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As part of a kitchen makeover, we're considering removing the wall that separates the kitchen from the living room (see photos below). Right now we have a 15' x 20' living room and a 12' x 20' kitchen. If we remove the wall, we'll have one rectangular 27' x 20' room with no offsets. After looking at the photos, is it something you'd advise for or against? Would the floor plan become too open?
This is a ranch style house with a hallway leading to bedrooms and bathrooms. The plan is to expand the island to include overhangs for bar seats to sit under. We'd let the couch separate the living area from the kitchen. There is no formal dining room, as you can see the table on the right side of the shot from the kitchen.
I've visited this site many times in the past while searching for various topics, but am a new member. Would appreciate any advice and insights any can give, especially those who may have done something like this with a similar floor plan. Thanks in advance!
27' isn't too big by modern great room standards. But I feel that the flooring should be the same if you remove the wall. Keep in mind that you won't have that additional wall for arranging furniture. If you plan to use the back of the sofa as a divide, plan to use a sofa table.
The entire area would get new hardwood flooring. As for the wall, the entire span of the house is covered by trusses, so no walls are load-bearing. I would actually have a licensed contractor do the work, who would, in turn, bring in a licensed electrician handle the rerouting of the wiring. This is just one part of a larger home remodel, so he'd be here doing the other work, regardless.
I"m no expert but I know it's not safe to just go around knocking walls down. How do you know it's not a load bearing wall?
^^^^^This. Not so sure I would open it up. Something about the flow would bother me. Also you have to think about the ceiling. Its textured and hard to duplicate where the wall was. This is my opinion but I wouldn't want someone walking in the front door and seeing dishes in the sink etc. I personally like the divide and it has somewhat of an open feel with the cut out.
^^^^^This. Not so sure I would open it up. Something about the flow would bother me. Also you have to think about the ceiling. Its textured and hard to duplicate where the wall was. This is my opinion but I wouldn't want someone walking in the front door and seeing dishes in the sink etc. I personally like the divide and it has somewhat of an open feel with the cut out.
The builder has cautioned me that matching the texture (or at least the mud color) might be a challenge, and that painting the ceiling might be necessary, or (in a worst case) re-texturing the entire area might be required.
You bring up a concern that I have, the concern that has led me to ask for the opinions of others. My fear is that the fact that there is no vaulted ceiling and no offsets might make the area look "plain" or "unfinished". Given that it's a mid-90s ranch style and wasn't designed as an open floor plan, I don't want the open plan to seem "forced", if that makes sense. We'd really like to have a couple extra feet of space in the kitchen, though, and removing the wall is the only way to achieve that. Well, either that or build a new wall that aligns with the other hall wall (hall is 3' wide). That would squeeze the living room a bit too much, though. The absence of a wall would give us the flexibility to change the amount of kitchen space and living room space we have, any time we want.
The plan is to expand the island to include overhangs for bar seats to sit under.
When you say 'island' are you talking about the cabinet island thing or the area where the chairs are? I think if you put a peninsula right where the wall is now where the chairs are, and hung up some pendant lights above it, you'd have a nice division from kitchen to living room, but it would still have an open feel to it.
When you say 'island' are you talking about the cabinet thing or the area where the chairs are? I think if you put a peninsula right where the wall is now where the chairs are, and hung up some pendant lights above it, you'd have a nice division from kitchen to living room, but it would still have an open feel to it.
I hope that made sense. I'm a little sleepy.
The little bar that is mounted to the wall would be discarded and the cabinet island would get a new top that overhangs 1' on the living room side and 1' on the end nearest the dining set.
The peninsula is an interesting idea that might work as a compromise. I too, am up way too late. I may ask you some questions about how to implement that a bit later. Thanks for the suggestion.
Also you have to think about the ceiling. Its textured and hard to duplicate where the wall was.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jungle Jim
The builder has cautioned me that matching the texture (or at least the mud color) might be a challenge, and that painting the ceiling might be necessary, or (in a worst case) re-texturing the entire area might be required.
Fallingwater brings up a good point about the ceiling. Now that I think about it, I don't think it's worth the expense. You will have to retexture the entire ceiling (trust me, it will all need to be done) and all of the flooring. That's a huge expense.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jungle Jim
You bring up a concern that I have, the concern that has led me to ask for the opinions of others. My fear is that the fact that there is no vaulted ceiling and no offsets might make the area look "plain" or "unfinished". Given that it's a mid-90s ranch style and wasn't designed as an open floor plan, I don't want the open plan to seem "forced", if that makes sense. We'd really like to have a couple extra feet of space in the kitchen, though, and removing the wall is the only way to achieve that.
It really won't look right unless you do a full kitchen remodel that has a cabinet layout that is more appropriate for an open great room. The wall isn't your problem. It's the garage door that's the problem. That's why you feel you need a few more feet in your kitchen.
If you didn't have the door there, you could redesign your kitchen to have a peninsula, which would better separate your kitchen and living room in a more appealing way than that little island you currently have in the kitchen.
That litlte makeshift bar with the chairs in the walkway is also making it feel cramped. Do you really sit at those stools? It looks more like a catch-all area than an eating area. I'd leave the wall, remove the little eating area and get rid of the stools.
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