House Beautiful
At long last, we’ve landed on a floor plan I truly believe is the winner. If our contractor gives the go-ahead, we’ll make it official. Thank you for all the ideas and for following along with this renovation journey.
Over the past few months as I’ve gotten to know this house, I’ve shared inspiration for different ways to reimagine the kitchen and reorganize the main floor. We considered everything from a simple cosmetic refresh to moving the kitchen into the dining room and creating a banquette in the current space.
Each option had strengths and trade-offs. With a budget-conscious remodel, compromises are inevitable, so the decision came down to which drawbacks we can live with and which benefits matter most to our family.
Our goal has always been to work within the existing footprint, making changes that improve livability and highlight what this lovely house already offers. It’s a great little home, and we want to make thoughtful, affordable updates that enhance its character and function.
If you enjoy the technical side of remodeling—or are preparing for your own project—this post and the follow-up tomorrow will be useful. If detailed floor plans and wall removals feel overwhelming, feel free to skip ahead to the inspiration photos and enjoy the visuals.
In this post:
– Before and proposed floor plan sketches of our main floor
– Before photos of the kitchen
– Inspiration images to help visualize similar layouts
Part two, tomorrow: further explanation of the changes, more photos, and a closer look at where doors, stairs, and walls could be opened up.
Current floor plan (above)
Proposed remodel floor plan (above)
The proposed plan shows our intended changes for the kitchen and dining area. The island shape and size remain undecided, and this plan does not yet include an additional bathroom we hope to add on this floor in the future. You shared excellent suggestions for potential locations, so we’ll address that in a later stage.
This redesign includes important adjustments to doorways and the staircase—details I’ll explain in PART TWO tomorrow along with photos showing those changes.
Tip: to follow the rest of this post more easily, you may want to glance back at the before and after plans so the photos below make more sense.
Our new plan actually grew from the first idea we had when we toured the house: move the sink to the back wall of the current kitchen. Initially that felt like the obvious solution, but we later discovered layout challenges that needed solving.
We initially thought moving the sink to that wall wouldn’t work for two main reasons: 1) the window appeared too low for a counter (turns out it’s an optical illusion and is fine), and 2) we worried the sink would feel off-center and cramped if placed to enjoy a backyard view.
Our summer plans include painting that little shed…
We explored many layouts, including relocating the sink under the dining room window and reorienting the kitchen. That plan had several advantages, but in the end we returned to the original concept and found a better solution for the window issue.
Here’s our decision: We can position the sink with a great view of the backyard and Puget Sound by adding a window where the microwave currently sits (see the before photo above).
Removing the entire left wall and doorway between the kitchen and dining room—where the stove is now—will open the kitchen, give the sink room to breathe, and visually expand the space into the dining area.
With that wall gone, the sightlines will extend to the dining room window and into the living room, creating a more connected main floor.
We plan to place a new stove where the current sink sits, centered on the long counter; we may remove the existing window there depending on final layout decisions.
The new counter will wrap beneath the windows at standard counter height (instead of the lower level now), creating ample workspace between the stove and sink and taking advantage of window light.
Corner kitchen inspiration with wraparound windows.
The refrigerator can remain in its current location. Along with the new kitchen layout, we’ll open up several interior doorways and remove unnecessary walls to improve flow across the main floor. The result will be more light, better sightlines, and an open yet cozy feel.
If you want to see the ideas for opening up the rest of the house and to view photos showing how the spaces will connect, check back for PART TWO of our new plan tomorrow.
Interior Design – Susan B. Welty; Architecture – Scott Newton
Studying inspiration photos helps me envision the refreshed kitchen and the flow of the new floor plan. I hope these images help you picture the changes as well. I’m excited to begin selecting finishes and designing details for the updated space.
Thank you for following along and for your enthusiasm and ideas throughout this process. I appreciate your support as the plans evolve!
Related posts and additional resources are available on the blog for those who want remodeling tips and before-and-after examples.