Benjamin Berry
Last week, I talked about some common symptoms of outdated floor plans. I received some great responses from folks who read our Matters of Design blog. I need some guidance on what to do at my house regarding an update to the floor plan,” wrote one builder client.
There is simply not enough storage for me and Frank,” wrote Pam (name changed for privacy).
Pam included the original floor plan brochure of her house. We call it the Florida L first made popular by Arthur Rutenberg – so named for the L shape the family room and bedroom wing create.
Dated kitchen Bat wing island No walk-in pantry Microwave over the cooktop The doors into Pam’s office will allow her to conduct her meetings on Zoom with acoustical privacy. The window on the current bath was glass block so no one hesitated to put clothes hanging in front of it. Our idea was a straight island that was long enough to include a dishwasher, sink, pullout trash, and a drawer microwave. To increase storage, we added a row of 12” cabinets on the café side of the island. Since we moved Pam’s office to the former dining room, this allows us to use one of the bedrooms to “fix” the plan.
The first step extends into the kitchen, making the access from our new family foyer less desirable. The dual access stair could either be a shortcut into the kitchen or a terrible tripping hazard. Thank you, Pam and Frank, for sharing your house plan with the Matters of Design audience. If anyone reading this blog remodels homes in the central Florida, give me a call.
