Designed and built this twenty years ago in an addition to DW’s parents house. On the water in Lusby, MD, right at the intersection of the Patuxant and Chesapeake Bay (next to Solomons). Had to use the existing 1890s house as a core, to get around the protected wetlands rules. Low ceilings, so I wanted to open up the new kitchen wing.
Having gone to parties and holidays there now for decades, it works as well as anything I’ve designed.
Yep, I’m bragging!
Room beyond is the old kitchen, now a family room.
On top, from same angle. Added the second floor room over the old kitchen/now family room; it’s a big bedroom the grandkids use; has a door on the other side to go into the original upstairs.
Looking the other way. Added the back stair; comes down in the back door / utility area. kids use this as a playroom – important in a house full of old stuff!
View the kids have coming out of their room in the morning. You can see the louver for the big exhaust fan to the right.
Kids are counseled not to throw things in the soup. Nice Rutt cherry cabinetry
Forrest
Edited 11/28/2007 7:20 am by McDesign
Replies
Looks great
I have a worry tho. Maybe there shouldn't be any toys upstairs over the cooktop. A boiling pot of water is an attractive nuisance like a toilet.... bonsai!
I can just see my son trying to drop his Ninja Turtles into the stew pot. That might be tasty, a lego turtle soup, hmmm.
is an attractive nuisance like a toilet.... bonsai!
I'm guessing you are a victim of a spell-checker. The zen needed for the proper contemplation of miniature trees rarely evinces outbursts that fling objects unexpected into cookware.
But, your spelling software probably did not include "banzai" the triumphant shout that has been as widely appropriated as "geronimo!" for feats from the sublime to the ridiculous.
Now, seems to me, a mere grandparental glance ought to allay any inclinations to precipitive mischief by munchkins.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
I thought proper spelling was an opiton here! But you are right and I stand corrected.
Although the thought of little plants flinging themselves off the railings is interesting. Kind of a woe-is-me, the end of the world is coming, plant suicide due to global warming fears.
Although the thought of little plants flinging themselves off the railings is interesting
Well, as I understand the zen of bonsai, one celebrates with the sound of one hand clapping, so the exclamation point struck rather a chord (NPI) with me.
Now, your responce has me coping with micro-sized junipers armed with bladed weapons and martial spirit overwatching the food preparers . . . Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Now, your responce has me coping with micro-sized junipers armed with bladed weapons and martial spirit overwatching the food preparers . . .
while tossing little juniper berries into the soup or their festivus drinks.
I really like the repeat of the railing detail. It's a subtle thing that many would have skipped to avoid the hassle. But, it's an important visual detail (to me, at least) from either above or below. (Also seems like a neat place to "stash" "no-no" items where they can remain in-sight and in-mind--but, that's me and my twisted thinking).
Thanks- I have to also brag on DW here - she did the tile floor and counters. We seemed to have more time in those days.
Forrest
I too picked up on that detail of railing. Wouldn't have thought of it myself but sure will remember it. THANKS for the inspiration.
Well executed, of course. My worry would be traffic on the upper floor sending dust/dirt onto the counters and food below. That ever an issue?
<traffic on the upper floor sending dust/dirt onto the counters and food below?>
Doesn't seem to be. That's only an "occasional" hallway, and stays pretty clean. Those upstairs closets flanking the end window get used as extended pantry, but that doesn't entail walking down the alley.
Most anyone heading upstairs would go through the family room to the old part of the house, to the main stair. House is basically an "L", one room wide - this is the long leg. Unlike your stuff, it's darned angular!
The bedroom through that 2-0 door is much bigger than the atrium; it's in a 2-story part of the house. Pretty much only our kids or my SIL's kids use that bedroom when visiting.
Forrest
Gotcha, thanks. I'm a big fan of openings, cuts, unexpected perspectives.
That is nice.As to the dirt coming down from the hall, putting a 6 or 8 inch solid coaming around the opening as a base for the railing would pretty much preclude any floor material slipping down onto the kitchen. Capped with hardwood it would look like a nice base.jose c.
--
"Though I don't think" added Deep Thought "that you're going to like it."
Nice work!
I would not expect anthing less.
BTW, Did the ILs ever put the final coat of paint on the rebuilt pergola?
live, work, build, ...better with wood
Thanks! he did finish the painting this summer
Here's SIL and our oldest headed up that river
View Image
Forrest
Edited 11/28/2007 8:17 pm by McDesign
"Kids are counseled not to throw things in the soup."
Looks to me like it's a good place to cut loose some paper helicopters.
(-:
Does it get hot upstairs?
jt8
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it." --Upton Sinclair
<hot upstairs?>
Not too bad. NEVER gets hot in the kitchen.
Mostly breezy there (other side of house faces 12 miles of open water), and that gable window is on the lee side of the house - good draft. Downdraft vent behind stovetop (Dacor); big exhaust fan behind louver.
Also, there is a big HVAC return just outside the pix, across from the top of the stairs.
I know "no returns in a kitchen", but we felt it was best to pull all the warm air down that we could. That furnace only does the kitchen/utilty/half-bath/atrium, family room, grandkids' bedroom, and the kitchen basement that it's in. No kitchen smells in the other part of the house.
Forrest
Does it get hot upstairs?
that's a little personal ...
but I'm guessing if the grand parents take the kids out for the afternoon ....
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Ba-dump-bump -
Tisssssshhhhh!
Forrest
Your work never ceases to amaze me. I find myself getting excited when I see your name on a post. Awesome work. I like the detail to the railings and the openness to the kitchen!
Clean your heads out guys, I didn't mean that the way it could be taken!
You can't leave a footprint that lasts if you're always walking on tiptoe. ~ Marion Blakey