A Charming Renovation
I know I’m a little weird because when my cousin called and said they were thinking of taking a wall down between their kitchen / dining and family room I got super excited. She wanted to know what I thought and if we’d be able to give them a hand. I looked at the inspiration picture and was all in.
There was a large arched walkway between the spaces and a pony wall with a large opening. The space was already open but taking this wall down would create a beautiful open concept.
Our only concern was making sure the wall they wanted to remove wasn’t load bearing. Monte took a look and didn’t think so. They also asked a couple of friends who didn’t think it was either. After the semi confident confirmations that the wall could come down the project was a go.
I know getting a little excited to knock down a wall is not normal. When the first piece of drywall comes off I’m all in and giddy. My cousins mother and father in law were stunned and horrified. They’re a great couple but obviously remodeling isn’t something they are comfortable with. We tried to comfort them but they were not enjoying the process. I know they love the end result just getting there wasn’t for them. I’m so glad I was raised in an older home that experienced many renovations. It’s one of my favorite things to do. Get dirty and create something great.
Getting Going
Their main goal was to take out the arched opening and pony wall and get rid of the headers between the two spaces creating a truly open concept. There was a lot of discussion about the header. The hope was it could come out. As luck would have it Monte is very adventurous and told them it wouldn’t be a problem. To be more accurate they’d deal with any problems and make it work.
They started with the pony wall and horizontal header. There are always surprises along the way like a wood header full of insulation. No matter how much you think things through there are always curve balls coming. Thankfully Monte is able to keep a cool head and can make things work. We actually bagged up the insulation and added it back to the attic after we got the ceiling closed in.
It was a little interesting dealing with the arched entry and flat opening above the pony wall. How the builder created this took a little maneuvering to get it down and out but nothing too crazy. By the time we left that evening the wall was down and we were ready to start repairing the damage.
Repairing the damage
This was a two part renovation. Besides taking down the wall they wanted to close in the arched opening to the play room and add a closet. They were foreseeing the day it would be used as a bedroom. Closing in the arch would allow them to add a barn door down the road.
Here’s my cousins adorable kiddos admiring the changes to their home. You can see in the back the arched opening to the playroom that was next on the list.
Closing in the Playroom
Closing in the arch was a simple fix. Monte added some 2×4’s behind the drywall so when the time came to turn this space into a bedroom they could easily add the barn door.
Building a closet while they were in the mess was a no brainer. They also planned to add new flooring so now was the perfect time. Creating a closet is a pretty simple addition to the space.
By the end of the weekend we had the wall down, the play room arch closed in and the closet on the go. Not bad for a Friday evening and Saturday project.
Getting ready for paint and flooring
The part we played in this renovation was getting the wall down, playroom opening fixed and closet installed. Monte did the drywall and mudding so their painters would be able to match the texture to the repairs then get painting.
Amazing Transformation
I am always amazed how different a space looks with a little renovating. Taking the wall down really opened up their home. This was the beginning of the mess because they were painting and changing out the flooring which was tile in the kitchen and carpet in the family room. It is hard to live in a mess but it is sure worth it in the end.
After we got the wall down and repaired they were on their own to make things pretty. They worked like crazy getting the tile up in the kitchen. I helped them with a few pieces while Monte was busy with other repairs. I was excited to see how easily it popped up. Sadly the 18 inch tile squares didn’t pop up in big pieces or super easy. On occasion you would get a nice big piece but it was a lot of work.
They worked so hard getting the flooring out so they could be ready for painters. Monte is amazing at drywall and mudding but we come from the land of smooth finishes on walls. It’s what we do and what we prefer. Since their walls and ceiling had texture the painters were finishing that portion before they started painting.
The flooring they choose is stunning. The difference it made in the space kind of blows my mind. I didn’t hate what they had before but tile gout is hard to keep clean. This beautiful laminate elevated the space so much and made an incredible difference.
The Beautiful After
I love the flow a few subtle changes created in this home. They created a modern classy space. They plan to paint all of their cabinets white but after this big a project and living in messy chaos for a while they are taking a break from projects. When they are ready to paint the cabinets it will complete their beautiful vision.