Some positives...We love our stone work. The colors of the stone, the size, the masonry technique and the wing walls. We would like to keep as much as possible, and very closely match all aspects of the stone work anywhere it is specified on the renovation.
We dislike the offset brick decorative quoins. We would like to remove any trace of that with stucco or stone during the renovation.
We also want to create a completely different impression from the current two story colonial. My favorite homes are frequently 1-1 1/2 story homes. To me, they just look more charming and approachable. They tend to be rambling too, giving the look that they might have been added onto many times and a family has really had some history there. Our family really needs the functionality of a two story home, but I would like to mimic a 1 1/2 story home as much as possible using multiple roof lines.
The main level has some nice sized rooms, and we thought it would work for our family. Unfortunately, the flow of the house is very challenged right now. Activity is focused in the Kitchen/Family room areas, which are too small to support the flow comfortably, and are also sadly lacking in the right storage for even daily items, let alone entertaining supplies. There is no storage on the main floor other than the small coat closet and the garage. Since the garage is directly outside the breakfast area, car smells frequently come into my kitchen.
We do not like the two story foyer or curved staircase. It is quite steep, so we contemplated having it replaced before we moved in. We decided to delay that idea until we had a Master Plan for the house. Overall, we think that the staircase removal and the relocation of the foyer will do wonders to make the Living/Dining room feel much larger, as well as allow the whole main floor to function better.
The windows and doors in this house are not good. Most windows are painted shut and not very energy efficient. There are drafts everywhere. The snap-in grills don't look great either. There was not a great focus placed on the view outside, which we love. The new windows and doors, as well as the new room layouts, will pay a lot more attention to showcasing the pretty lot.
The upstairs has worked OK for us since we moved in, although it is not very inviting architecturally. Our wish list for the upstairs consists of wider halls, bigger and more detailed tiled bathrooms, more architectural detailing in each room, no square drywall box rooms, and special nooks for relaxing. Moving from a Cape Cod/Craftsman style home, we were used to vaulted ceilings, knee walls, and a variety of other details that create a more charming feel.
Functionally, we want a huge utility room to service all of the upstairs, and keep linens, cleaning supplies, and laundry processes centralized. A homework area or family reading nook at the top of the stairs would complete the upper level goals.
The basement is currently a menage of boxy rooms that are fine for storage, but not really great for creating kid friendly, or adult entertaining spaces. The white tile on the floor also has to go. It is impossible to keep clean, it is bumpy and very slick too.
We envision creating a small in-law suite in the entire area to the right of the mechanical room, which would encompass the current office, hall area, and existing storage room as well as the space where the current basement staircase will be removed. It should have a bedroom, living area, and bath, with a nice closet too.
We would like to keep the existing kids play room intact. We have plans to slowly convert it into a home gym, so we want to put in a much larger window with a stone veneered window well, upgraded from the standard basement window/well that is currently there.
There is currently a full bath in this area, which we would like to try to keep, but upgrade the finishes.
The renovation will add a recreation room, which will be finished nicely, but probably not very extravagant.
