Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
lavender_lass

Before and after plans for Old Farmhouse

lavender_lass
13 years ago

I hope you all don't mind, but I'm going to try this again. I should have made a "before" of the farmhouse, as it looks today. Then you have something to compare with, for the "after" :)

The before is the original farmhouse, with a 1950s addition (the living room/bedroom side). The attic stairs come up from the back (by the main bath) and there's a narrow pantry, that leads to the 'scary' cellar steps. The old bath needs to be completely redone, as does the porch, but I think the foundation is okay...the roof is just pulling away from the main building, in both areas.

The living room fireplace is beautiful (antique looking rose red brick) but the little master bath is a disaster. The front door makes sense (in relation to being in the middle of the original house) but not with the addition.

The after has the front door moved, with the stairs going up from that side...and new 'non-scary' basement stairs! The living room is no longer a walk through room to the bedroom and I combined the two small bathrooms into one nice, big one...also, better closet space, in the bedroom.

The porch has been opened up to the kitchen, as the new dining area. Also, there's a small addition on the back, for the pantry, laundry and 1/2 bath. The other, most notable change, is the wall is gone between the old dining room and kitchen, making a much bigger space.

I did add some small air lock/vestibules on the front and back door, for storage and to keep the heat in. Ideally, if I can afford it, I would put a glass/screened porch on the back, instead of the small mudroom, for storage in the winter and to sit out (without the bugs) in the summer!

Also, I've included a close up of my kitchen plan (with woodstove in the corner) which is kind of an french farmhouse/english cottage mix. Think rustic but bright (lots of windows) with cream cabinets, and a work table in the center. Love the french blue and soft yellow together, with lots of plants and lavender!

The dining room photo has all the colors, I want to use. I love the kitchen photo, but I'd have a white sink, with antique brass faucet and hardware.

So, here's the before and after, with a few inspiration pictures. What do you think? Any suggestions? Thanks for taking the time to look!

{{gwi:1416709}}

{{gwi:1518830}}

{{!gwi}}

{{gwi:617005}}

{{gwi:1518828}}

Comments (13)

  • Annie
    13 years ago

    Looks great!
    A lot depends upon which walls are the weight-bearing walls. But I like it.
    The bottom photo with the white and blue is my cup of tea. Mmmm. Light and fresh.
    I love that deep window sill. Those are not too common in the USA - such is the pity.
    Love the old-looking farm sink and copper faucets - a nice French Provincial kitchen. I can't have copper fixtures with our hard water, but it we could install a new filtration system to clean and soften the well water then I could. Oh...so beautiful.

  • lavender_lass
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks Annie! Nice "seeing" you :)

    I love that white and blue, too. If you couldn't have copper, I couldn't either (hard water) but I really want a white sink, with antique brass hardware. Saw that combination with the blue and white, years ago, and it was just beautiful together.

    Have a great Thanksgiving!

  • Shades_of_idaho
    13 years ago

    Lavender_lass I have some software I can send to you if you would like it. I never even tried to use it. You can email me through GW and I will watch for it.

    What you have done here looks good. It is really hard for me to see some of it as I have crazy eyes. I do love your line drawings though. Are you an artist?. Like ML said it looks like you have already moved in,. I did the same kind of drawings when we were considering building a shop house. Sigh. It did not happen but was a great dream.

    Chris

  • lavender_lass
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Chris- You are such a dear! While that is a very sweet offer, I think I'm getting a little something for Christmas :)

    Thank you and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

  • User
    13 years ago

    Hello, SweetAnnie, and welcome to the neighborhood. Our footprint on the earth is smaller than some, but we manage to LIVE LARGE.

    Oh yes, that French kitchen is a classic. I've thought about copper fixtures in the kitchen, and mostly decided to stick with stainless to match the appliances....BUT I do love copper pots. I also found some copper trays which I use for flower pot saucers, or for service boiled crawfish or boiled shrimp and crab. That is the way they do it in south Louisiana, and I like their style. I think I saw a bunch of copper containers in Pottery Barn home cat, and Williams Sonoma cat recently too.

    Lavender, if you get software for Christmas, please review it for us, so we know if it really works. I have Sweet Home which is free download, unless you wish to donate to them. Haven't figured it out totally, but did "furnish" our Alabama house. I even figured the square footage of that house, as it is now after bringing in the 10 x 10 sun porch and the 5 x 19 closet/bath bumpout, as being nigh on to 1000 square feet. By the time I redo the kitchen and add a wee bit to the master bedroom, another 180 sq feet, we will top out at 1180 feet. Or say 1200. Maximum.

    This is the floor plan I did with the Sweet Home software.
    I just upload it here to SHOW AND TELL. I won't describe what it represents on this thread, don't want to hijack Lavender's discussion.

    This is the two-dimensional plan.

    This is the three dimensional view

  • User
    13 years ago

    bump

  • desertsteph
    13 years ago

    'I think I'm getting a little something for Christmas'

    well, lucky you! sounds like you'll be too busy to use house plan software!

  • lavender_lass
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I'm actually working on a few changes, then I'll post the new plan.

    If I can find a basic software program (similar to using pen and graph paper) I'll be happy! Doesn't have to be too fancy, just something easy to use. Then again, I'm doing pretty well with the graph paper...maybe I should ask for garden stuff, instead :)

  • sandy808
    13 years ago

    Nice looking floor plan. I love the blue and white kitchen as well. I have a question for you......what are you planning for your dish storage area? The reason I'm asking is that we are now under construction and I have to finish my basic kitchen layout so we can frame the windows for the house (and get them ordered). The guys have figured out a way to sheath the house so the roof could go on, in order to give me more time on the rest of the window placement decision. I've really been wrestling with having optimum views with a good work/storage area. It's hard to get both. My husband would like the table near a corner of sliding glass doors, but that can put the kitchen work area relatively far away causing a marathon to set the table and clean up. Putting the table into the heart of the kitchen solves that but gives up the table isolated in the corner. (I'd have a wonderful sink and range area though). I have through the weekend to wrap it up, so trying to tap into others who have figured out some solutions.

    Sandy

  • lavender_lass
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Sandy- Can you show us a plan of your kitchen? It would help to see it drawn out :)

  • lavender_lass
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Sorry, Sandy, I didn't answer your question.

    I'm planning to put dish storage in the upper cabinets, one either side of the sink. Also, planning to put nicer china/teacups, etc. in the hutch, over by the dining table.

    I love the big pantry in the back corner...which will be used for storing some appliances (like the fryer and food dehydrator) more dishes, vases...and of course, food :)

  • corgi_mom
    13 years ago

    I, too, like the blue and white, esp. if you can tie the colors into your living room. Good luck!

  • lavender_lass
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Corgi- Thanks :)

    The living room is on the other side of the entry, across from the dining room...and has a huge brick fireplace (which I actually love and don't want to change).

    The little seating area in the kitchen is the old porch, just enclosed and added to the kitchen for kind of a 'keeping room' effect...at least that's what I'm hoping for (LOL) so smaller scale furniture and lots of yellow, blue, green and a little purple...and maybe a little pink or orange. I like a lot of color, since it was the porch and I still plan to have some plants and a lighter feel there.

    It's a loveseat/settee with two chairs, that are actually small enough to use with the dining table for bigger groups. I also have the two chairs at the work table...so with leaves, the dining table should seat eight comfortably.

    Here's the latest kitchen plan. I'm back to the woodstove, but very happy with the decision. I got some actual facts and found out the woodstove will fit fine (with plenty of clearance around the walls and furniture) by adding a few feet to the length of the porch. Easy enough to do, since this is being pretty much rebuilt, anyway.

    {{gwi:1455503}}

Sponsored
Suzan Meredith Design
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars19 Reviews
Ashburn's Innovative Interior Designers 2x Best of Houzz Winner