House reno design challenge
 

I'm having drain tile done, replacing a foundation wall on the garage, and redoing all the landscaping around my house. While it's torn apart, I'm also having them pour footings between the house & garage, pour a pad and frame up between the house & garage. THis will be a HUGE improvement to the house, allowing easy (and inside) access to the finished loft above the garage.

Here is what I have right now:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1276103401.jpg

We've got enough brick pavers to make the main landing a really nice patio area.

We need to come up with a design for:
-Windows and doors for the new enclosed breezeway
-stairs leading from the patio up to the new breezeway (4 steps)
-stairs going down to the driveway (2, maybe 3 steps)

Here is a "blank slate" that I'm using to draw up some ideas:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1276104465.jpg

Ideas?

Seating and a stripper pole?

INclude a BBQ and a sink somewhere in the plan. Out door Kitchens / bbqs are huge in the
upper end homes here in CA.

That is a great ideer, although I may do that on the other side where the deck is going. That's where we tend to hang around in the evenings

Needs a rotating platform and a lift so you can double stack them.

MBM - Box Car System - Lift parking systems
http://www.mbmbox.com/images/prodott...aforma_360.jpg
http://www.mbmbox.com/images/db_cover_a1b1.jpg

What's that box with access doors doing there?

Looks too tight to me.

Holmes on Homes

Nah, teh garage is 24*30, to the left in that image. No issues there other than not enough heigh for a lift, and not enough depth for 4 cars. It is what it is.

That's the old hatch to the cellar/basement, where I bring the firewood in.

Too tight for what?

Some of the additions on this house would have made the cut for a Holmes on Homes episode. Getting it done right now, and it puts my mind at eaze. Shoulda seen the water draining out of that earth when they got the trench dug down the side of the property. Soggy! Fixed now

I was involved in a project a couple years back that called for a elongated fire pit at the edge of a deck that acted as a fence. There's photo I posted in the kitchen cabinet thread. You might think about that as well for the other side or even an out door fire place. I will try to get a pic of my fire pit for you when I have a chance.

You seem to have a lot of room on you property so you can do a lot of interesting things in terms of design. Ulike here in LA, but we still manage to cramp them in there to make it work. Space planning is king here.

I'm assuming from the light that the existing red door faces west?.....
And there will be no carport and/or car access?....
And that box is for some kind of storage, and doesn't block up an existing basement exit?

You're going to end up with a big blank wall if the carport is filled in. You need to get some light in that transition, and possibly put some curves on the outside.
Here's one idea:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1276112423.jpg

You could also put french doors and make a walk-out patio with benches/grill, but next to a garage it's a little wierd(except for men I suppose).

I guess the pictures I posted don't do a great job of showing where that corner fits in to the overall layout. It's not a carport, that's a breezeway between the house & garage. The access to the basement will stay, with a hatch that I can lift when needed.

Here's another pic of the area:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1275940402.jpg

Here are some pics from when we bought the house:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1276113503.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1276113491.jpg



Great stuff, thanks!

I assumed that you were trying to park cars in the carport. Now I'm forced to assume this is the main entry to the house, or at least the one most people will be using.

Based on yet another assumption (lack of information and context);

1. Simple glass and wood entry/breezeway to preserve the existing architecture.

2. Grand steps with generous landing platform with chairs and potted plants which can be placed off the main egress path offering the visitor a welcoming stage. Will need a handrail on one side and some lighting with motion detectors for safety.

That's all you are getting out of me unless I see some checks coming my way.;)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1276114967.jpg

Are they smoking wacky-tabaccy?

Not enough info.

What is the breezeway used for now? Is that how people get from garage to house? When you enter the red door, what's there? Is that the main/only entrance to the house, or is there a main/formal front door somewhere else? Does your weather suck or is it nice? Where is south, where is the sun? Does wind currently whip through that tunnel or is it sheltered? Do you already have plenty of patio space? Do/will you need ramp (handicap) access? What problem/need are you trying to solve/address? Or are you simply looking to fill the hole with something better-looking?

My 2/10th of a cent, without actually any info, is -> if the house doesn't have a well-defined main entrance, I'd make one. If the wall between the red door and the basement access is the logical place, then the area you've dug up seems big enough for broad steps, an entry deck/porch, something to frame the entrance. Or, the breezeway could itself be the made into a main entrance, assuming the red door leads somewhere appropriate, not to a kitchen or mudroom.

My impression is that this is a nice big house with that grand tree and all that beautiful shake. It needs an entrance with some drama and grandeur.

Now THAT'S funnySmileWavy

Yep, from the garage to the house, but also serves as the primary entrance into the house. It's the area you see when you park in the driveway. It's also the way to the loft above the garage.

Cramped entranceway between the kitchen & livingroom, with very small coat closet. A major bottleneck when we have company. That's why we like the idea of a breezeway with lots of room & storage, where people can gets their boots off sitting on a bench.
There's a front door too, but we rarely use it. I'm doing a simple staircase there for now.
This area faces north west. Nice weather, this area would get the evening sun if it weren't for the 4 maples that shade it a bit too much. We're axing a couple of them in the fall.
No patio space, but there is a large deck going on the other side.
nope
As I said above, the side entrance is VERY cramped, and 99% of traffic comes through this area. Having a roomy mudroom/entrance will really improve the flow in & out of the house and garage.

And yeah, where this is the primary focus when you arrive, we want something prettier.

Bingo, Great!

thanks for your thoughts, I think that's where we are headed but I am not sure I have great eye for design. I've been imagining something like this:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1276139956.jpg

naw, their dads are working just behind the house. They caught $hit for having a cigarette!

to continue on gassy's fine work:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1276140532.jpg

Ahh yes...
Can't forget the VW fire pit.