Van Cleave Architecture + Design

Home Improvement Professionals , Architects & Building Designers , Accessory Dwelling Units , Home Remodeling , Home Additions , Universal Design , Basement Remodeling
10 Reviews
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Van Cleave Architecture + Design
10 Reviews

Staying within the Footprint

An easy way to add square footage to your house is remodel it from the inside without changing its footprint. Reconfiguring existing spaces by tearing down walls, recapturing unused areas, opening up views, and small bump-outs are all ways to add square footage.
Country: United States
Staying within the Footprint
Staying within the Footprint
Staying within the Footprint
Working within the existing porch footprint was crucial as the old porch extended over the setback lines. To save money, we kept the roof structure and refurbished it while everything else was rebuilt.
Staying within the Footprint
Notice the small wood bench that spans between the stucco column base and the wall. By carving a small design element in the 2 x 6's and adding decorative nailheads, the bench becomes more a functional work of art.
Staying within the Footprint
This kitchen was reworked from a tight galley kitchen into the spacious kitchen you see here. An entire hallway was eliminated behind this wall and the access to the basement was made more direct. The cased opening to the left was created to connect the front entry and stairs to the rest of the...
Staying within the Footprint
A small bump-out to the exterior wall allowed for a built-in bench in a cramped dinette space (table is shown removed). The bench/bump-out was cantilevered off of the existing exterior wall which eliminated any foundation work and thus saved money. Since the building line was already on the side...
Staying within the Footprint
This client wanted to move her washer and dryer from the basement to the second floor in an existing house. By taking over a small bedroom., we were able to create a centralized laundry area and open up a previously dark interior hall.
Staying within the Footprint
This wall is opposite a washer and dryer, creating a centralized laundry area with no doors on the second floor. Within this 5' wide x 8' long niche is three laundry bins hidden under the bench, a fold-out iron board with shelves, a recessed niche with display area for kids artwork, a 4"d medicine...
Staying within the Footprint
This photo shows all the usable spaces tucked within a 5' wide by 8' long laundry area on the second floor. It includes a built-in ironing board with shelves, 3 laundry bins under the bench, a recessed display area for kids' artwork, a medicine cabinet, a full size window and a washer/dryer tucked...
Staying within the Footprint
This teenager's bedroom was small so we added a built-in dresser with shelves above and drawers below; since a stairway is behind and below this wall, we were able to carve out a 20"d niche for this purpose and only the bottom drawer is a fake panel.
Staying within the Footprint
This is a close-up view of a built-in dresser that was carved out of a space above a stairway ceiling. Only the lower drawer is a fake panel to accommodate the slope of the ceiling below it.
Staying within the Footprint
This basement is in a 1920's house and had small rooms due to interior brick foundation walls. Since this was the largest room in the basement, we chose to finish it even though there was a huge plumbing stack and a structural column about 2' apart in the middle of the room. A clever concealment...
Staying within the Footprint
Don't let any space go to waste! A "reading niche" was carved out from under the basement stairs and provides the perfect place for the kids to snuggle with a good book!
Staying within the Footprint
This 4' x 4' area was carved out from under a basement stair and carpeted for a kids "reading niche". It serves as the perfect place to store the kids book collection and a quiet secluded place to read!
Staying within the Footprint
Staying within the Footprint
Staying within the Footprint