So I announced the big news that we’re M O V I N G down South at the end of the month. Things are providentially falling into place (I guess it’s the right decision then?! – thanks, God!), but I feel like we have to do things at lightning speed starting NOW!
Once we get details like…
…setting up a renter in our beloved townhouse (*tear*)…
…arranging for packers and movers (hallelujah we don’t have to do this ourselves)…
…settling on a temporary apartment (so the current tenants can move out and so the renovation can get underway)…
…and picking an actual move date (sometime the end of the month?!)…
…then we can throw ourselves head first into figuring out what in the world this house is going to be transformed into!!! Here’s a reminder of what the house looks like:
a 1300 sq ft, 1920 cottage, just perfect for our first reno
Shall I share with you the chopped up, non-sensical, in-need-of-some-lovin’ current floor plan? Here we go:
a little wonky, huh?
Yes, there are 2 front doors.
Yes, the best room in the house (front left with the big bump out bay window area) is currently a bedroom.
Yes, the 2nd bedroom inhabitants have to access the only full bath via the master bedroom.
Yes, the kitchen is way underutilized (and totally needs to be trashed).
Yes, the house is totally closed up, making it feel much smaller than it is.
We’ve got some work to do, huh?! I have a number of reconfigurations underway, but I really want to get a pulse of what a future renter/owner would want out of this place. I have my biases on what “must be included”, but I don’t know if I speak for the majority.
Can you help me out and answer some questions?! Let’s remember a few things to help guide your answers:
- We’re doing this on a shoestring budget – I mean, enough to get it done right, but it’s not going to be a super high-end renovation
- It’s a 2 bedroom house
- It’s only 1300 square feet (if that!)
- We’re not sure if we plan to either rent it or sell it when we move, so it should appeal to both types of people
- We want to open up the floor plan so it feels bigger
QUESTION 1: Is it the “kiss of death” to have a 2 bedroom house with only 1.5 bathrooms? Or should we really try to work in a full 2 bathrooms, with a dedicated master bathroom and a 2nd bathroom to be used as a common bathroom?
QUESTION 2: In a master bathroom (or the only full bathroom), how important is it to have two sinks?
QUESTION 3: Given the small size of the house, how important is it to have a back door? Or would it be okay to access the back of the house (potentially parking, garden, patio) by going through the front door?
QUESTION 4: If we have a back door, how awkward would it be to have it accessed through a guest bedroom/office/kid’s room?
QUESTION 5: How do you feel about eat-in kitchens? Meaning, putting a kitchen table and chairs in the center of the kitchen in lieu of an island? (This would replace the need to have a separate dining room area.) Example:
a suzanne kasler masterpiece...but a trend that we'll regret?!
I would love any feedback or suggestions on those questions!!!
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Congratulations! How exciting. I have a few thoughts in response to some of your questions above:
1. If you live in close proximity to family and friends, then I would say you might get away with 1.5 baths; but if you have any expectation of semi-frequent overnight guests, I’d seriously consider a second bath. It was something I stuck to my guns about when we bought our house even though there were so many beauties I wanted that only had 1.5. It has been an absolute necessity in ways that we never could have predicted.
2. Two sinks would be terrific, but not a deal-breaker for a small home; I’d skip the effort if it doesn’t fall into place and budget easily.
4. I would not put a back door in the second bedroom — especially if you have visions of it becoming a nursery.
5. I think I love the idea of an eat-in kitchen! But consider how you use your kitchen and how you like to entertain. If you’re a blow up the kitchen kind of cook and an impeccably set table kind of hostess, you may not be happy with it.
Can’t wait to see how it all progresses!
Given the size of the house, I don’t see why 2 full baths would be necessary, unless the full was still only accessible through the Master. Two sinks shouldn’t be a deal-breaker either – it seems like more of a luxury. I think you would love having a back door, but not if it had to go through a guest room/office. Perhaps you could build some add’l steps off the porch on the side of the house with a stone path to the backyard? I can’t wait to see what you decide to do!
I have been helping my parents renovate and flip/rent homes (of all sizes) for years. Here’s what we have learned:
QUESTION 1:
Short answer – no. True answer – you want 2 separate baths. you only need a shower in one bathroom and a tub/shower in the other but we will get money rental/final sale money this way.
QUESTION 2:
In a small house – not a biggie. It’s nice but it seems to be more important to have counter space and storage (for the ladies).
QUESTION 3:
According to the codes in most areas – you MUST have a back and a front entrance. Period.
QUESTION 4:
That is a potential safety concern for parents. Try your hardest to relocate it to the kitchen or pop a small mudroom on the back.
QUESTION 5:
Eat in kitchens are the norm. However, remember that renters will have their own furniture and so, be careful of having too structured of an eat-in area.
Lastly, the front issue is actually incredibly common in cold weather homes (I live in Alaska and you’d be hard pressed to find a home without this feature). In AK, it’s called an “Arctic Entry”. The theory is that people enter into the enclosed entryway and trap the bulk of the cold air there – helping to keep the living area of the house free from cold drafts.
How interesting to learn about an “arctic entry”! I wonder what the original owners were thinking…a heat entry? Humidity entry?
i can’t believe it.
my mom had flatware in gold and exactly like that.
i grew up with it.
x
Yea for renovations of 1300sq ft 1920′s homes! I am looking forward to commiserating together;) I am jealous you get to complete yours in above freezing temperatures. Can’t wait to see your before and after shots. You are going to turn this into a gem!
How exciting! I can’t wait to see the before and afters! As far as number 4 goes, our garage’s entrance to the house is through our guest bedroom and I absolutely hate it. I can’t wait to renovate and add a mudroom/laundry room. I would do everything I could to avoid having a back door connected to a bedroom. Good luck!
My comment on the eat in kitchen. First when you have a party where does everyone congregate. the kitchen?
We built our house 20 years ago and always eat in the kitchen except holidays when we eat in both rooms because of the crowd. The rest of the year our dining room is where I cut out fabric, do puzzles with the family and sometimes my son studies there. A hole room for this? I also have a friend in Denver who has designed and built 2 fabulous 12,000 square foot homes with the dining room in the same room as the kitchen, it is just one huge room with an island between them.
Hope this helps,I say go for it.
I love it! Especially the last photo. It looks very elegant. The white paint, the curtain, the furnitures it’s all perfect!