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dan_shilling

Small living room with odd exit door - need help decorating

last year

New (old) home with a small Living room with and exit door in the right corner of the room. This door opens to a left down to basement and right to garage (and outdoors). It is not the front door,


We need ideas on how to decorate the room and door or even hide it some, but knowing it will be used a lot to go from garage in, basement down and letting the dog out.


Current idea was to take the small wall down by the real front door (bottom of image) to open up some. Room is only 12 x 14.



Comments (15)

  • last year

    I'd take the door off - it doesn't look like it is needed. Re: decorating the room - can you post a graph of the space with dimensions, including door openings, windows, pony wall, etc...and state if you will have a tv, and how many people you'd like to seat at one time.

  • last year

    This looks like a lovely room. Can you take a photo in the other directions.


    What it is this half wall separating ? And if you can remove it with out effecting your soft carpet I would remove it.




    What is in the middle of the room above?

    Where does the door on the left go ? I think you said basement? Is this a tri level home?

    I believe you said the door on the right goes down to a garage. It looks like step down. Is that door insulated? Does the door help the room stay cool or warm. Would you be okay removing that door?


    Are there any windows in this space? What is this space used for?


    12 by 14 What are your plans to for the space? Living, TV, Games? Dinner?



  • last year

    That was an original idea, however it is needed as we don't think we want to see the other door to the garage and also , as you go to the doorway (a sharp left) there are stairs down to basement and they are steep, Maybe design to look hidden or how to decorate it?

  • PRO
    last year

    I need a to scale floor plan of exactly how the space past the door looks My first thought was remove the door but I need context.

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    I wouldn't worry about it. When you fully decorate the room - lamps, furniture, coffee table, art, side tables, etc. it will become a lot less noticeable. Keep it closed and leave a pathway to it just like you would any other door.

  • last year

    Here is a differnt view. Noting again we plan to take out the wall you see in this photo btw kitchen and put in an island and remove carpet and do hard wood (like) in kitchen, LR and down the hall ways.


    Also we will remove that half wall too. And likely redo/replace the cabinets of course in the Kitchen and ceiling fan.


    Note we just bought and haven't moved in yet.




  • last year
    last modified: last year

    I’d figure out your furniture placement, then look for pieces that fit the space and style. I like this layout with the couch facing the TV. It creates an entry area. I’d consider using only art on the large wall (so there is no furniture to cramp the area), with a narrow sofa table for small lamps and a tray for keys. A tall, shallow storage cabinet would be useful and provide some nice height in the room. I like the suggestion from S J to remove the door.




  • last year

    You’ve got a/c (?)ducts on wall to left of front door. Taking wall out may not be an option.

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    I'm not sure if the people advising you to remove the door realize that you posted that it goes to the garage and the basement. If there isn't another way from the house to get to the garage or basement, you obviously will have to keep the door.

    What's in the kitchen behind the wall with the HVAC vent? There are a few things you might be able to do that wall that would make the front entrance less awkward but it's hard to say without a floor plan. For example, you could close up the opening to the left of the front door and widen the opening on the other side.

    Removing the pony wall is a great idea.

  • last year

    deegw, I don’t believe the suggestions to remove the door also meant closing up the opening. If the door serves the purpose of preventing cold drafts coming in the house when the garage door is opened, or simply for an extra measure of security, then the door makes sense there.

  • last year

    So, the reason you think you need that door is because " it is needed as we don't think we want to see the other door to the garage and also , as you go to the doorway (a sharp left) there are stairs down to basement and they are steep".


    There must be a door to the basement, yes?

    The door to the garage is code, yes?

    Then why not take off the interior door and decorate the small hallway that has the basement door and the garage door?




  • last year

    I appreciate the suggestions all around On this last one there really isn't a hall before the steps down to the basement. It is a quick left and down through that door in the LR, no other door. And yes you wouldn't want to see the garage door. We ae thinking maybe an hidden door with bookcase in place of the LR door and it gives some storage,


    On the wall in the kitchen, there is nothing on the other side. Yes we wud have to keep the ductwork and encase, and if there is a load beam, then thinking it could stay and be a pillar in or around the kitchen island we want there. Here are two more pictures. One kitchen and you see wall on right we want out. The other is the other side of the wall from the LR view.



  • last year

    I wonder if a pocket door could be installed.

  • last year

    I would paint the door to the basement the wall color to blend it in more.

    Usually hidden-door bookshelf type things are used for occasionally used doors, and since it would open against the wall to the right, it takes up space and the full thickness of the shelves would sit, in part, in front of the door opening.

  • last year

    I would keep the pony wall as it's creating a hallway that you'd have to create anyway. Live in the house a while before you make any structural changes. You might find that you like the kitchen (and cooking mess) separated completely from the living room.

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