MEET OUR HOUSE: THE MAIN LEVEL.
Now is the time for the second installment of the “Meet Our House” series: the main level! In case you missed the first part (the outside), you can check it out here. Otherwise, if you’re already up to speed, please proceed with your regularly scheduled reading.
Our house was built in the late sixties when the split foyer style was all the rage. Well, in my book, it still is all the rage. The first four years of my life were spent growing up in a green split foyer on a corner lot, and all I have are happy memories from that time: my first bedroom with a little white daybed dressed with She-Ra bedsheets (where are they now?!); jumping on the bed in my big bro’s room while listening to Bon Jovi’s “Slippery When Wet” (you know you did this, too); my one and only surprise birthday party, complete with a She-Ra cake (of course); watching Jem (my other fave show) at a little TV in the eat-in kitchen so many times I was compelled to drink an entire bottle of amoxicillin in hopes my hair would turn pink like Jem’s (sorry for the scare, Mom). Needless to say, it was a no-go — turns out you need holographic earrings for that.
Really though, I digress. While the split foyer isn’t for everyone, I find the layout really maximizes the space — we have more than we know what to do with. And overall, it just has this bright-happy-homey-family vibe going on. See for yourself…on with the tour!
Here we are (or here I am, rather) standing in the foyer just inside the front door. Looking to my left we have the main living area at the top of the stairs, in the traditional split foyer fashion. Don’t mind Jamie and Allie — they’re just moving some stuff in. And don’t mind all the stuff lined up against the wall either.
Looking to the right of the foyer, you’ll see…well, you don’t really want to look to the right. I mean, you can, but all you’ll see is this.
Yep, it’s a big wall full of wallpaper. Vinyl wallpaper, to be exact, which I’ve enlarged to show texture. Reminds me more of shelf lining paper. Don’t worry though, it won’t be there for long. Vinyl wallpaper removal post coming soon.
Now if you’ll just head up the stairs…
Oh, did I mention the stairs? Yes, that is hunter green carpet, my friends. Certainly not my fave color, but I will say the carpet is in remarkable condition for high-traffic stair carpeting.
This, as you might have guessed, is a project in waiting — we’d like to install hardwoods on the stairs and landing to match those on the main level. Around the same time, we’d like to replace the white metal railing with a wooden banister. All in due time. Let’s move on, shall we?
Welcome to the main living area. Love the hardwoods? We do, too. They’re the original natural oak floors, which the former owners refinished before selling the house. Here are a few more angles of the room.
Aside from replacing the railing with a wooden banister, we aren’t planning many more updates for this space aside from the obligatory decorating — painting, window coverings, and what have you. (BTW, the present curtains were left behind by the former owners.) We’d also like to add crown molding along the ceiling. The pendant light — aka the round, white ball — in the foyer will be replaced. And that big ol’ wallpapered wall? Well, I’ve got big plans for that, too. Just you wait.
The living area opens to a separate dining space with french doors leading out onto the deck. I pretty much love having a bona fide dining room, especially this one because it’s not too closed off to where we wouldn’t use it. The light from the front windows in the living area + light from the french doors makes this entire space bright and open. Kewl!
I already own a perfectly-sized dining table for this room and a little buffet (not the one pictured) which will be finding a home here. Besides a new light fixture, paint, accessories, and curtains (yeah, those aren’t ours either) we’d eventually like to run a chair rail midway along the wall and frame out the entryways from the living area and the kitchen…
…which you can enter via the dining room or from the hallway at the top of the foyer steps. The former owners replaced all the appliances with stainless steel and updated the cabinetry, which we’ll be painting white. The big picture window makes things super bright in there — lovely considering I haven’t had a window in my kitchen since 2008. See that open space right smack in the middle of the floor? Perfect place for an island and a couple of stools, wouldn’t you say? More views of the kitchen here.
And say hello to the wall o’ cabinets, which I often liken to the Wall O’ Stuff a la Nickelodeon’s “What Would You Do?” The storage space is great, but as for the appearance…let’s just say it’s another case of function over form, like our dangly outdoor pendant’s chain tentacles. We’ve got big plans for this, too, which are already somewhat underway. More to come on that later. (Disregard table and kitchen cart — also not ours!)
Now if I can turn your attention to the East Wing of the house. Down this hallway we have the upstairs bedrooms and bathrooms.
The first door on the left is the hall bath, which is currently our main bath since we just installed a new shower head. It’s also the only bathroom (out of three) that features a bathtub…and it’s pink!
Pinky is a good ol’ tub, but we will most definitely have her reglazed in white. Along with replacing the tile in the shower and on the floor eventually. The comode and sink/vanity are updated, but aren’t really our style so those will likely get the boot at some point. Oh, and the brass soap caddy and toothbrush holder on the wall behind the sink? Yeah, I’ll probably rip those out with my bare hands.
At the end of the hallway, we have the future guest room…
…and another slightly smaller bedroom/future nursery, which I’m currently calling the Tiny Room. Of course both will be receiving the Katie Decor Makeover Treatment (not to be confused with Antonio Treatment). And maybe some crown molding, too.
Alright, now we’re in the home stretch. Finally, the master bedroom…
…with two closets (mine’s the larger, naturally)…
…and an attached full master bath. Now this one is interesting — it’s pretty much going to be a full re-do here. The comode has been updated, and that’s about it. We’re not too keen on the other details, but we’ve got a plan.
We’d like to knock out the shelving to the left of the shower stall to expand and create a larger walk-in shower with new tile and a glass door. New flooring, sink/vanity, and lighting will be in order, too. I can see it in my head now, and it is awesome. But for now, we’ll make do with what we’ve got. However, this master bath overhaul is fairly high on our priority list. And I’m already getting all giddy just thinking about it!
So there you have it — the blank canvas of our sweet sixties-tastic main level. There is some work to be done, for sure, and we’re super jazzed about getting started. Well actually, we already have! Stay tuned for the lower level tour and all the updates + changes as we go along with our new life project = our new home. This should be fun. :)
If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
I have a tiny room too! We’re such kindreds. :) I can’t wait to see the house!!
Oh yes, I remember — I love your tiny room! I think Allie would like to take over the tiny room here, but I’m not gonna let him. :)