Impossible front door location - help

13 years ago

We live in a split-level house that we are renovating room by room. Our current dilemma is this: the living room (with dining space) is too large to be useful, and the adjacent den too small. We want to move the wall that separates the two rooms farther into the living room, in order to make the den larger than it currently is, and the living room smaller. See attached image.

The problem: the location of the front door.

If we bump out the den wall, we have to make an alcove for the front door. Seems awkward. My husband thinks it will be more awkward to make the front door open into the den.

Other piece of info: the wall between the den and LR will have a large slider in it, staying open most of the time but closing when needed. The den will be much more of a 'family room' space with TV and built-in bookshelves.

I would really love input from all you houzzers. Thanks in advance!

Featured Answer

PRO

User

13 years ago

I like the front door like that. It creates a small foyer instead of walking directly into the living room. Treat this area as a foyer ie: different flooring, wall color etc. Please do not put a slider inside the house. You could do a barn door type opening.

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Comments (11)

decoenthusiaste
13 years ago
Search for split-level under Photos in the box above for some super remodels.
mmilos
13 years ago
Perhaps have the den expand out all the way to your side living room wall next to your front door. Put in a larger front window for the expanded den. The front door may fit on the small side wall so you enter your living room directly without the alcove. Is that little wall wide enough for a front door?

Or have the front door next to your front living room window?

I wouldn't put a slider on the inside separating the rooms, because you have an ugly track threshold. Glass French doors would be better.
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kable
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for responses! Mmilos, the small side wall is *barely* big enough to fit a door, but that is one idea we've considered. Had not considered the front door next to the front living room window. That would involve restructuring of the porch out front, but if something makes sense, I'm all for it. Thanks again you guys.
kable
Original Author
13 years ago
I think when I said "slider" I just meant "larger than standard-sized doorway without a door on it but something that can slide across and shut the space up." I'm not good with the terminology. ;)

I guess the other question is, if we go with the little foyer idea, will we hate dealing with an odd-spaced den (with a corner of the room essentially 'cut out' of it)? I'm a bit concerned about that...
PRO
Custom Home Planning Center
13 years ago
Just eliminate the wall between the den and living room. Use the living room as the den with an eat in bar across the kitchen and use the den as the dining room. Current rage is making small rooms disappear and small spaces look bigger. In general it works. If you want to add a vestibule by inclosing a front porch area that will work. If you want to separate the entrance a 1/2 wall on either side of the entrance door can be added with columns going up at the end of the walls to frame the vistas.
kable
Original Author
13 years ago
We're kind of unusual (or irritating?), Custom Home, bc we don't like the "totally open" model for living space. We want to have division between rooms because we need separate spaces to retreat into - so that, for example, somebody can be cooking and hanging out (with music playing) in the kitchen while somebody elsewhere (the den) watches a movie. Or, if someone is insistent on watching a movie, we can close that door while the rest of us chill quietly in front of the fire. We like cozy. We live in the southwest where there's tons of sun, so natural light and sunshine in rooms is not a problem (small rooms aren't necessarily dark, I mean). Anyhoo - THANK YOU for the suggestion anyway!!!!
sheltiegirl
13 years ago
Had same initial toughts as mmilos to move door to small side wall if possible, but I'm not real crazy about entering directly into a formal living room (placing the door next to the living room window). Would rather see you bump the wall out a little further and enter directly into the den. Have also seen cases where homeowners used the front door more for exterior aesthetics, and created a second, functional entry on the side of the house, perhaps by creating an entry alcove where the dining space is? This would yield maximim privacy in both the den and the LR.
sheltiegirl
13 years ago
You could close up the existing exit from the den to the back hall/stairs, bump out the den to just beyond the expansion line shown and enter into the den from the existing front door. Now two options: 1) place a full wall btwn the LR and den, treat the expansion space as a "hallway" (with transitional flooring to delineate the walkway from the den sitting space) and add an exit at the far end into the existing back hall. Or 2) place a full wall btwn the LR and den with double-wide doors leading to the LR about where your proposed "slider" space is shown. Realizing this is a slightly more boring option, but envisioning it coupled with the side entry main door as noted above.
kable
Original Author
13 years ago
Sheltie - interesting ideas! thanks! WRT your 'side entry' idea - we were planning on replacing the window near the dining table with floor-to-ceiling window panels that open up (one of the three panels would be a door that can open on its own). This would be an entry to the backyard, but also an alternative-to-the-front-door entryway too, as you suggested. So that might work well with the larger den that has the actual front door. Thanks again!
rinked
12 years ago
Kable, how have you been? Getting used to the house? Remodeling?