stale to me quickly. I'll have to use your "it's free to rearrange" comment on DH. :) That will make him laugh, for sure. He's so good natured about my craziness. I'm fortunate.

You're right about time, too. We've been in the house for almost 4 years now, and our plans for the "remodel" have changed SO much over that time! I think the more you live in a space, the more you see what you want and need from it. I have a giant stack of notebooks and file folders where I keep my inspiration pictures and draw out my plans for the house. Most nights, that's how DH finds me when he walks in the door at night-- sketching ideas for the house. I like to plan them in 3D on software, too. He says it's my hobby...and I think he's right. I've actually gotten into the habit of keeping a tablet of graph paper in the car, too. Haha!

Nancy- How fun that must have been! My entire childhood, the furniture NEVER moved. Now, when I visit my parents, my mom always wants me to help her rearrange things. DH and I have actually lived out of not just the master bedroom, but our guest room too, to switch things up a bit. We seem to like it in the guest room better, so that's where we are right now. :)

marti- Next up is caulk and paint. (My least favorite part of any project!) I hope to tend to that on Saturday since DH will likely be working from home again.

Please, please post pictures when it's painted! I can't wait to see. You did a wonderful job.

that looks great! will be even greater when it's painted.

wow, you have energy...

can you post the model# in case I decide i need one? I have a regular/heavy duty staple gun but don't think my hands can work it anymore.

I just found a ryobi small drill for about 30.00-haven't bought it yet but will next trip over there I think.

Captain Safety here. I applaud anyone willing to dig in and DIY, especially women. A lot of the tools available today bring what used to be 'men's work' into the realm of woman DIY'ers, too. My only caveat is to be careful, and learn all of the safety stuff that comes with those tools. Nail guns can be very dangerous, as can any other tool used improperly. Learn how to use them, follow all the safety stuff, and wear the appropriate safety equipment, always. I've worked around machinery and tools my whole life, and seen the kind of damage these things can inflict. This has been a public safety announcement. Now- you go, girls!

Jay

Thanks for the public safety announcement, Jay.
I've avoided using a circular saw because I do not feel in control of it. I am left handed, and everything about those saws is backwards to me. So I leave it alone. My favorite power tool is the reciprocating saw, like the Sawzall or Tiger Saw. And the small B&D hand held grinder. Those tools are ambidextrous. I think I might get the hang of the nail gun, but like you say, those things can be dangerous. Even the least powerful model for small brads can hurt you. BUT, I might just get a small one, to learn on.

On the DIY channel these days they have some female contractors with shows of their own. There is a lot to know about building things from the ground up, and I really wonder how they got their knowledge and skills. It pleases me that the young women of today are taking advantage of professions or trades once regarded as male only. If I had it to do over again, I'd try to be an architect or a civil engineer.

Thanks Jay. I do appreciate your concern. Deserved here. Friend was here visiting awhile ago and brought me the smaller version of skill saw I can handle. And screw gun. Like ML and Steph I have hand control issues. I think the saw and drill are Ryobi. Hesitate to say I am loosing my grip. Hehehehe Take that as you choose.

Anxiously waiting on paint pictures.

Chris

ML- They do make left-handed circular saws. For some reason, most battery ones are left-handed, most corded ones are right-handed. I use my battery Milwaukee saw, which is left-handed, all the time now. It's also light weight (but very pricey!)

OHHHHHHH I did not know the battery saws were left handed. No wonder I get along with it so well. Another dominant leftie here.I use my right hand almost as well as my left. I AM left handed.

Chris

Shades, us Lefties do have our problems with some tools, but I think we have been forced to develop ambi-dexterity more than right handed folks have. Still, if I can get a powertool that is made for lefthanded use, it helps a lot to find the on/off button, and to be standing in a spot where I can actually SEE what I'm doing.

I did not realize that the battery saws were left oriented. I have a small battery saw which my DH used to cut the Lexan panels he installed in our sunporch. It went slow enough to not screw that job up. It was given to me as a safety award many years ago, uses those Varipack batteries I think they are called. If I'm not mistaken, that is made by Black and Decker? I also have a small hand held grinder of theirs which served me well grinding down corroded areas on the boat I worked on.... a long time ago because I retired 11 years ago...and it was easy to use because it had a good long "pedal" you mashed with your whole hand, not a trigger, and you could access it with either hand. Unlike many tools made to expire quickly, this one is still going. I plan to use it to carve a squat totem out of that tree trunk behind the garage.

Hope I did not lead the thread off topic too much, but it is still about tools and projects.

Thanks, Jay! I'm always up for good safety advice or words of wisdom. I'm certainly learning as I go. Let's just say my fear of nailing my fingers together (or worse) led me to read the manual twice before starting. Call me paranoid. :)

Glad to have other lefties around! I agree completely with the circular saw...it gives me chills. My dad was s HUGE stickler about safety, which has left me convinced that I'll cut my leg off with the circular saw. ;)

On a humorous note, my little brother, whose childhood nickname was "Crash" and who once nailed his fingers together with a nail gun while working on a construction site in high school, grew up to major in safety management. Too funny!!

I should have the paint pics up tomorrow night. I caulked, filled nail holes, and sanded this weekend. However, most of my weekend was eaten up with a journey to purchase a hutch I found on Craigslist...another project!!

Oh Hahahahaha Paint will always wait. Best to jump on Craigs list in a hurry when you are looking for some thing. We will be here patiently waiting.

"I've avoided using a circular saw because I do not feel in control of it."
me too! and I also appreciate the PSA Jay!

if it weren't for my hands - trigger thumbs and shaky at times and being weaker than in yrs ago I'd do a lot more woodworking/projects. As much as I'd like to use and have need of a saw, I think it's something I should not do...

Young- That's so interesting...what you said about sleeping in your guest room. Since you posted your house plan, here and on the kitchen forum, I've been thinking that your master bedroom/library would work beautifully as a dining room or family room.

I know you only have three bedrooms, but maybe you could open up the room a little more to the living area and then make it a bedroom again, if you ever decide to move. It's just a thought, but it would increase your living space, quite a bit. If you open up the wall between the kitchen and current dining room, your home is going to feel huge :)

LL, what you suggest to Young about opening up the kitchen and current dining room, is exactly what we (read ME) want to do too.

We already have a 5 foot wide doorway (French doors removed) between dining/living room. An equally wide opening on the other side of the dining room shared w/ the kitchen is all in a line, but I don't think it will look like a shotgun house. I plan on a very small little 42" high bar, a two seater you might say, to screen the cooking side of the kitchen. The tall pantry on the other side will sort of screen the sink/fridge side of the room. The light will be awesome then.

On paper just taking out a wall doesn't seem to add much to your space. But to the eye, it makes a very big difference.

LL-
How funny that you mention that, because we've talked often about doing something like this. In fact, several years ago, we talked to a cabinet maker about cabinets and removal of the wall between kitchen/master.

For me, the one big drawback is the odd placement of the third bedroom. By that, I mean, someone will have to trek through the living area for the bathroom. But, perhaps the good outweighs the bad.

Let me know what you think. You have a way with these things, for sure!

ALso, I got your message on kitchens and am trying to mock up my understanding of the idea. I'll try to post it.

All- Work kept me late tonight, so I don't have a finished pic. I suspect primed walls aren't interesting to post. LOL!

Also, I thought I posted it before, but I don't see it. SO, the nail gun is Arrow ET200. Off to grade papers and whatnot...

Oops! There is a mistake in the one above. Try this one.

Young- For some reason, the first thing I noticed on the second plan, is that nice big closet, in the new master bedroom! Can you 'turn' the little closet, to make it a linen closet, in the hall bathroom?

Do you have to have three bedrooms? What I mean is, do YOU have to have three bedrooms? I think that bedroom, off the kitchen, would make a beautiful sunroom/breakfast room! Maybe open up the wall to the kitchen, with the idea that you could put it back up, if you needed three bedrooms later, or decided to sell.

I know all areas are different, but in our area, without a family room or full basement, most people want two bedrooms and maybe a den. For three bedrooms, they usually have kids and want big family/kids spaces.

It's a beautiful plan and I think it would work out wonderfully for you and your husband! The screened porch is lovely and the front porch would be perfect, for accessing from the sunroom/breakfast room, first thing in the morning, IMHO :)

Young- I just realized, if you made that bedroom a sunroom/breakfast room...you could take out the door, on the right side of the fireplace...and put in matching bookcases!

That would look so cool and maybe give you room, for a chair and maybe a small ottoman, in front of the bookcase :)

I was just looking at your inspiration pictures and the third one shows the fireplace with matching shelves, on either side.

It would look so pretty, to put the columns (close up, in picture four) on either side of the opening, between the living room and new dining room, with the french doors, to the library, beyond. What a beautiful space...not to mention, accessing that lovely screened porch :)

Young, I notice that you have the name SQUIRREL COTTAGE on your drawn plan. I think that is a wonderful house name. In fact, you can probably find an illustration from some Beatrix Potter story with a nice little squirrel house illustrated. If I notice one, I'll be sure to upload it here.

I've been looking at your plan, wonder if perhaps there could be a half bath, just tiny, to serve that 3rd bedroom. It could also be your AWAY room from the rest of the public space, and even serve many purposes with a Murphy bed raised up. A large bed that you don't frequently use takes up a whole bunch of space, so getting it out of the way is a relief in small homes.

I will post back when something comes to me. As LL asks, do you NEED 3 bedrooms or just the capacity to make some room a 3rd bedroom in the future?

Boy, I just starting thinking about how far off topic I've pulled us. Sorry, guys!

ML- I hadn't thought of Beatrix Potter pictures. That's a great idea. The name actually came as a longstanding joke. DH calls me a squirrel because apparently I remind him of the little squirrel on a mission from a kids' movie (Ice Age?). I do have a habit of chasing my little "nut" of an idea when it comes up. Anyway...the bedrooms. Ultimately, in the short long run, we will need three, due to kids. My family visits from out of town on a regular basis, and they typically fill 2 bedrooms at a time, so we could do 2 now, but three doesn't hurt. We certainly could look into a murphy bed for one room. DH loves those. I love the idea of an away room, which is how in invision the library. A half bath over there would be aweome, and would be great for guests. Perhaps I could carve space from the kitchen? Just as a matter of perspective when thinking, the kitchen is 19' from front to back. OH! Or, maybe I could put one between the kitchen and office? That room is really long and narrow, so perhaps that would lend some balance by shortening it. Hmm.

LL- I like the idea of having balanced built ins on each side. I wonder if there's anywhere I could move the door. I'll play with that, because having a second built in would solve the TV placement issue. Somewhere, I have a few other versions of the plan, where there are different kitchen options (with exterior doors). On one of them, I put a shallow pantry type wall along the kitchen/DR wall. As the plan is above, there's no family storage space.

I looked at the actual walls this morning before work, and I think I could carve out part of the larger master closet for a linen area that opens into either the hall or dining room. We did actually try to open that bedroom's closet into the bathroom when we started the bath remodel, but it couldn't be done (something to do with piping). Boy, it would've been nice though!

On a happy note, someone is coming out do to some finishing work on the bathroom we've been working on, so I should have pictures in a week or two. I can't wait! The main bathroom has been under construction for under three years. (I'm more than a little red cheeked about that since I'm the one who started the demo with such gusto.)

And for fun, I'm linking part of the inspiration behind "Squirrel Cottage."

Here is a link that might be useful: Squirrel Cottage Inspiration

Young- I really like the idea of balancing out the fireplace, with more shelves. It would be a good place for the TV.

By entering the kitchen, through the 'new' dining room, you would have the option of opening the 'old' dining room to the kitchen and making that back/laundry/breakfast area your third bedroom.

It would be a nice place for a powder room, if possible and maybe a murphy bed. It wouldn't have to be an every day bedroom (kids love to share rooms, especially when they're young) but it would make a nice overflow/guest room.

A kitchen that opened up into the 'old' dining room would make a beautiful keeping room...and since you have access to the screened porch, through the library, you don't need a door in the former laundry area.

Don't forget that they make some nice sleeper sofas and futons these days, for temporary guests, too. If you make it too comfortable, they don't want to go home! Seriously, your house has so much potential, I'm looking forward to seeing what you plan to do next :)

LL- I'm going to share the line "your house has so much potential" with DH. He bought me this house right after making me his bride, and I think he wonders why at times. I remember telling him "this house has so much potential," followed by a rambling about how I loved that it was small. Now, when I say, "gee, we need more storage" he hears "gee, we need a bigger house." Sadly, that's not what I mean. If I can just get this worked up, I think he'll love it.

ANYWAY, here is a modification I worked on. I'll try to mock up your back bedroom idea, next. :) Oh! I couldn't figure out a way to add doors to the linen closets. Picture them as linen built ins, with a mixed of solid and glass front doors, in keeping with the age of the house. One opens into the hall, the other into the master bath.
You're too sweet, by the way.

Below: Moved door to bedroom, added linen closet, columns, built in, and 1/2 bath; reduced office size and doubled up built ins; reconfigured kitchen a little bit and moved the kitchen wall to increase bedroom, allowing for new door placement; had to shift french doors to office; access to backyard from kitchen, allows food to go straight to the screened porch for dinner. Also, I made the windows floor to ceiling in the office, but you can't really see that. :)

I was thinking...perhaps a bathroom near the backyard might be handing for little potty training tushies some day?

As for shared bedrooms, I'm a big believer in that. :) It's warm here in GA, so I think we'd be able to use the screened porch as a "play room" often.

Young looks like a great plan to me.I have found storing the guest room linen in the guest room removes the need for so much linen closet space. We have a 5 by 6 walk in closet and you might not be happy bumping a linen closet into the corner of it. Maybe just use some of the second smaller closet in that room for linen.

You draw up nice plans. Love the porches. Great idea to have half bath close to the back yard. I use ours all the time and do not worry about the dirt tracking through the house.

Thanks for the feedback, Shades! I really like your idea about where to store guest linens. That makes so much sense. Our current closet is 3.5x4 or something weensy like that. Looking at it, I think you're right. I might lose more space than I anticipate by wedging in a linen closet. Maybe I could put some linen cabinets over the washer/dryer for extras, and put each room's sheets in it's own closet. Master towels could go in the master bath. I'd have to rig up a place for towels for the main bath b/c it's closetless. Maybe I could build something into the washing space for that?

Young- I love your idea of using a built-in for the linen closet! That was something I was thinking of doing in my plan, because the doors to the coat closet and linen closets were opposite each other and almost bumped together. Built-ins are so nice in an older home :)

The powder room, by the back door, is very handy. The only thing I would even think about changing (and it's probably too expensive) is to put the half bath, between the kitchen and bedroom...returning your library to the original size. If you could bump a few feet forward, in the new bedroom, more even with the living room, you could do something like this...

This would allow your dining room table to be centered, again, move the door to the bedroom, from the corner of the dining room, to the edge of the kitchen...making your dining room more balanced. The powder room would be handy to the kitchen and bedroom...and a little more private for guests, until it is one of the kids' rooms.

One other thing...while I love the french doors in the away room, I'm not so sure I love them in a child's room. Maybe a window seat would be a better (and safer) idea? You could always put a window seat in the other bedroom (with bookcases on each side) when they get their own spaces.

I love porches, so I got a little carried away. Hope you can read this...and again, this is just one of many possibilities :)

{{gwi:2068549}}

Young- There is one other possibility, depending on your building codes, resale, etc. Instead of closets on each side of the window seat, you could do armoire storage. This is from Sarah Richardson's farmhouse. There's hanging storage on either side of the 'guest bed' and drawers underneath. The cabinets could be much taller, without the slope of the farmhouse, she had to work around. Just another idea :)

{{gwi:2068550}}

Lav- I love the look of "built ins" for closets. I hope we can go with that cabinet style for the mini closets. I think they'll look like less of an "addition" and more of a furniture piece that way. Great inspiration pic! I played with your idea for the bathroom, and I must say...It certainly helps make the bedroom feel less misplaced to me when I see it with a bathroom. I wonder if I'll miss the kitchen space? I stole a few feet from the kitchen and one from the bedroom. I, too, worry about doors and kids. I'm trying to find a way to work in DH's desire for doors to the porch. Perhaps I could swap the living room windows out instead.

here are some door thoughts...

Young- I like the way you added the bathroom (with shower) and found the space, without having to add on an addition! Very creative :)

If your DH wants french doors out to the porch (more gracious than the front door?) then I would definitely put them in the living room.

The bedroom/away room is not part of your public spaces, so I think it would be back to the front door only, during parties. The french doors in the living room look very elegant and balance out the french doors into the library.

For the bedroom/away room, I would go with the built-in storage and a window seat. So much cozier...and it will keep that room from being a walk-through room, to the porch.

Nice plans, by the way. I like your software. It's so nice to see a 3-D version. What kind of software are you using?

Want to ask a question, what is your concept for the "master patio/garden"....is it a private area?

If so, I would recommend that you place the shower where the toilet is now, and make it possible to view the garden while you are showering. Take the linen closet out from that spot. Move the bathroom which has the tub, down, so you can have that entire wall as a closet. This will give you two real closets in the master. The linen closet could then be placed as the end of the long master closet, in the spot behind the door from the hall.I would not have a door open into the walkin closet, but instead make it a 24 or 30 inch bifold. Allow at least one side wall of the walkin closet to have a 24 inch space to get more hanging room for your clothing.

Now then, since I've said move the bathtub down, I suggest that you also take the closet shown in the nursery and the space that is shown as the bedroom door with an awkward zigzag hall (you'll never get furniture in there believe me), and just shift the bathroom down that space. That bedroom's closet would be only 24" deep, so the doorway entering the bedroom must not be more than 24" wide as drawn on this plan. So instead, that whole area should be for the sink and toilet, with the tub sitting in front of the window turned as it is shown in your plan.

Now, what you have is a 14 x 14 bedroom, but I think it would be fine to turn the laundry 90 degrees and have a stacking unit facing into the hallway on the level where it is now. In this spot, it could share the plumbing lines with the bathroom, a more economical arrangement. And venting a dryer is always something to consider when you put it on an interior wall. The closet would be just behind it on a straight line, about by the upper edge of the window shown there. In this case, the door to the bedroom would be about where the washer is shown now, and you could have a straight line to the master bedroom door. The nursery would be 11 x 14, with a good closet, and that is plenty of space for a nursery....or a child's room.

Want me to draw it out?

I also think that your master bath should have its full dimensions, and not give the extra foot to the breakfast room. The breakfast room won't miss the foot of space with dimensions of 7 x 13 feet, but the bath space is critical.
If you don't mind my saying so, there is not much room for the john in the way it is shown now, and it would really feel cramped standing in front of it. However, a shower in that spot would look fantastic, and be a focal point in the room with a long window overlooking the garden. At the other end of the bathroom, the toilet can remain turned in its original orientation, and all plumbing would be in one wall.

Your master bedroom at 14 x 17 is a nice comfy size but I do not see where the nook is? I would definitely have the wall opposite the headboard solid so a piece of furniture could be centered there. Some folks will have a TV in that spot. So I'd slide the bathroom doorway down toward the bedroom door a wee bit, and/or slide the bed a wee bit more toward the French doors, to gain enough solid wall space. To center the bed on the windows, you'd then need to move them some. Is that a problem with your exterior look?

Just a few thoughts. How you live in your house can make a choice work or not.

"it could share the plumbing lines with the bathroom, a more economical arrangement"

I was thinking the same thing when i saw her layouts ... also with the doorway into that end bedroom - straight in where the w/d is shown would really be better. especially for getting any furniture in/out of the room!

I also like your ideas for the mstrbath - putting a shower only in there will give more room - with a tub just a few feet away it'll hopefully workout.

young gardener, this year when we redid our basement (sorry no pics or anything yet...I'm so behind!) we built a murphy bed down there for a "guest room" that serves as a bar when it's put away. It's so hard to take pictures down there, but I'm hoping to blog about it soon so I'll be sure to link you when I finally get it up. I don't know if you were interested in building it yourself but it wasn't too bad. They make some very normal looking sleeper sofas now of course :) I think your house is huge! And very charming, you've done a great job.

Young- So, how does DH like the plan? I think you've done a wonderful job, working within your existing foot print. When are you starting the kitchen remodel?

If you changed the doorway, from the dining room into the kitchen, to an archway...and made that wall longer, opposite the new hall bath...could you fit in a hutch or buffet? It would be nice to have a serving area, in the dining room, for fancier dinners :)

I really like the changes you made young gardener. Good idea too about the bathroom, LL.

Young gardener, in this thread you have a picture that shows your master bedroom in the middle of the house. Was that room originally a porch? It looks like there is a window between it and the living room.

It seems like a good place for the 3rd bedroom, and the front room a dining room. I always wanted French doors in my bedroom that opened onto the patio.

When the kids were home, and our hall bath was often a mess, I often wished for a guest bath, or really just a half bath. You could do that and still have all you want.

Hey, everyone!

I didn't get this posted last week....and now I can't find the picture I'm trying to pull. Please ignore the "add ons" in this; we were just dreaming BIG. Really, I'm just posting it to see if I got the laundry where I understood ya'll were suggesting it.

I measured, and the linen closet is currently 41" wide and deep enough for the washer. So, by shifting the wall into the bedroom about 15-18", I can fit a side by side set up and end up with a small WIC in the bedroom. That's the portion this shows.

Marti- That is the house as it is now, if you take out the french doors between the master and the library. (They're a plan, not yet installed.) It's my understanding that the bedroom was the original den. The wall between the Master and library is actually the original exterior wall. The library was a porch, so it has a lower ceiling than the rest of the house, which keeps us from opening it completely to the other rooms. You're spot on with my "guest bath" concerns. I'd like them to have a place that isn't cluttered with bath toys. :)

ML and LL- I've mocked up your ideas but don't have the files on this computer. I'll try to get to them this weekend. (I'm knee deep in our bathroom remodel, and I've just started coursework...all while trying to work full time. WHAT WAS I THINKING?)

Enigma- DH has always wanted a murphy and would be thrilled if I worked one in. I look forward to seeing your place!

ML- The master patio would be designed to be a private space. DH's brother is a landscape architect, so we were going to have him work up a design that we could put into place. Right now, it's a dead zone in the backyard. :) I have a pic on the other computer with the shower swapped...I'll post it when I get back to that workstation.

Really, the biggest challenge is working with the exterior walls. If you drew a box around the library, you'd have lines on ALL exterior walls. That's why there is an akward change in the shape of the master bath, where the bath shrinks near the toilet. If we bump that into the library, we'll have a ceiling height difference of 2-2 1/2 feet midshower. I'll need to get creative with that.

As for DH, his response to every plan is "Good job, honey!" So, ya'll are my sounding board. THANKS!!!

Young-un, as far as I can tell, the laundry is now in a really fine spot. It will give you a straight shot to the nursery, and adequate space for your laundry as well.
That was the one thing I felt was creating a tough situation for moving furniture. (Believe me, I love to move furniture and don't like to knock the corners off of walls. :)

I love your house. In case I didn't say so before, it will be quite cozy and comfy and give you spaces which can serve different purposes as you and your family grow and change.

Young- If you switched the rooms around (from other thread) could you put in a butler's pantry, between the dining room and kitchen? That would be very nice...if it fit your lifestyle :)

Thanks, ML! You guys have brought our thought process SO much farther than when it was just DH and I trying to solve this.