Design challenge: Fix for front door that opens directly onto stairs
We have a 1930's British Semi that has a side entrance. The pain is that door opens directly onto our staircase with a door either side of that (floor plan below)One to the open-plan dining/kitchen and one to the sitting room. However the micro entrance space is super impractical. You enter and have to shuffle up the stairs or into the sitting room before going through to the house. It also makes the house feel small on entry. Has anyone got any tips or solutions on how we could improve/overcome this. Either in structural design or via decoration?
Comments (11)
Daisy England
last year
CWD
last yearRelated Discussions
Need help on style of porch and front door!
Comments (103)Thanks so much everyone - this has been great. Sorry for the lack of response - been flat out!!!! It must be hard for you American guys to work on such old English designs.... The ideas have gradually culminated into what really would look good on the house. Ourfarmhouse - these are absolutely great ideas, and thanks Everything Beautiful for getting the jist and putting the ideas onto the house image - nothing like seeing an actual design on your own home. We've got an architech working on it, and he's keen on the iron-wrought idea... but we're not sure. Basically toss-up with this and Everything Beautiful's design (2 above). Going with a four-pannel door, but would like to incorporate some glass somewhere! Possibly a panel above with the house name engraved on it?? Victoria - absolutely right...! We don't need to sit outside with the weather.......... say no more! Just wanting something to cover yourself while you're unlocking the door. We've also done a tour of the local areas, and found a couple of porches - amazing what you find right on your doorstep! Will attach pics shortly......See More1920's Semi - Open plan design help
Comments (4)Thanks for clarifying - I suspected the velux windows would be in that back area, but always worth checking! Your 3D View also gives some useful info. To ask another question - are you restricted as to where residual sections of wall may still remain after you have opened out the space? Again I would be speculating on what was load bearing and where there may still be obvious structure left (e.g. hiding RSJs). Your 3D plan shows quite a large section of residual wall by the kitchen. There are so many options, it is difficult to know where to start. One option which may be worth considering is moving your kitchen to where the dining room currently is (if services allow) and bringing a breakfast bar across further back into what is currently the lounge. This might make nice use of the bay windows at a sink, and the hob could be positioned in the breakfast bar so you could chat with dining guests while cooking. It would also open up a larger footprint for the lounge (where the kitchen currently is). The fireplaces sound like another challenge - it would be interesting to know just how close they are and what profile the wall is around chimney breasts etc. Where possibly, I would try to avoid removing chimney breasts (often a can of worms), but work with the existing wall profile - you can use shelves & fitted furniture to create straight clean lines, and a second fireplace "gap" could be used as a log store to avoid assymetry. Wrt doors - I think 3 next to each other is overkill in an open plan area like this, but might still keep 2 depending on where any remaining sections of wall are and how you lay out the area. With so many possibilities, I'd mock up a few on CAD and chat them through with family/friends or a friendly local designer to narrow it down. I'd also think carefully about what furniture you have or will get - sizes and shapes may point you towards a particular layout. Good luck and have fun designing!...See MoreIdeas for kitchen design, please
Comments (32)Hi. That door doesn't actually seem to let in much light and the current worktop and units aren't bouncing a lot of light so I'm wondering if you need a window once the wall is down? What if you extended the FF run to the end of that run adjacent to the oven and had mirrored backed shelves within a cabinet? (Hope that makes sense!)I think the light units will make a huge difference anyway and you can add a large mirror opposite the patio doors. I agree with the earlier comment re extending the peninsula under the 2nd window. I love banquettes so might lose the sofa in favour of! Here's a link. It's a way off but as you have so many doors I'd paint them all in the wall colour so they blend in. I'd also integrate all the appliances if possible http://www.angelandboho.com/dining-banquettes--chairs-305-c.asp...See MorePaint colour suggestions for hallway, stairs and landing
Comments (28)Hiya, we have a Victorian hallway and it is done very similar to Rukmini’s first image. We have a greeny grey under the dado (including the skirting and dado itself) and on the doors and architraves. It’s Blanket by Paint & Paper library which is a little darker than Rukmini’s pic. Then an off white above the dado and on the ceiling. It used to be off white all over and the grey definitely has made it darker. On the other hand it also feels smarter and shows the marks less! Swings and roundabouts. I wouldn’t have three colours, I would pick one colour plus off white above the dado/picture rail (Pointing seems sensible!!) Your tiles look browny grey so would suggest looking at Ammonite by F&B and its family of colours - (Cornforth White, Purbeck Stone). See below for the F&B families of greys. If you want bluey or greeny greys then Paint & Paper Library are a good source but be careful to see if they will go with your tiles....See More
Sonia
last yearI’m in a 1930s terrace, and my hall is tiny too! Yo made me chuckle with your acrobatics to enter your house......... All the houses in my road are the same on the outside, but configured slightly differently inside. My neighbours house has a much bigger hall leading to the kitchen, but it eats into their sitting room which is much smaller than mine. You could remove the wall into the kitchen, or move it further into the kitchen giving you a wider hall? Or as CWD suggests adding, maybe a porch to the front crating a bigger hall? A floor plan or pics will help envisage your problem.
David Scott Roll
last year
pauldrowan
last yearAnother option. Create a porch to the back door for everyday/family use and only use the side door when people knock on it. Use as much glass as possible to keep light flowing into the kitchen and family room.
PROCarla / kolours.space
last year
Eimear Long
last yearHU-570934404
last year
annabellaamy
last year
pauldrowan