Monday, May 5, 2008

Homework Area/Reading Nook

This type of spot is so inviting to me. One of those spots in the house where a lot of memories are made, and when the kids grow up, they may remember later in life as a spot where they felt safe, secure, and loved.

11-13-2008 This spot need to be updated to reflect the latest plan. Some of the concepts of the space are below, but the location and the phasing has changed. See new plan here.

This is a great reading nook designed by Charles Faudree, one of my favorite designers. I like the sofa and the sconces.




From here down needs to be updated. The plan has evolved from the drawings below.

This is an area I have always wanted to do in an upstairs large landing or nook. I wanted this to be our routine spot for stories and storage of kids books, and grow over the years to a spot in the house for the kids to relax with a book by themselves, or do homework.

I did not think we were going to be able to do this until a much later phase, but I had another discussion with Bob yesterday and it cascaded into an idea I drew out last night. (10-07-2008) Drawing shown above.

Bob has agreed that the raising the master floor idea would work, but said that we would have to raise the ceiling and the floor in the hallway two. There was kind of an awkward two steps up and two steps down scenario going around the bathroom we would keep for the boys. In the current plan, Devon would get a new bath as part of her new bedroom.

(Plan drawing below)
Bob suggested turning the staircase exit back to the original and eliminating the bath and leaving an open area where we could raise the whole ceiling. Devon's bath could be built, but we can create a door that gives all three kids access to that bath, and it could become just hers a few years down the road, after the phase to expand the boys' rooms. By doing this, we can eliminate the bathroom in the way and we would then only need one set of two stairs up to the master.

I took the idea a little further last night and created an elevated platform reading nook. The main stairs would come up into a hallway for all three kids' rooms, and then you could step up two steps to the platform reading area, and from there go into the master. It acts as both a sitting area for us, and a homework area/reading nook for the kids. It is a nice buffer for the entrance into our room.

The phasing might work out best being:
  1. Staircase
  2. New Master Bedroom floor installation (over current foyer) including elevation of Current Master, removal of Devon's bath, with elevation of this floor , plus the Reading Area. Bathroom components would be replaced on top of the newly elevated floor, to give us a temporary bathroom. This area becomes a closet once we break through to the new wing.
  3. Ceiling of Master Bedroom, and Reading Nook, and staircase are addressed as needed.
  4. Devon's bedroom and bath are created.
  5. New wing area being constructed.





On this plan, I show an "internal window". This may or may not have glass. It is basically acting as a full wall "railing", rather than just a banister going across. The light would come into the reading nook all day, but it would be private at night.