It is amazing to see sometimes how a family of four could be raised in small quarters.

Yes, we did it in the “Old Days,” but then we had fewer possessions, clothes and a simpler lifestyle. We adapt and manage seemingly well.

Unfortunately, it’s at the end of the child rearing days that money can finally become available to create the nest always desired.

PROBLEM

This condensed two-story home had four bedrooms and two baths. Half of that equation was upstairs. The real sore points were the compacted kitchen (A) and that, with the pool (B) in the backyard, everyone had to traipse through the house to get to a bathroom (C). That is only one of the many traffic problems.

The driveway (D) is on the side of the house, and at some time, a bump-out (E) was added to create a vestibule entranceway, buffering the inside from some of the outside weather. This was to door most often used, primarily because the front door (F) was blocked from the inside.

The only place to eat was on the small dinette table (G) in the middle of traffic. The living room (H) was a nice size and used all the time.

The homeowners wanted a better kitchen, more storage and most of all, a first floor master bedroom because it was declared that they were "never moving!” That was a tall order for a small house.

SOLUTION

First we determined the buildable land (I), based on the set back requirements. That left a little space in the upper right.

I wanted to remove the vestibule (E), which I referred to as "the wart” because it clearly looked stuck on. The homeowners pointed out that they located their air conditioning unit behind it. That is a moveable thing, but they had no extra room to spare. The wart and the AC stayed put, but I could change the function.

I needed to get a half-bath (J) closer to the pool and outdoor entertaining. A new back door (K) makes that connection and enters into a new family entry (L) out of what was the kitchen. Who could imagine such a generous and functional family entry in this tiny house? It has circulation space, a coat closet and a couple of counters for dumping spots.

Thinking ahead for this potential empty-nester, I offered a main floor laundry room (M), which exceeded their expectations. I incorporated the wart and added windows. I refused to leave the door into the wart, because it would become the entry, transversing the laundry room.

The new dining area (N) is in a room with a window filled angled wall. You will notice that there is flex space so that a bigger, longer table can be used for holidays.

The new kitchen (O) is everything wished for, including an eat-on island and a closet style pantry (T).

A new pathway (P) is opened from the kitchen/dining into the living room, creating a circular traffic pattern. Now, nobody is ‘trapped’.

To create a good master bedroom (Q) on the main floor, the front bedroom stayed put, but we took the second one to add a walk-in closet (R) and big 3/4 bathroom (S).

The sink counter bumps out beyond the back wall of the old house, as does the adjacent pantry (T). There is enough room for two sinks in the vanity, but unless you get together at the same time, or simply can’t share, why buy two sinks and wash two sinks? It is not a rule of resale, simply personal preference.

The changes here have made a dramatic difference in how the home works — who could ask for anything more?

Marcia Lyon is a professional remodeling designer and freelance writer, producing projects locally and several other areas across the U.S. and Canada. Her new book on remodeling design, “The Essential Planner for Home Remodeling,” is available at www.creatingspaces.net. You may contact her at Marcia@creatingspaces.net or at 515-991-8880.