1st Floor Framing

Oh the light! Opening a wall up makes a big difference in channeling light through a row home. We have two openings from our kitchen into the living space now. We decided to keep a small sense of visual division to retain some of the original layout while accommodating for modern living. I didn't want it to feel like a loft, but I did want to incorporate the kitchen a bit more into our living space. 

Whereas in 1912, the kitchen in our house was separated from the dining room via pocket doors, and the dining room at the back of the house separate from the parlor which was at the front of the house. This left both bedrooms in the two rooms between them with out any windows or direct light. We have now combined the living and dining space into one room at the back of the house near the yard and eventual garden, and the kitchen is mostly open to the living space. One of the bedrooms is now at the front of the property with it's own set of bay windows. The second bedroom is in the same location, but we've added back pocket doors where they were in the original floor plans I found. This time they will be glass and filter all that glorious light into the interior of the home. 

New header between kitchen and dining area placed at same height as the top of the windows for continuity. 

Kitchen demolished and chase wall for electric and plumbing in place.

Here's a photo of the dining room from when we moved in. It looks towards the back yard and you can see the kitchen through the doorway to the right The pocket doors had long been removed when we bought the home. The only indication they were ever there was from the old plans and once we opened the walls up, the framing was in place to allow a big hefty door to slide between the studs. 

Move in day was pretty bitter sweet.

And here we are today!

Taken while standing in the bedroom, looking into the new living room / dining room with grand openings into the kitchen to the right.

Looking from the kitchen back into the dining room / living room with the header in place at the back of the photo for the pocket doors dividing the bedroom from the living space.

And one more photo from the beginning of the project looking from the dining room towards the 2nd bedroom which now has a big ol' opening for glass pocket doors. 

Even with the door open and full sun outside, that bedroom was almost pitch dark. What a welcome change!