Remodeling the Entire House



Posted: Friday, May 15, 2009

by Nazim Nice
Motionspace Architecture + Design

Often we're able to rearrange spaces within an existing home and make it work so much better than before. By opening up a floor plan, moving elements like stairs, and even moving spaces like bedrooms and living rooms, it's possible to create a plan that functions better for today's living. Here are some things to consider:

Let go of Preconceived Ideas

By letting go of preconceived ideas of how rooms should be arranged, you may be able to arrive at a better design solution. That may mean that the master bedroom needs to relocate to where the living room is located. Or moving the kitchen may solve many design problems. While the project is still early in the design phase it's easy to test these kind of ideas, so do this early on to arrive at the best solution for your project.

Consider Moving the Stairs and Fireplaces

It seems more often than not that stairs and fireplaces are not in the right spot. In some homes the stairs  are often too tight and dangerous to navigate. By moving the stair, it can often be designed to better connect different floors and also be a more comfortable design to make the stair safer to use.

Old masonry fireplaces are often located where it would be much nicer to have large windows or french doors to the outside. Or sometimes they are just much more massive than they need to be, taking up valuable floor space. With the advent of modern prefabricated metal fireplaces, it's possible to remove an old masonry fireplace, and install (possibly in a new location) with a smaller and more efficient fireplace unit.

Redesign to Eliminate the Hallways

Look at turning hallways into part of the space of the adjacent rooms. This is not always possible, but hallways don't generally make a house feel larger or more expansive. They generally are perceived as being wasted room. By connecting spaces to each other without hallways, you'll end up with a space that feels bigger and flows better.

Consider Using Green Materials

New finishes make up a large portion of a whole house remodel. Consider green materials such as low VOC paints, sustainably harvested wood floors, natural carpets, and other materials that do not off-gas. Use the remodel as an opportunity to incorporate as many sustainable materials as possible. This will result in a healthier livingenvironment with less chemicals off-gassing, and it is better overall for the environment.

Don't Forget the Outside

While the interior of many homes needs a major overhaul, often the exterior does as well. Consider new paint colors, replacing windows, doors, the roof, and siding. When adding new doors and windows, don't necessarily be constrained by existing openings. It can be easy to lower sill heights or even add french doors where a window was once located. Also consider adding architectural features such as dormers or an interesting entry canopy.

A whole house remodel is an exciting project to undertake because the result is often a new, fresh design that doesn't have any resemblance to the old home. By making bold design moves, rearranging spaces, and upgrading and renewing materials, an old house can be given new purpose and extend its useful life many years.
 
About the author: Nazim Nice is a Seattle Architect at Motionspace Architecture + Design PLLC and has over 12 years of experience designing residential and commercial projects. He is also the founder of Lumen ID, a company that produces custom engraved architectural products including custom engraved switchplate labels. Learn more about basement remodel projects
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