We haven’t dropped in on this room since this put up from greater than a 12 months in the past about hanging our large chandelier (how is that potential?! The place did that 12 months go?!?!). This room in some ways has functioned nicely from day one for us – so I assume our rare check-ins make sense. We knew we wished this huge multi-purpose area to serve just a few completely different features like cozy film room, a spot to put on the couch and browse/lounge, workplace/workspace for us, and an arts & craft desk for the youngsters that might additionally retailer all of their papers & creations whereas having one other spot to retailer all of our board video games and all of our work papers. I do know. It’s a tall ask, however this can be a huge room, and as quickly as we moved in we knew simply the place we wished the TV (and heck, that’s pretty much as good of a spot to start out as any). There was actually one nice wall for it due to all the big home windows that fill the remainder of the room…
… and that helped to outline a pleasant cozy TV zone on one aspect of the room.
We basically used the opposite half of the room for an workplace/artwork/workspace for us and the youngsters, which has labored out rather well.
Pictures by no means do that room justice, to the purpose that just about everybody who comes up right here after seeing photographs on-line (or simply by way of texts from us) screams that it’s twice as huge once they’re standing there in particular person. If it helps to orient you, the rug you see the couch sitting on within the picture beneath is an 8 x 10! This room is round 25′ lengthy and round 16′ large. She biiiig.
This whole space exists on the opposite half of the room. Have a look at all that ground area. One other entire 8×10′ rug might be positioned proper right here with out touching the one within the TV zone.
That is the workplace/artwork aspect if you happen to spin round together with your again to the couch.
This view actually has come a good distance from February of 2020 once we purchased this home.
And right here’s a earlier than shot of the lengthy wall of the room, which got here with that fairly wooden therapy that we love, however the mildewed points alongside the highest wanted some consideration. This whole home didn’t have a functioning HVAC system (or any working water, like not even to flush a bathroom). It had been deserted for 4 years, so there have been numerous leak/mould/soggy drywall points that we needed to deal with on this renovation earlier than we might transfer in (you possibly can learn extra about that right here and right here).
Right here’s an analogous view now of this aspect, all cleaned up, and not slowly rising any fuzzy stuff alongside the highest edge the place that wooden wall therapy meets the ceiling. The entire too-damp drywall wanted changing, however fortunately that wooden wall simply wanted some scrubbing (and no moisture had collected behind it and molded – which was a small miracle!).
And because of three current adjustments this room has stepped it up much more within the storage/effectivity class. So let’s get into these three updates, extra photographs, and a video walk-through (which additionally provides you a peek at our firepit space in addition to our model new kitchen deck!).
Replace #1: Bringing These Bookshelves Up From The Kitchen
We had used these two large bookcases within the kitchen as a makeshift pantry earlier than we added one (they’re Fjalkinge bookshelves from Ikea, and also you add the drawers a la cart). You possibly can see our superb kitchen pantry replace right here and learn the way we earned rather more storage, deeper drawers, a spot for the microwave off the counter, and a cupboard over the fridge.
Shifting these bookshelves upstairs additionally permits us to make use of them for much more workplace storage than we had earlier than, which is nice! Mixed with the console that we added to the TV a part of the room (extra on that right here – it homes all of our video games and picture albums and mawkish stuff) this huge field of a room now has loads of nice storage for us, which you realize is my love language.
The bookshelves match rather well between the home windows on that lengthy wall, and their bigger scale is nice on this room (earlier we had some smaller issues on these slices of wall – which you’ll be able to see right here on this put up). And since we use the drawers for all of our work papers, receipts, tax stuff, and many others – it’s good that the youngsters have the drawers on either side of their desk for storing all of their artwork provides and their creations themselves (you possibly can learn how we constructed this desk utilizing cheap Ikea elements and some metal legs that we purchased on-line right here).
Replace #2: Getting Our Complete Home On Central Air
We additionally lastly discovered tips on how to route our HVAC ducts as much as this room (and over to our bed room!) so we now have one central HVAC system that providers the entire home! After we purchased again in Feb of 2020, we didn’t have a practical HVAC system in any respect (it wouldn’t activate throughout our inspection – which can be once we discovered the water needed to stay off attributable to numerous points/leaks). However all of us assumed (together with our contractor throughout our preliminary walk-through) that if we redid among the ducting & changed the elements we might obtain this factor that didn’t appear all that sophisticated: ducts that journey to all of 6 rooms on this 1400 sf home and blow heated or cooled air into them. How naive we have been.
It’s an extended story however the semi-short model (who am I kidding, that is nonetheless going to be lengthy) is that a few month later throughout demo we have been instructed by our contractor that there was a load-bearing header within the ceiling the place the ducting needed to move to attain this purpose, and we couldn’t lower that header or we’d threat hurting the home’s structural integrity. We basically have been missing a pleasant channel within the ceiling to get environment friendly practical central air to each room of our home like we thought we might.
To not be deterred, we acquired 3 completely different HVAC opinions, and all of them really useful both including a soffit that stretched throughout the sitting space of the kitchen (or including again the massive L-shaped one which we had simply demoed out, which you’ll be able to see within the earlier than picture above). Blort. The soffit would basically get our ducts the place we would have liked them to go so we might connect our bed room to the system in addition to popping them upstairs – however we actually didn’t desire a huge soffit infringing on our 8′ ceilings downstairs if we might assist it. All three HVAC professionals additionally supplied the identical various: if you happen to don’t need the soffit, use two mini-splits for the bed room & household room.
The household room mini-split rec was particularly stunning to us as a result of there have been three previous HVAC ducts that led as much as this household room in existence already – two of which you’ll be able to see within the earlier than pic beneath! However they have been skinny previous ducts that connected to our non-functional system. Though all of us assumed we simply wanted to restore them at first, each HVAC professional mentioned since we would have liked a soffit or a mini-split to handle the bed room attributable to that load-bearing header blocking our path, we would as nicely do a mini-split up right here because the current sub-standard skinny ducting that led up right here (which was all that they thought they may match) was not perfect both.
So we went for possibility two (mini splits within the bed room & household room) and we adopted their rec to depart the opposite 4 rooms of the home on central air because it had no situation reaching them and doing a very good job as soon as we changed the non-functional elements and rerouted some ducting (in our youngsters rooms the place we vaulted the ceilings we moved their ducts out of the drop ceiling and into the wall or instance). And that, my associates, is how you find yourself with three completely different heating and cooling techniques in a 1400 sq. foot, six room home.
The 2 mini-splits have been quiet and environment friendly so we actually don’t have any complaints concerning the precise operate of them besides that ours have been apparently outsized for our dwelling (which meant they cycled down and shut off on a regular basis) which led to humidity points. They dripped typically, had numerous musty odor points, and towels wouldn’t dry in our bed room however would dry within the different bedrooms with central air.
After which we got here throughout a photograph from when our home was torn aside for brand spanking new drywall, and the header we have been instructed was load-bearing didn’t look load-bearing to us. Minimize to us asking a special contractor, who confirmed (he had his structural engineer take a look at it as nicely)… plus we might see a generously-sized ceiling channel for standard-sized ducts to pop up into the household room! No extra skinny ducts up right here! No want for a soffit downstairs! And no extra mini-splits vital!
So sure, we paid to put in model spanking new mini-splits that we eliminated 1.5 years later and changed with central air (and needed to take away & substitute a pleasant huge channel of drywall within the kitchen ceiling beneath this household room to perform this). As a result of we’re that easy. *Insert that sunglass-wearing cool child emoji proper right here*
A minimum of we have been capable of promote the mini-splits… again to the HVAC firm truly! The lead man wished them for private use as a result of they’re tremendous back-ordered proper now and he knew we took actually excellent care of them as a result of they have been right here attempting to work on the leak/humidity stuff fairly typically – ha!
After he purchased them again from us, the fee for this whole replace got here in beneath $1,000 which incorporates the drywall restore within the kitchen that we employed out as a result of ceilings are notoriously laborious to get easy whenever you’re patching one thing (each imperfection exhibits overhead). And I’m completely satisfied to report that each the bed room and the lounge are extra snug than they was. Their temperatures have been hardly ever much like what was happening within the different 4 rooms when this home was on three separate techniques, and now they’re all rather more in sync. You may even name this home Justin Timberlake (I’m actually sorry. I couldn’t resist that one). The icing on the cake is that towels truly dry on the hooks on the again of our bed room door now. It’s the little issues.
So for anybody who’s fixing up their dwelling and finally ends up redoing one thing or altering instructions or pivoting months or years later… fixing up a home is never with out curveballs (particularly when introduced with new data or a greater method to one thing you’ve been attempting to resolve). Strive to not beat your self up about it and have fun your victory, irrespective of how lengthy it takes to get there. In fact we’d have cherished to have carried out this up entrance and never 1.5 years later, however higher late than by no means 😉
As for our mini-split expertise, we aren’t actually towards them in any respect – particularly in the event that they’re appropriately sized (we hear the humidity/dripping situation we had is usually brought on when the system is outsized and cycles down or turns off on a regular basis). However in terms of a 1400 sf home with six rooms, it feels nice to run one central air system now versus additionally working two mini-splits and an exterior fan on prime of that (all three of these gadgets are actually gone!). And solely having to take care of & service one system feels nice too, particularly since our drippy mini-splits led to fairly just a few service calls. Notice: it’s key to belief your HVAC professional – we discovered somebody with 25+ years of expertise and he was sure this method would work after attending to know our home extraordinarily nicely over many (many) service calls.
I’m simply now realizing the 2 vents we added upstairs aren’t actually that seen in these photographs so I’ll share some extra pics on Instagram Tales quickly for you (I’m at the moment trying to find prettier vent covers – will report again with no matter I get). One vent is true on the base of the TV cupboard, which you’ll be able to see within the background of the picture above. And one is on the opposite aspect of the room on the wall whenever you come up the steps (if the picture beneath had a foot extra of area on the left, you’d see it proper there within the wainscotting).
Replace #3: Shifting The Desk To This Window (& Making Fake Legs To Recess It Into The Sill)
We saved the unique legs for this desk (that we now have had for 15 years! Since earlier than we have been married!) and simply constructed little fake legs within the again, and that little replace allowed us to scoot it again about 7 extra inches to slide this into the windowsill for additional straightforward clearance.
It makes the desk nearer in depth to the bookcases that flank it, which feels actually good within the area.
Additionally if you happen to’re out there for a traditional parson’s desk that’ll stand the check of time – that is it. We’ve got cherished this desk solidly for a decade and a half and it’s so versatile – it might probably principally go anyplace (which is why we saved the unique legs – who is aware of the place it’ll find yourself in just a few extra years!). And that is our desk chair for anybody questioning. Gentle and strong. The wooden tone is good with our flooring too.
Whereas we’re praising issues we’ve had for a very long time which might be SO FLEXIBLE for a number of makes use of and spots in your house, these Fjalkinge bookshelves from Ikea are the GOAT. They will maintain plates and cups and cookbooks in a kitchen, crafting & artwork stuff in addition to dwelling workplace provides in an workplace or craft room, and books & decor stuff for any type of residing area.
Additionally, I really feel like individuals don’t put their desks in entrance of home windows sufficient. Like our intuition on this room was to position it BETWEEN THE WINDOWS but it surely’s a lot nicer of a view to look outdoors now – versus staring on the slice of wall between two home windows earlier than (you possibly can see the previous placement right here).
In plant information, all of them like it up right here since this room is filled with mild. Extremely suggest one in all these neon pothos to hold off any and all bookcases in your house. They aren’t even vegetation that want a ton of sunshine, however dangit they LOVE IT if you happen to do have it.
Right here’s a view I spotted you most likely don’t see typically since I used to be type of limbo-ing again over the stair balcony to get this shot. It was very swish and under no circumstances awkward trying.
And right here we now have our well-traveled Quirk cup, which moved with us from Richmond. Sure, it’s only a paper cup. However we painted the pink home this colour, absolutely influenced when John’s sister Carrie walked right into a Christmas social gathering just a few years in the past holding it. It’s very particular to us, two very sentimental non-coffee-drinkers.
As for the way we like our sofa after proudly owning it for over 3 years, the decision is that we like it. It’s nonetheless very snug. Appears nice. Feels good. I haven’t even needed to shave any tablets or something with my furniture shaver. It’s holding up extraordinarily nicely, particularly contemplating that we now have two children who watch TV the wrong way up on it – and had a bit pillow crushing canine who took nice pleasure in making non permanent pillow dents as his part-time job. Additionally I want they nonetheless bought this mirror. We discovered it at Pottery Barn Youngsters some time again I feel.
The chandelier is one other factor that’s laborious to get the dimensions of in photographs. Generally it appears prefer it’s greater than the desk (spoiler alert: it isn’t). Different occasions from different angles it appears like a tiny bowling ball. In actual life it’s huge and the room is huge so it really works for us. It’s greater than a foot over John’s head (he’s 6′) so no person is strolling into it.
And sure that’s our beloved air purifier within the nook there with the gray cover. It blends in so significantly better than the previous black cowl we used to have. We additionally get requested the place issues like trash cans are in our rooms. That woven basket beneath the chair on the best of the youngsters’ desk is that this room’s trash bin. As you possibly can think about it will get full of about 318 paper cuttings and snack baggage and band-aids every week.
I don’t suppose we present this angle a lot both, so right here you go. That white console desk was in our final home’s eating room, and the drawer is filled with spare mild bulbs and extension cords. You realize John requires a particular spot for these, proper? Additionally within the wish-they-still-sold-them class, these leather-based ottomans are from Goal perhaps 4 years in the past? I’m in love with them and want they’d carry them again.
Earlier than we go, I made a rapid video walk-through whereas this room was clear (John’s mother and pop drove down for a go to this previous week) and I typically suppose a video is price 10,000 phrases and photographs mixed. So to get the perfect feeling of this area, simply press play. It’s brief, and there’s no narration, so you possibly can watch it on mute if you happen to’re at work with out lacking something.
Notice: It’s also possible to view this video here on YouTube.
Okay, that about ends the tour of our household room after residing right here a 12 months and a half. In comparison with a room like our kitchen and our bed room, much more has stayed nearly equivalent since we moved in and set stuff down. I don’t know why some rooms change a ton and others don’t, however I think on this case, simply defining one aspect because the workplace/artwork space and the opposite aspect as the comfy household room slash film spot simply labored nicely from the start. Plus… one great spot for the TV. Ha!
It’s fascinating for us to muse about what issues may change over many a few years although. For instance, once we’re empty-nesters, will that youngsters artwork desk space develop into one thing else solely? Or will we put it aside for the grandkids? Possibly that’s the place I’ll do my jazzercise.
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