first floor renovation series

Not to jinx ourselves but the baby has finally started to take some longer naps and I have gotten caught up on client work.... SO I can get back to blogging! Its not going to be my finest work as I am still going on limited sleep but its a start!

As I mentioned way back in May, I wrote a first floor renovation series as we were undergoing construction. I wanted to give a play by play of the process and an intimate look of what a renovation actually looks like - not just the fun before and after reveal. To recap, we have been thinking about doing a first floor renovation for a long time (see this post, this post and this post). We weren't planning on undertaking anything before Jane was born but then I got to nesting... and worrying about the house being a mess with a baby. So somewhat on a whim, we decide to go for it. 

This is the original plan of the house (architect friends please forgive the crude drawing).

via THE PLACE HOME

The main goal of the renovation was to correct the awkward flow of the back hallway and entry into the kitchen. The kitchen was completely closed off by the hallway and the whole back of the house felt dark and cramped because of it. We also wanted the living room and kitchen to flow together creating a partial open floor plan that would make both spaces feel bigger and more comfortable.

This was the proposed plan we presented to our contractor the first week of January (dashed red lines show the existing walls).  

via THE PLACE HOME

The plan was pretty simple - basically just straighten out the back hallway and create new openings into the living room, kitchen and mud room. The new back hallway would also get two large built in cabinets to replace the pantry. Another built in was planned for around the flue of the chimney to create a focal point of the room and a spot to hang our TV. At this point in the reno, we had planned on not touching the mud room and just saving it for a phase 2. 

These images were taken the day before demo started - our official "befores" - dishes and bad lighting for effect...

dining room looking into back hallway

living room looking into back hallway

kitchen looking into back hallway - door into mud room

Want to read more? Check out one or all of these related posts.

resource review: the distinctive home
july 31, 2013

updates from the move
september 24, 2014

in favor of a distinct room plan
january 18, 2016

STL Post Dispatch

via STL TODAY photo by Roberto Rodriguez

If you follow THE PLACE HOME on Facebook then you already know that the STL Post Dispatch ran a feature on our home this past weekend. The article which roughly outlines our experience and approach to the design of our home also has 12 new images INCLUDING Jane's nursery and our first floor renovation! 

Thanks so much to the STL Post Dispatch! You can check out the online feature, images and (embarrassing) video here!

via STL TODAY photo by Roberto Rodriguez

repairing

Hey everyone! There is so much to catch up on! I am so behind on sharing the nursery and renovation projects that I promised and now we have another big project on the immediate horizon. I hesitate to even call this a project as I think repairing is a better term. A little over a week and a half ago, we got hit with a straight line wind storm which caused our neighbors giant old oak to fall on our house. I had just come downstairs with Jane - after another one of her seemingly preferred 30 minute naps - and was sitting on the couch playing with her. I had been in the dark nursery getting her to sleep for the previous hour or so and was unaware that it was even storming. Looking out the window, I remember noticing how crazy windy - like scary windy - it had gotten and before conscious thought could really enter my mind I heard a loud crash and I grabbed Jane and ran to the basement. Sitting on our basement steps, I could see out the dining room window that it looked like a tree had fallen on the west side of our house. I had no idea if it was a tornado or just a bad storm.

Shortly after the worst of it had passed, our neighbor called to check on us and informed me of what had happened.  Jeff made it home as fast as he could and I think was pretty shocked as he pulled up.  I had come up from the basement but did not want to leave Jane to survey the damage and with the power being out I quickly made plans for us to stay with friends. Jane and I departed and basically didn't return until three days later once power was back on and we knew it was safe to re-occupy the house.

I have to say it was one of the more terrifying experiences of my life and we all just feel so lucky that neither Jane nor I were hurt. As a new mom, I definitely felt a whole new sense to protect and to value what is most important. Jeff and I want to thank all the friends, family, contractors and neighbors who rallied around us to help out. We are both so grateful for all the support we received and just feel so blessed that the damage wasn't worse and that we are all safe. 

Below are pictures from the storm. We are currently gathering a bid to hand over to the insurance adjuster. We have never had a claim before and are really hoping we don't have an uphill battle ahead of us to get the funds needed. The majority of the damage is to the roof and attic space. There is a large wall crack in our master bedroom and then windows blown out in the office as well as the dining room and entrance. Other than that, we were very lucky that there was not more interior damage. On the exterior, there is the roof and supporting structure, gutters, stucco, trim and chimney to all be replaced/repaired. There are also numerous other smaller things like holes in our driveway that were created by the force of the tree falling. We have a good contractor lined up and the adjuster comes on Friday so we are hopeful that we can start work soon. In the meantime, we have cleared out of the office and our master bedroom and are staying in our guest bedroom. Now I am mostly worried about how to get our reluctant sleeper to nap with construction going on...

Want to read more? Check out one or all of these related posts.

metal seam roofing
july 7, 2014

exterior paint color
march 4, 2015

antique home style
march 13, 2015