ᐅ Conversion of existing ground floor apartment – additional office space
Created on: 2 Jun 2019 21:53
B
bruzzler
Hello everyone,
I am taking over my parents' apartment and now want to start the renovation. Unfortunately, the apartment has one room too few for my needs (in this case, a small office).
I would like to gather ideas here on whether it is possible to redesign or structurally modify the dining room / living room / kitchen areas so that a small office can be created.
Costs are not important at the moment; what matters is if there is a practical solution:
Client Requirements
Number of people, age: 2 adults in their late 30s, child planned
Office: Home office?
Open or closed layout: rather open
Modern construction style
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Yes, if possible
Number of dining seats: 4-6
Fireplace: Yes. Should be in the living room, currently in the dining room
House Design
Designed by:
- Architect: from 1985, no data available anymore
What do you particularly like? Why? Large living room, rear area well designed (bedroom, bathroom, utility room)
What do you dislike? Why? Huge dining room as a separate area, like a large hallway; one room too few available
Why is the design the way it is?
For example:
Built in 1985, parents decided on the layout
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
How can I create an additional room as an office (approx. 10-12sqm (108-130 sq ft)) from the existing floor plan?
I am taking over my parents' apartment and now want to start the renovation. Unfortunately, the apartment has one room too few for my needs (in this case, a small office).
I would like to gather ideas here on whether it is possible to redesign or structurally modify the dining room / living room / kitchen areas so that a small office can be created.
Costs are not important at the moment; what matters is if there is a practical solution:
Client Requirements
Number of people, age: 2 adults in their late 30s, child planned
Office: Home office?
Open or closed layout: rather open
Modern construction style
Open kitchen, kitchen island: Yes, if possible
Number of dining seats: 4-6
Fireplace: Yes. Should be in the living room, currently in the dining room
House Design
Designed by:
- Architect: from 1985, no data available anymore
What do you particularly like? Why? Large living room, rear area well designed (bedroom, bathroom, utility room)
What do you dislike? Why? Huge dining room as a separate area, like a large hallway; one room too few available
Why is the design the way it is?
For example:
Built in 1985, parents decided on the layout
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
How can I create an additional room as an office (approx. 10-12sqm (108-130 sq ft)) from the existing floor plan?
kbt09 schrieb:
That planned sofa doesn’t have realistic dimensions (about 190 x 190 cm (75 x 75 inches) with a seat depth of just over 60 cm (24 inches)). The kitchen doesn’t really feel welcoming either, and having chairs in the passageway isn’t ideal.
What about the fireplace… what does it currently look like (photo?) and what is planned for it in the future? Will it also be used as an outdoor fireplace?
Is there a basement where water pipes could possibly be installed? Is there a door or just a window between the current dining room and the terrace? You’re right, my current sofa is U-shaped and 3.30 m (11 feet) long.
You mentioned “welcoming,” which is exactly the problem—I don’t know how to combine the two rooms to create a cozy living space.
The fireplace will be relocated to the living room, but a nicer one will replace the one shown in the photo. It won’t be used as an outdoor fireplace, although that might be an option in the future.
There is a basement. The windows are not shown for simplicity.
I’ll attach pictures from the hallway; the living room is fully glazed on the south side (a double door and a sliding door).
kaho674 schrieb:
With the kitchen island, everything becomes so tight. I would rotate it and create a U-shape:
I like that idea as well.
I’d like to ask what work you are planning to do exactly. What about the flooring? If there is a wall opening, won’t the tiles be missing there? Is there currently underfloor heating?
Regardless, I would approach it like this:
A small cozy sofa/TV room, with the study as an adjacent room to the kitchen/dining area.
I would make the opening quite wide there and build all the orange walls from drywall on a possible new floor.
I can imagine that later, when the children have moved out, you might rearrange a bit—for example, moving the bedroom into the children’s room, the dressing room into the sofa room, and turning the current bedroom into a large living room or possibly just a hobby room for desk work, painting, piano playing, or similar activities.
Then possibly creating an opening from the kitchen/dining area to the small study, adding a fireplace there with just two armchairs. The fireplace would then also be relevant for the kitchen/dining area. At the moment, I would skip a fireplace.
Regardless, I would approach it like this:
A small cozy sofa/TV room, with the study as an adjacent room to the kitchen/dining area.
I would make the opening quite wide there and build all the orange walls from drywall on a possible new floor.
I can imagine that later, when the children have moved out, you might rearrange a bit—for example, moving the bedroom into the children’s room, the dressing room into the sofa room, and turning the current bedroom into a large living room or possibly just a hobby room for desk work, painting, piano playing, or similar activities.
Then possibly creating an opening from the kitchen/dining area to the small study, adding a fireplace there with just two armchairs. The fireplace would then also be relevant for the kitchen/dining area. At the moment, I would skip a fireplace.
kbt09 schrieb:
I’m asking what kind of work you plan to do overall. What about the floor? With a breakthrough, there will be missing tiles there, right? Is there currently underfloor heating? As much as necessary, the main goal is to have an optimal result in the end. The floor and tiles will be completely redone, and underfloor heating is installed.
I also thought about the idea of the corridor and moving the door, but I discarded it because I prefer an open layout and don’t want to add more walls.
Still, I could take something from your suggestion with a modification:
I would keep the office where you currently planned the living room, and instead, plan the living room where you have the office now, but open to the living/dining area... (unfortunately, I don’t have any software to draw this).
What do you think about that?
ypg schrieb:
Living space is getting tight I know :/ I’m completely at a loss :/
N
nordanney23 Jun 2019 12:26Honestly? No matter how you plan, it will always remain an unfortunate and costly mess for you.
Personally, I would only consider moving. Why stick to this suboptimal apartment? If the car is too small, you simply buy a new one.
Personally, I would only consider moving. Why stick to this suboptimal apartment? If the car is too small, you simply buy a new one.
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