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Living Room Demolition

All Posts, Living Room, Tennessee House

I got all the demo in the living room done last week!  I think my original plan showed me just making the two doors in the hallway the same height but I really planned on tearing one wall out all along.  (I just forgot.)

The space already feels bigger than it did before.

Remember the coat closet?

It’s gone, but remember the bathtub?

I finally figured out the reason behind the tub being moved out so far (I think).  The door in that bathroom, that barely clears the toilet as it opens up INTO the room, wouldn’t have enough space to open if they’d put the tub in the room properly.

Seriously?  I just ordered the pocket door hardware for that door for $108.  For $108 they could have put in a pocket door and put the tub in the right spot!  In the grand scheme of house building, what’s $108?

 *#@&$&#(*@)$#  (I’ve decided to tone down the negativity directed at certain parties when speaking about this house and the way it was designed and put together!)

I haven’t decided what I’m going to do with it.  I know what I could do.  It would like cool and the room would be very functional.  Justnot in the way I wanted it to be and that really irks me and I’m thinking of options that I know I shouldn’t consider because that extra foot isn’t worth the expense, time or effort.  Or is it?  Seriously, there is no where to put a Christmas tree in this house and that’s the spot I wanted it!  RIGHT THERE!  But minus that extra foot it’s too narrow.  Sigh.

I’m just leaving that spot alone for now and moving on to the other areas.

I’ve got to frame out this new,higher doorway.  (I preserved the drywall on the living room side so I wouldn’t have to patch and texture out there.  I hate the heavy texture on these walls but I don’t want to HAVE to change it and patches ALWAYS show up.)

 

And frame in the new doorway into the formal living room.

What do you think?  Do you prefer the new open space to the old look?

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Comments

  1. Oh, man – I’d be banging my head against the wall! I know if it was my house, my husband would be ripping out the bathroom because it would drive him nuts not to be able to do it right. And I’d be swearing a blue streak because it would delay what I wanted – that old house domino effect. But I’m so curious what options you are thinking about. I love the more open look – you saw the possibilities. Wish I had your vision – we’re house hunting and often I can’t see past what is there to what could be.

    • I have said more than a few choice words! 😀 I’d like to tear out the tub altogether. Then use the extra space to create a new coat closet in the little hallway and make that bath just a powder room. That’s one option. But, then one of the bedrooms wouldn’t have access to a “bathroom” and I think for resale, I have to leave it a full bath. We will never, ever, not even once — use that bathroom for more than a powder room. But we always have to think “resale”. Ugg. Good luck with the house hunt. I know sometimes it’s hard to see the possibilities. When we bought this house, we didn’t love it but it was the best of a lot of houses we didn’t love. I didn’t have a vision for all of the crazy, tiny spaces but I knew I’d figure it out in time. If you can live with the layout, you can make any home a space you’ll love. Right?

  2. Love that you ripped out the coat closet. Updates the whole room! You inspire me! I watched your master closer renovation. I have a super handy husband that I never really think of doing it myself! Thanks for the inspiration!

  3. Looking good! I do have a question though! At the top of where the closet used to be are you just going to re-do the drywall up there and on the sides of what used to be closet? Does that make sense?

    Can’t wait to see what you tear down next!

    • It depends on what I decide to do with the bathtub. I’m itching to tear it out. I shouldn’t – but I just can’t stand that it’s messed up my plan! If I did tear it out I’d wall up the extra space in the bathroom and make that a powder room –and then a coat closet accessible from the hallway with the space the tub was taking up IN the bathroom. Did that make sense?

      • That makes sense.. I think you mentioned you had a lot of bathrooms on that floor.

        Could you replace the tub with a walk in shower? I did that on our main floor because I didn’t want to lose that function all together. Depending on where the plumbing is on that wall, could you move it so you could still include your hallway closet??

        But if you guys are planning to stay there for period of time I would tear out the TUB!

  4. Is that an office, formal dining room or den area of the room that you took the wall down? It will make it so much brighter in there!

    • It was a formal living room. Still is, it’s just open now. Love how the extra light from those big windows lights up the whole space now.

  6. I want to see the tub and bathroom! Go for the groovy full bath! Your daughter is getting older it’s great to have a full bath on the first floor when they come in from sports. How exciting.

    • My daughter has a private bathroom in her bedroom. This bathroom is for the second bedroom (next to hers) that we are using as an office. I’d love it to just be a powder room for guests.

  8. I have found that a pocket door can solve almost any awkward layout situation, but they are NEVER EVER installed by builders. I don’t get it either.

    So you’re *not* ripping out the tub, right???

  9. Sandra you’re making an already nice house even nicer. These architects should hire you before the builders go wasting all their time with funky angled closets and narrow/low doorways, you sure know where the sweet spots are!

    • I wonder if these builders even hired an architect or if they just started slapping up 2×4’s and drywall. Oh, I said I was going to be less negative… tomorrow.

  10. Love the wide open space! (as long as it won’t hurt to be without the coat closet.) Too many people are afraid to solve problems by ripping things out, and it’s great to see what an improvement YOUR demolition has been.

    How ya gonna patch the floor?

    • I have a plan for guest coats and we don’t need the coat closet for us so it’ll be fine. In weighing the pro’s and con’s, I thought the open feel outweighed the small storage gained from the bulky closet. Floor patch isn’t too hard. First you make it worse, then you fix it. (I’ll definitely post a “how to” as I do it.

    • I’m not sure what the brand is but we bought it at PetSmart. It was one of two options and the other one was metal so you’ll definitely be able to get the one we got if (it’s still available) if you go with plastic.
      No closet in the master? That’s crazy. I guess you just build awesome wardrobes then?

  12. It sounds like the person who built your home got trapped in “the way is has to be” syndrome and took some unusual measures to “make it that way”. It’s a good thing that this house has someone like you who sees “the way it could be” and is willing to work toward it!

    Opening up this space might be frustrating and challenging, but your results are going to be tremendous!

    Liz

  13. Sandra, I’m a designer so I feel your pain. The closet was stupid, good riddance! Keep going, it looks better already!

    • I love that you said that closet was stupid. It makes me feel so good to say that and hearing someone else validate it feels even better. LOL

  14. Ever since you started showing pictures of your house I didn’t understand that coat closet. Who puts a coat closet in the den? But now that you’ve opened up the living room it is amazing the difference. Really, you are a genius.

    I am sorry about the weird floor plan/bathroom problem. Doesn’t it make you wonder how these people got to be home designers? It’s not that hard to make a bathroom work. Lisa~

  15. I just found your blog and am loving it. We have been renovating a home for 11 months and I am so tired of it. You are inspiring and I wish I would have found your blog before. I showed my husband your master closet and he looked at me and said, “What’s wrong with you? I think you can do the laundry room all by yourself.” Oh, I wish I was as energetic and confident as you! (Are you sure you don’t want to make a trip to Idaho and help me!) As far as the bathroom goes, take out the tub. I have been living in this home with my 5 kids and the things that bothered me 11 months ago still bother me! It’s not worth it! Or maybe you could just make a small corner shower instead of a full tub. Just an idea. Keep the updates going. I am hooked!

  16. I know everyone is focused on the closet, but I think opening up the living room will make the biggest difference. Why have a formal living room if you can’t see into it?

    I just bought my first house, so am renovating some things now. Baby steps for me, but I love seeing your big demolition! 🙂

  17. I love that someone else “NEEDS to put a Christmas tree RIGHT THERE”! Oh I feel the pain. I wondered if adding a foot to the other side of the closet would create Christmas tree space. I know your entry would become smaller by a foot but by opening up the living room so beautifully, would you notice the difference in size to that opening?
    So fun to watch the progress!

  18. Love that you ripped out that closet Sandra! But I have a feeling that you are going to move that bathtub!!! LOL

  19. Can you rip out the tub and put in a small shower and still have the extra foot you’re looking for? And I agree with other commenters–you are very inspiring!

  20. Hi there
    I have two questions – what is a pocket door?? I don’t know what that is and how are you going to file in the wood on the floor where the closet walls were? I am having an issue with tile at my house and am wondering what others do to those small missing spaces?

    Lisa K.

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