We’re still holding off on taking you on a full virtual tour of our soon-to-be new home (you know, until the deal is 100% done and we actually live there). But we thought we’d give you a sense of what we’re gonna be working with thanks to this rough floor plan that we threw together with the use of floorplanner.com (it’s a free service, btw). Everything is approximate since we’re borrowing from the measurements that we took during the inspection and copied from the sales flier, but here’s what we’ve got (the washer & dryer are stacked in the small mudroom off of the carport):
*There aren’t measurements for the smaller spaces like the bathrooms or hallways, but the total square footage for this house is around 2,500 square feet
The funny thing is that if you look at our current house’s floor plan it might seem a bit familiar. We always said if we built onto our house we’d love to add a nice bedroom with a true en-suite bath (since our current casa only has one full bath in the entire house and nothing attached to a bedroom at all) and we wouldn’t mind somehow creating a larger family/living room (we’ve always longed for a casual and comfy sectional but our current house just wouldn’t accommodate one thanks to the long narrow family and living room layouts). Sherry has also always had serious island envy and lo and behold, the new house could actually support one of those as well. In other words, just talking about it gets us all geeked out and excited since it’s kind of like a combination of our current house and a few more things we’ve always wanted.
We’re just so thankful that after some pretty rigorous searching we finally found this baby. In fact it has nearly everything going for it when it comes to our parameters (great school, great location near family, a lush and lovely yard for Burger & The Bean, within our budget, etc) except that it’s admittedly a tad bigger than we had targeted.
We like living modestly, making spaces multitask, and most of all not having to clean a huge house. But at around 2,500 square feet it’s nothing too crazy, and we’re sure we can grow into it and take the entertaining brunt off of John’s poor sister (who currently has a 3,000 square foot house so the whole crew always ends up over there- and as fun as that is, we’d love to be a place where the family gathers as well). We figure a bit of extra space couldn’t hurt in that regard, since the average get-together for us is around 10-16 people (and we can currently seat just 6 people at our dining table that sits in the corner of our living room). Plus there are more DIY projects to take on. Ha.
But anyway, here’s how we envision adapting the floor plan to make the house work best for our family (we’ve highlighted the descriptions that have changed in green, but we’ll break things down a bit more below the floor plan for ya):
You’ll notice that we’re thinking about:
- converting the carport into a garage (thanks to a sweet credit the sellers gave us)
- turning the modestly sized dining room into an office, and even adding pretty french doors to separate that area
- converting the formal front living room into an entryway with a casual dining room slash library
- adding a large doorway leading into the kitchen from the new dining room/library
- making one bedroom into a playroom/future nursery for kiddo number two in a few years (we’re waiting a while), making the second one into Clara’s bedroom, and turning the third one into a guest room for family & friends since they stay with us pretty frequently (upgrade: they’ll now have their own small bathroom to use, instead of having to share one shower with all of us).
- adding an island in the kitchen and widening the doorway that leads to the former family room…
- …which will become our one and only living room- we’ve learned that three rooms with sofas in this current house (the living room, den, and sunroom) aren’t necessary for the way we live, and the formal living room just doesn’t get used. So creating a nice large casual living space with a sectional and lots of room will hopefully make our house into a place where everyone gathers, which is a huge goal of ours. And the more spacious kitchen that’s centrally located (which is soon to be open on all four sides) will definitely help create that airy, welcoming, accommodating feeling for large groups like our huge crazy family.
- creating an amazing double sided fireplace since the back of the fireplace in the kitchen can hopefully be blown out so there’s also access to it from the living room.
Update: One change we decided to make after posting this but before moving in was to use Bedroom #1 (the smallest closest bedroom) as Clara’s room and turn Bedroom #2 (the larger middle one) into a playroom/second kids bedroom. Bedroom #2 will probably end up being Clara’s big girl room and our second child will move into the nursery (Bedroom #1) in a few years when he or she exists.
Of course we won’t do any major work (knocking down walls, building an island, fully gutting and renovating the bathrooms, blowing out that fireplace, etc) before we live there a little while and we’re sure it all makes sense for the way we actually end up using the house. We’ve never subscribed to the knock-down-walls-and-refinish-everything-before-moving-in way of life since we never would have come up with the close-off-a-door-to-gain-a-bedroom-and-a-whole-wall-of-cabinetry-in-the-kitchen plan that dawned on us only after living in our house for about six months. But we will jump right in with things like painting the walls, kitchen cabinets, trim, and doors along with switching out light fixtures, other hardware, and beginning to slowly but steadily furnish the place in a casual, affordable, and kid-friendly way. It’s honestly all I think about these days. I have about 500 tear sheets, notes, and other inspiration piles surrounding me at all times. Is it mid-December yet?
LauraC says
Hey Sherry,
I’m curious how leaving your new washer and dryer (that you got just a couple years ago) in your old house and buying a new set fits with your frugality. I mean, I know you can ask more for a house if you’re leaving all your appliances, but the thought of having to lay down a couple grand (or even one) out of pocket for a new set wouldn’t seem very fun. I know you have good reasons for everything you do, but was just still trying to wrap my head around this.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey LauraC,
We wanted to sell our house quickly and for a good price in this market, so we look at things like our existing appliances as sweetening the pot. Plus the fact that our new house comes with a stackable unit already (which we can use for a while until updating during a big appliance sale) and the fact that we don’t have to haul our big heavy appliances with us when we move worked for us. But it’s totally a personal decision.
xo,
s
Randa says
Regarding all the “bad press” the washer/dryer are getting:
I have a stackable washer/dryer set in the house I currently live in, plus had them in the last house. I don’t mind them at all, and I’m only 5’4″… so there is hope :)
Jennifer says
I love the floorplan! I have a question. After painting, how will you decide what you will tackle first? I know you mentioned several things you’ll want to do but you’ll want to get a feel for the house first. But how do you prioritize such a huge list? Do you tend to try to tackle the larges projects first (knocking down walls, blowing out fireplaces, etc.) or smaller things that you can get accomplished faster (painting cabinets, putting in an island, furnishing, etc.)?
We have a small house that we’re renting from my parents, so we can’t do any structural changes, but I’m having a hard time focusing on whether I want to tackle the tiny and more affordable entryway first, or whether I’d rather save up and tackle the more expensive living room furnishings and decor first.
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
As we mentioned in the post, we never do big things first because we like living with a space for a while to see if our initial ideas work (and seeing if we come up with something better in that time). So we’ll do things like paint the walls and cabinets and slowly furnish rooms while taking on smaller tweaks for a while (which also helps us save money for things like the more major changes). It’s really about going slow and steady and taking things on as you’re confident and ready. Good luck!
xo,
s
Miranda says
I love it! Especially like the dining room switcheroo.
I look at a lot of Floorplans online while trying to figure out what to do with my current space or how we might like to grow. I nix any that don’t have an ample mud room or at least a closet at the entries. (I live where mud and snow rein 9 months out of the year!) I’ll be curious to see if/how you address this.
Krysta says
Two thumbs up for the master bedroom “wing”. I’m sure Clara (and future beans) will thank you. I grew up in a ranch home where the bedrooms all shared walls…I’m scared for life! :)
Bree says
I love the new house floor plan and excited to see the planned changes in process! Best wishes to your family!
Ashley says
This is a wonderful floorplan. I’d love it for us…Question:
Were the sunroom, family and master bathroom an add on from the original floorplan?
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, they were added in the 70’s.
xo,
s
schmei says
I am inordinately excited for you two. This has totally washed away all sad feelings I had about you selling this original “This Young House”, because now there will be so! many! projects!!
Lisa says
Our master bathroom is set up almost exactly the same, shower and toilet on one side, closet on the other, sink in the bedroom in the middle. It takes a little getting used to but I love it now. I can brush my teeth while my husband is using the bathroom in the morning without having to wait! Consider putting a small rug in or bath mat in front of that sink though, just to keep the feet warm and dry in the event of spashes. Plus, it anchors the sink wonderfully.
schmei says
Eep! I Meant “YHL”! I didn’t mean to type the Name Which Shall Not Be Mentioned…
Christa M says
Hey guys! I just came across a project idea which may or may not work for your new house, but if you reno any of the bathrooms that have those Hollywood style light fixtures, this is a really cute way to re-purpose them!
http://www.krylon.com/projects/home-decor/recycled-votive-candleholder/index.jsp
I have those light fixtures in my bathroom, however I am in an apartment and don’t think the property management would appreciate me re-purposing their fixtures ;)
EnjoY!
Beth@Just{Heart}It says
I just want to comment on one of the earlier comments you got on this post about not sleeping your (possible) future children next to Clara’s room. I have two boys that are almost 4 years apart, and from the time the youngest one was 3 months old we’ve had them in the same bedroom. We don’t have to – we have a guest room we almost never use – but we’ve chosen to have them share a space. My older son has night terrors frequently. This involves screaming often in his sleep. The younger one has never been awakened by it. I also have a friend who (at the time) had 8 kids in a 3 bedroom/1300 sq. ft. house. They had to sleep all the kids in 2 rooms. Their house situation was what it was.
All that to say, you do what works for you. Don’t pussyfoot around your kids and mold your house or lifestyle to them. Instead, mold them around your expectations. They WILL rise up to meet them, This world (and especially our country) is full of people giving their advice to you (see, even I’m giving you mine), and often that includes giving our kids everything they desire, including their own space. But I’m saying, do what you want/need to do. Your kids will turn out fine because you’re raising them how you believe is best, not based off someone else’s opinion.
Laura (Blogging Over Thyme) says
Not sure if anyone asked this already, but do you have any plans in mind for the curb appeal? Painting the shutters or any landscape work?
Love looking at the floor plan! When is the official move-in date again?!?! I’m so excited! Haha
YoungHouseLove says
Oh course! The landscaping and curb appeal will definitely get tackled when it warms up in the spring for planting and exterior painting season. As for the move in date, it’s sometime in mid December if all goes well. Cross your fingers for us!
xo,
s
Kaitlyn says
The house I grew up in (colonial post and beam) had a very open floor plan. The front door opened right into dining room and kitchen (there was no wall separating the two zones). Its such a great set up, especially if you plan on entertaining. Since people always congregate in the kitchen anyways, it just makes sense. I wouldn’t worry (not that you are) about it being an awkward set-up, as other people are suggesting. It wont be.
Plus, in the end, its your house, not ours!
MP says
Not to make this too highbrow, but have you ever read any anthropology books about domestic spaces? I read one for a college anthropology class, and it talked about how a room’s distance from the main entrance is in proportion to how public or private the space is. For example, in more traditional house layouts, you have the public areas (formal living room and dining room) close to the front door, the kitchen the next room you reach (semi-public), and the family room that you actually use next (private). The bedrooms are put furthest back from the main entrance or on a different floor. Often times the master bedroom (considered the most private room) is the furthest in walking distance from the front door. It’s neat to see that pattern from old 18th century houses to those built in the 1950s to even current houses. Having said that, like you, I’ve never set up a house exactly like that, I just do what I want! One piece of advice on the dining room being the first room – I have my dining table next to the door most people use (technically the back of the house, but people use that door a lot), and everyone dumps all their stuff on my nice, clean table whenever they walk in. It kind of grosses me out because that’s where I eat, and I don’t want your grimy cell phone, keys, handbag, coat, etc all over it. So I advise having a “dumping” area/table by your front door to take care of this, or they’ll go for your table!
Victoria says
Congratulations! It’s so fun to follow your story. I’m moving in mid-Dec as well. But, we are going to have a standing-up champagne party as soon as we get the keys next week.
Sadly for me, I have a day job, and I’m so distracted by the day job that I can’t concentrate on the move — and so distracted by the move that I can’t concentrate on the day job! Ha ha!
Jill says
This is too funny! We just put in an offer on a house and are going to change the formal dining room into a study and the formal living into an open living/dining area like you guys are!
Our house is 80’s boxy so we feel we have to do some major renovations before we move (not to mention there is awful stained carpet throughout that needs to go). I am going to try to take your advise and live in the house first before we start on some of our others plans. I’m just not a patient person!
JessieBelle says
Looking good, Youngsters!
This question may of already been asked in an earlier comment, I’m not sure. But I was just wondering how you guys are going to handle the holiday’s, what with moving and all. Are you just going to wait and put your tree up at the new house, or are you even going to bother with it all this year. (I wouldn’t blame you. lol) Are you going to put lights on the new house or just do basic decoration (stockings and what not at the new house.) Are you just going to wait until you move to wrap everybody’s presents? I’m curious. Moving is horrible enough, I can’t imagine doing it RIGHT in the middle of the Christmas Season. ugh.
YoungHouseLove says
We’re decorating twice! Once for the first two weeks of December in our current house and a second time in the new house, just to celebrate being in! Wahooo!
xo,
s
Sheryl J says
I love the whole plan. The dining room is a little big, but with your current console table, a little sitting area, and the bookcases, it should fill out nicely. IM SO EXCITED FOR YOU!
Paula/adhocmom says
Congrats! And I admit I’m envious! Open houses in Brooklyn have been a bit dismal. But we will soldier on. Please send us some good housing Karma from Virginia. We need it.
xx,
Paula
hi-d says
You guys are so incredibly organized and on the ball! WOW…I can’t wait until you move in and we get to track all of the changes you make! Have fun!
Erica @ Erica's Inspirations says
Yay! I’m so glad you posted a layout! I am HUGE space planning gal and LOVE to see floor plans! I think it is a FANTASTIC idea to convert the front living room into a large dining room! I’m picturing a large rustic farm table with funky contemporary chairs?!?!? I guess I will have to wait and see. :)
oh…and you get a walk-in-closet! Score!
audra says
i am SO excited for you in the purchase of this new house! i can’t even stand the waiting until we get to see actual pictures of the place! i’ve been a huge fan of your blog for a while now and am so eager to see what you do to your new home. a little jealous, yes, but i will live vicariously since we have no need to move any time soon. here’s hoping the time flies for you!
Rebecca Foxworth says
You keep sounding almost GUILTY for buying such a “big” house (and it is big…I live easily in 1,600 square feet: husband, dog, 2 kids, no basement…but we’re in CA and are outdoors quite frequenlty), but it is not only your home, it is your place of employment. It is where you spend the majority of your day. You spend ALL DAY there. 2,500 square feet is
1.) in no way unreasonable
2.) probably cancelled out carbon-footprint-wise by your lack of work commute
3.) lessening the chances you will have to move again soon
Enjoy your home. I’ll bet it will perfectly fit you!
Lindy says
I also recently moved and I see that you guys are considering using a sectional in the new house. This is also something that I have always wanted. Will you guys go with a corner sectional to break up the room or a sectional with a chase? I’m considering using a corner sectional to break up the space from the foyer but I’m concerned about the flow of the room. It’s really big so I think it will work but I would like to hear what you think. Also do you eliminate end tables with a sectional?
YoungHouseLove says
We’re not sure about what sectional we’ll go with- although we do like the flexibility of a symmetrical L-shaped one that can serve as a right corner or a left corner sofa so it will work in a variety of ways and can be more flexible- especially in such a large room. We probably wouldn’t have two side tables but would opt for a sofa table behind one of the lengths of the sofa along with a large ottoman or round coffee table… but who knows! We just take our time, try things out, and see where we end up.
xo,
s
Jessica says
I know whatever you guys do will look awesome!!! You could probably tell me you were putting the master bedroom in the kitchen and I would just know you could make it work! lol I love the larger opening from kitchen to future dining area. I could just imagine how connected it would feel if you had a large gathering that required using both the dining and kitchen table. Cant wait for more posts!!!
kayakgirl73 says
I hate my stackable washer/dryer. it’s awful, it’s the older type of model and in a very small room off of the kitchen. I ope you can get new machines soon.
Chicago Cuisine Critique says
Looks like it’s going to be a great house. Can’t wait to see what you all do with the place. Congrats! :)
Jenny says
Those are some great plans! I’m really excited for you and can’t wait for it all to happen!
Rachel says
Absolutely fabulous! It looks like a great layout for your needs. I can’t praise the master bedroom location enough! We have something similar; we’re on the same level as our four children (ages 6 & under) so we can still hear them and get to them easily, but we’re down a hall and across the living room. We call our master bedroom/bathroom addition our “hotel suite” because it’s so nice and private. It’s good to have your own space as busy parents of a young one. Best wishes with the move. I’m excited to see pictures and see your ideas come to life.
JessieBelle says
You’re decorating TWICE!?…
You’re making me look bad! :-P
lol
Are you going to do posts about how you’re handling/going about your double decorating? :)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh course! We post about what we eat for breakfast. Not really, but we’re oversharers in general. If we’re decorating, you’ll hear about it!
xo,
s
anna see says
You have made this “floor plan geek” a happy girl today! I love the new house and am so excited to get this kind of peek into it!!
Dana says
I am such a floor plan lover, so this post makes me smile. Really looking forward to seeing what you do with the space – always an inspiration!
nita says
hi guys,
i am so excited for you! i have tried to sell my house through realtor 3 times over last 3 years, with no results. i cant wait for your tutorial on how to fsbo effeciently. may be that will work for us.
congratulations for all three : new baby, new house and selling old house yourself.
Jen says
That floor plan is a-ma-zing! What a perfect, open layout. I cannot wait to see some pictures!
nita says
hey, not sure what that area is between the master bed and guest bath/s. it looks like its a wooden open porch. may be you can close that whole area between master bed and guest bed, and use it as a playroom, or office or storage for your artsy things.
i am nuts about playing architect myself , so just sharing my 2 cents..
good luck!
Katie says
This is what I’d do, since I know you don’t mind a kitchen overhaul:
http://www.floorplanner.com/projects/20334434-yhl
YoungHouseLove says
So fun Katie! Thanks for the floor plan! Unfortunately that wall between the living room and the kitchen used to be the exterior of the house before the 70’s addition of the living room and the master and the sunroom, so it’s load bearing and can’t be removed. But we definitely want to widen the opening for a nice airy feel!
xo,
s
Annalea says
If it works with your aesthetic, I’d love to see you guys use some of Ana White’s plans from Knock-Off Wood (now http://www.ana-white.com). I can’t wait to see what you guys do with your new place!
Ellen says
That looks awesome! How exciting. :)
Michelle says
So excited for you to get started! The transformations will surely be amazing! I think as your family grows you’ll appreciate the extra space. We have 1700 for our family of four and I wish it had just a smidge more space. And our formal living/dining room is in the front of the house and is unofficially the homework/study/play/Wii area! Anyway..congrats and let the wild rumpus start!
Tiffany says
Thanks for the tour!!!!!!!!!!
XOXO,
http://outfitidentifier.com/
bridget b. says
very cool. love the new ideas already! are you guys planning on making Clara’s new room similar to her current nursery or into a “big girl” room?
i have a baby a month older than yours, and i’ve been looking forward to your promised post about evolving the nursery as to meet the needs of a growing kid, especially when it comes to anchoring furniture/ decor to the walls as the little one starts to pull up.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Bridget B,
We definitely will keep some if not all of Clara’s furniture in the interest of cost but of course things like the wall color or the accessories and bedding can be altered for a whole new look. We do plan to perform a ton of babyproofing in the new place- so stay tuned for that info as promised in a month or two.
xo,
s
Erin @ Two Story Cottage says
I could look @ floorplans all day. It is fun to see what you guys came up with! I have no doubt you will make it all work! Can’t wait to follow along on your journey. This makes me want to trade my two story in for one story. :)
Kate says
As soon as I saw the dining room, I thought “That would make a great office!”. It looks like great minds think alike, haha.
I love the floorplan, and wish we could find a similar house. Though if I lived there I think I’d need to close off the area with the sink in the master bathroom because I hate having to open a door between the toilet and the sink (it just feels gross to me), and because I hate my husband seeing me brush my teeth (yeah, I know, that one is odd…).
Kim T says
So wonderful! I can see why it is “the one.” I cannot wait to see the progress along the way. So jealous and excited for you!
Ruth says
Love the new plan! The area of the kitchen between the island and the hallway looks not-very-useful to me, though. Are you really ever going to walk around behind the island and go out that door into the hallway when you’ve got convenient exits into dining room and living room already? Depending on the load-bearing situation, maybe you can entirely remove the walls on that side of the kitchen and just leave the 2-sided fireplace more or less “freestanding”. Or, wall off that doorway and put in cabinets and counter space like you did in your current/previous house. Or, oooh! Walk-in pantry!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Ruth,
We’ve definitely talked about that. It’s a really charming view from the front door down that hallway to the back of the house, but who know what we’ll end up doing after we live there a bit and get our bearings!
xo,
s
Nell says
Hey John & Sherry –
I just toured a house where the front door opened into the formal dining area and the homeowners were really smart about the decor!
They had a big round table in the middle of the room, but they positioned their upholstered chairs around the perimeter – creating small seating areas for when the table wasn’t in “dining” mode. They also put 2 chairs in their living area to keep the dining room less cluttered. I should mention that their 8 chairs were upholstered in pairs using 4 miss-matched but coordinating patterns (something I can definitely see you 2 doing). Also, they used their built in bookcases and wall shelves to display their china – instead of a space-sucking china cabinet.
At the end of the tour I actually asked the realtor (who happened to be related to the homeowners) where the dining room was. The room totally had the feel of a grand foyer – so charming! Hope this helps!
Kimmy says
I like the idea of getting rid of the formal living room. My parents house used to have 3 sitting rooms and I always felt like the formal never got attention. I would go sit in there sometimes bc I felt sorry for it (strange, yes I know).
The library/dining room is a great idea. You could have the table, and then by the window, have some nice high-back chairs to sit and read the newspaper in every morning. Can’t wait to see it! Congrats.
Lauren says
The floor plan is great! My husband and I have the same problem with the sink the bedroom. It was weird for about 2 weeks then we got over it plus we have 2 other bathrooms to use. Although 3 years later we are ready to wall it in and do a complete gut job of the bathroom!
Thank you for all your inspiring ideas!!
Sarah@StyleandCentsability says
The plan looks perfect for your family. I totally agree with you about ditching the formal living room. Also, an open kitchen is awesome. We knocked out our wall and we love it. See here
http://styleandcentsability.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/before-and-after-living-roomkitchen/