Showing posts with label construction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label construction. Show all posts

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Porch conversion idea

As I make my way through what feels like my neverending list of projects I have been obsessing about fencing the yard, remodeling the bathroom/ laundry room and I have added a new obsession--
an enclosed front porch!

I dislike how my main entry opens to the dining room and always believed I needed some type of vestibule. The it dawned on me--for a smart person, sometimes I am a little slow on the uptake--that my current porch really is useless as a porch due to it diminutive dimensions but would make a wonderful enclosure. We truly seldom use the front porch, so why not try to reclaim it as usable living space?

Now I have absolutely no idea as to the feasibility of this project--zoning, permits and cost--but it hasn't stopped me from procrastinating...um...researching such things. Hello Google and Pinterest, ha.

This is my porch from 2012 and not much has changed except the plants have gotten bigger.

My idea would be to shorten the porch so as not to cover the living room window. 
 I found this posted on Old House Web forum. It gives a good visual as to how my addition could look with  the entry offset and  a small scale enclosure. 
Old House Web Forum
My porch dimensions currently are 5 feet depth by 24 feet length and  if I were to have my enclosure the dimensions would be 5 feet by 18 feet (shorten the length so as to not cover the window. That seems like a lot of good space!

There would be a larger space on the left (5x 9)--I envision low bookcases under the windows with plants lining the outside wall with possibly a club chair and ottoman and to the the right (5 x 5) would be a coat/ boot bench--sort of the "mud room" area of the vestibule.

Project wish list 
Remove all the current siding within the vestibule.
Insulate and drywall
Add a few outlets
Move the exterior light fixture from wall to ceiling
Slate tile for the flooring but would settle for a faux painted and stained concrete.
Full pane horizontal sliders, so as not to block the view--even if it is of my neighbors house.(The dimensions would allow for 4-5 nice sized  windows)
Bamboo blinds for privacy.
Main entry door would be 2/3 glass but etched/ frosted for privacy.
A transom with our house numbers!
Expand the entry into the dining room  from a 36 inch opening to 42-46  inches if possible. I would like to frame it in nice thick molding and casing and no interior door. Wide open space. How lovely. 

Can you picture it?

Forgive my poor artistic skills but these are my mock ups and they aren't to scale...











Of course this is a "down the road aways" project and would need to take place around the siding and roofing phase. But a girl can dream...




Thursday, April 12, 2012

I am beginning to hate painting

That's right-I said it! GASP!  Is it  blasphemous for a DIYer to utter thise words?  But dang it- I am tired. And sore. And grumpy. The weather is actually nice and warm. All I wanna do is play in my garden. What have I been doing day in and out? Priming and painting...bahhhh
source
Not my house. My hubbs BFF mobile home. Which was/ is an unmitigated disaster. Two weeks until he has to move in and I am not sure we're gonna make it. Walls still need patched, repaired or some need sanded. The walls which are fixed I have been painting. Pretty much all the plumbing had to be redone. The floors are repaired from all the access panels from the 20+ leaks. Yeah the hubbs was thrilled with that-- NOT!  The carpet (bedroom) and linoleum (bathroom) still need to be installed. Laminate for the kitchen. The doors need painted. Lighting fixtures installed. Hardware changed.And all the screens need replaced. That is just the inside work. Maybe I don't hate painting. Maybe I hate DIY right now
source

Here's a pic of the over-sized living room. Sorry for all the junk, but it is a construction zone. The living room is HUGE! 23X20. 460 square feet! And lots of light. So that's a good thing.

Here's a sneak peak at the bathroom.The cabinet, vanity and tub are all in good shape. I found this moody blue mis-tint on clearance. (haha no pun intended towards the band The Moody Blue's) I still have a few area's to touch up. That will finished today. As soon as the light fixture and  linoleum is installed I can scrub everything down, hang the shower rod, shower curtain, the towel rod and hang the cheapo-o makeover  artwork . 

So that is kinda where I am at on this project. Even though I have a kazillion of my own house projects to do. But it is for a friend, so you do what you can to help.  Well wish me luck because I have to finish the bathroom, paint the 2nd coat in the 1st bedroom and get the 1st coat in the kitchen.  UUURRRRGH!!!!