WE ARE NOT HISTORICAL!!! The City met their promised deadline for the Historical Review on my small window and door replacement permit. This is such great news. This means we can design a nice 2nd story on the house. If we were deemed historical we would have to a) create a Historical Report and b) would probably not be allowed to add a 2nd story.
Now I have to scramble and start designing everything and get floor plans to structural engineer.
I cannot remember if I loaded the new remodel for the main floor. My agent is having an issue with where the stairs are located to go up to the 2nd floor. Someone would have to go through dining room and around the powder room to get up to the master bedroom or the entertaining family room/deck. Most everyone else that comes over thinks it might be better that the stairs are located near the front door for guests that are coming over to go upstairs.
Another dilemma that I have to figure out really quick
Front Gate
Well, I went to the Architectural Salvage store today because I want to get the crew working on the front wall and front gate while waiting for remodel plans to get approved. I wanted to see if there was anything gorgeous that caught my eye that could be the ‘front gate’. This would be located at the pathway from the upper street.
I looked at a lot of old large iron scroll gates that had great patina and rust. But, I really fell in love with some crazy old double doors with rusted hand forged hardware and round iron heads on the wood. The wood is painted and old green with a really nice patina. They were expensive. I decided I preferred the wood gates for privacy at that front area because there is a public parking area above the house and I need to get some privacy for front yard and living room.
Also, the neighbor agreed to raise their fence up 6 ft on the parking side so that people in their cars or standing at the lookout cannot see across the top of their fence into the property and living room. We negotiated a trade. If they would put a 6ft fence up along the side of their property, I would not put up a 6 ft fence on the adjoining side of property. If I put up a 6ft fence, it would block their nice view from their garden out to the ocean. So, we did a trade off.
Came home with the heavy messy old gate doors and my carpenter thought I was absolutely nuts. He just couldn’t believe that I would pay for these old rusty things. Also, I forgot to remove the price tag!!! He is just going ballistic. But, I proved him wrong with the old piece of driftwood that became the fireplace mantel at Hoarder House. Hopefully I can do something artistic with these gates. My plan is to build a concrete block wall with two tall pillars for the gate - covered in stucco
So the neighbor is going to put the 6 foot fence where you show it in the last photo of this batch? It’s really going to look different in that area; I’ll have to come look! I love the pictures of the suction cups and glass panels - makes me think of heist movies where someone takes out a window then puts it back after.
“Most everyone else that comes over thinks it might be better that the stairs are located near the front door for guests that are coming over to go upstairs.”
I wholeheartedly agree with that suggestion.
Perhaps a second set of stairs located near the kitchen can go to the entertainment deck? So the new MB is not used as a conduit to the deck?
Could the stairs be where the pantry is now? The pantry could be under the stairs where the laundry is now drawn and the laundry and half bath where the stirs are currently drawn?
I suggest you have something else on the exterior of the house painted that patina green color, in order to make it look like they were an “intentional” choice. Otherwise they may end up looking look really out of place.
We don’t have enough room for a 2nd set of stairs going upstairs. The stairs won’t go straight into master bedroom, they’ll go to to family room area probably. Currently there’s a dumbwaiter that can take stuff up and down from upstairs so, hopefully they won’t have to carry food and drink around dining room and up the stairs. If I move stairs to pantry then the stairs would be in the kitchen and I’m not sure whether that is good design or not.
the dumbwaiter is still in play??
oh kay…
I dont see the benefit of preserving that design element. I think it will generate a "what the hell?"kind of reaction from buyers in the $1,500,000 range. And it could be a huge liability if a kid crawls in and falls.
I’d rather have a narrow set of stairs from the kitchen up to the deck than a dumbwaiter…
The dumbwaiter, as it is now, looks to be only about 20 inches deep and is in a bank of cabinets. Putting the stairs there makes them far away from the living room too. It’s just hard when your house is a bit sprawling to have the stairs be in the perfect spot.
We have a 4 foot diameter spiral stair going from our back patio to a second floor balcony. I have mixed feelings because it’s pretty steep and seems dangerous. I tell people - no wearing heels, don’t use it in the rain, not if your drunk, or even tipsy, not if you’re carrying anything, no texting while climbing, etc. A friend has the same spiral stair but less steep, and she fell going down it with her laundry. It wouldn’t be so bad as an extra stair though.
Do you need the powder room at all? Can people just use the old bathroom that was off the hall near the old Bedroom 1? I’m not crazy about how it juts out into the dining room.
For some reason, the powder room looks like it juts out in the floor plan layout. But, half of it is actually the existing cabinet where the heater is located. The furnace is going to be relocated up into the tall attic so that it can serve main floor and new 2nd floor. The wall sticking out towards living room is the existing wall that creates the arch entry to the dining room. So, the only portion of the powder room that is ‘jutting’ out right now is the portion that sticks into the dining room. It juts out about where that old corner cabinet was in the dining room. But, the kitchen is going to jut out 2 ft into existing dining room to make more room for kitchen. This is going to cause us to rebuild one wall of the coved ceiling to make sure that the dining room maintains it’s character. Dining room is currently 13 x 13 and it will become 13 x 11. A 6 seat round table needs 54" to 60" diameter plus about 48" to 72" for chairs. So, I’m hoping that 11’ will be wide enough for a decent dining table. I’ll try to take some more pictures to help visualize it.
So, you have to leave kitchen hub of house and walk through dining room, through arch entry, through entry area and into hallway to go up the stairs to 2nd story. When guests come, they would turn right into hallway and go up stairs. There will be a powder room up in the family room area also (hopefully, haven’t even started floor plan)
Yes, we could get rid of powder room and guests could use the large hall bathroom. But, if a family wants to stick kids in that room there’s no hope that the bathroom will be clean and pristine all the time
I’ve already said this way back in the thread, but I lived in a house with the kitchen and main living area on the second floor, with the main entertaining space on the first floor, and with a roof deck above the third floor for over 20 years. I had a dumbwaiter and used it exactly one time. Waste of money and space and a hazard to boot.
I have finalized the design for the front gate area. It will look similar to this with two tall stucco posts (to match the white stucco of the house) with the old gate. The remainder of the front fence will be 4’ tall and I haven’t decided between a wood fence or block wall with stucco.
I had a long discussion with my agent and we have to make critical decision whether to build 2nd story or not. I have thought long and hard about it and I am really afraid that the cost will sky rocket and go way beyond my budget. I have to make absolutely sure that the cost is worth the reward. I’ve never built a 2nd story so I’m really scared about it.
Single Story with remodel, view deck off living room and 2 car garage addition with 400 sq ft above garage = 2100sq ft. Master suite above garage with views over Mission Bay in the back. 3 bd, 3 full bath, 2 half baths, walk in pantry, laundry room, finished basement
2nd Story with main floor remodel, adds staircase up, master suite, small family room and view deck. 2600 sq ft liveable area (because there will probably be about 300 sq ft deck upstairs.
