The new house: tearing down walls

We have big plans for this house - puling up all the carpet and refinishing the hardwood floors, laying new tile in the kitchen and laundry, installing a privacy fence, remodeling the kitchen and installing new cabinets, appliances and countertops, painting the interior and taking down all that ugly wallpaper and heavy window treatments throughout the house.

But the biggest plan is taking the common areas and making it into an open concept living, cooking and dining space.

The house has a long living dining room combo and on the other side of the wall is the kitchen and den.  There is also a weird short wall between the kitchen and den separating the space. Taking out both walls would allow us to create a  huge open living space with a kitchen island, plus add a lot more light to the back rooms of the house.

This is the way we want the house to look - there is actually a short wall between the kitchen and den, there is no island or u-shaped cabinet set up in the kitchen currently and the laundry room is much smaller. But you get the idea of how the house is currently laid out.

Here is what the house will look like without the walls in Google sketch up. Also the laundry room and this random storage room next to it will be combined to make one larger laundry/utility space (it's the room in the upper right hand corner of the sketch). Changing the laundry room door to the other side of the wall allows us to create a u-shaped kitchen with an island.

We had a structural engineer come out and inspect before starting work and thankfully he cleared us to take down all the walls without installing one of those structural beams that weigh as much as 3 large men. Matt started work on Monday and the kitchen was gutted, along with the sheet rock on the walls that we are taking down.

This is the view from the kitchen looking into the den - this is that odd half wall that is coming out!

Goodbye ugly kitchen cabinets!

This is the wall between the living/dining and kitchen and den.

Looking into the den from the living room. The bonus room is behind the den. 

I can't believe how different it already looks.

That awesome shag carpet is coming up next! Can't wait to see those beautiful wood floors. More to come!