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Wednesday, January 20, 2016

I Have a Dream....

I love my house, no secret about it. It's such a great little house, just perfect for me. 

But that doesn't mean it's perfect. It has a few flaws, for sure. 

One is that the garage is not attached to the house. I have never ever understood why people would build a garage in the snowy northeast and not attach it to the house. 

Another flaw is that there is no proper entry. When visitors come to the house, they are not really sure where to go.  I usually stand out on the deck waving people up the garden steps and in through the kitchen door. 

Through the long months of waiting to close on my house I thought of many ways I wanted to improve my home. Things I had always dreamed of having in my home like a sunroom, a proper foyer, a greenhouse, a beautiful entry. A screened porch and/or a covered porch. 

I looked into adding a sunroom or four-season room to my house, with a doorway from the living room. The price was crazy, I couldn't justify it. 

I tried to figure out how to make a proper entry in my living room using furniture - a bench, a hall tree, something. 

But it's just too awkward. 

And then one day the light-bulb went on over my head. 

Via
Bingo - an enclosed breezeway between the garage and the house that would serve as the formal entry, the foyer, a small sunroom, and a bit of a greenhouse for all the plants I would like to overwinter. 

It would have French doors that open onto my stone patio that is in between my house and garage. It would be like a secret garden back there!

It would need to be a multi-purpose space. It will give me the coat closet and proper entry/foyer I am lacking. It will serve as my sunroom/greenhouse in the winter months and my covered porch/screened porch in the summer months. 

It needs to be big enough for a small table and chairs and have a source of heat as well as a ceiling fan. 

I need to be able to sit there with my coffee in the mornings and my wine in the evenings. 

Via
And the dream was born. 

My contractor and I have discussed options on how to make it work best, given the tight space we are working within. 

Via
We have tossed around ideas for months now. 

I originally wanted it finished before the first snowfall. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a proper place to take off my boots and coat when I get home other than in the kitchen doorway?


When it came to October and my contractor was still finishing up the many other projects we took on, it was determined it needed to wait until spring. 

I thought the Gods were stepping in and telling me to take a break. Six months of continuous construction and projects was a long time - it would be nice to have my house to myself for a little while. 

And I also thought, let me live through the first winter in my  new house and see how it goes. 

How icy will the steps get leading down from the kitchen entrance to the garage door?

How hard will it be lugging firewood up those wooden steps and in through the kitchen?

How messy will things be when we are tracking snow into the house every single day?

Via
Well, our winter got off to a slow start but now it seems to be here to stay. 

And although my daughters carry the firewood in from the garage I'm constantly telling them to kick off their snowy shoes by the kitchen door before they track snow and salt all over my house. It's a continuous battle. 

The pups also bring in the snow on their little paws. My wood floors are a mess of little footprints constantly. 

The treads I added to the kitchen steps do help with traction, but we still have to be extremely cautious. 

And I absolutely hate not having a place to come in, take off my shoes and hang up my coat. 

Via
So, the wheels are spinning again. 

Too bad I didn't hit the Powerball. That would have made this a no-brainer. 

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30 comments:

  1. Such a great idea...I bet it would be wonderful! Love the inspiration photos!

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    1. Thanks, Linda! It's stuck in my head again and I think it's time to get some drawings made!

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  2. Oh it would be great. I've been in a few houses with them and they are beautiful

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    1. It would definitely make the house 'live' better than it does now. In summer it's fine but I knew the winters would be a challenge.

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  3. My sister had one in her home and it was a great space. We have toyed with the idea, as well. Our garage is not attached to our house either...although a modern car doesn't really fit in it anyway. A 1920 Ford, no problem, today's Jeep or pick up, no way, but a breezeway would still be lovely. Especially that first or last one!

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    1. Sounds like you need to get yourself a Mini Cooper, my friend!! :)

      Oh, and the first one is my favorite - that's the one I gave to my contractor so we could use it as inspiration. Not with a complete glass roof but perhaps a more traditional roof with a bunch of skylights. After all, it is the Northeast!!

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  4. I feel your pain..absolutely. Ted and I seem to be dirty people. We kick our shoes off most times. But it tracking and hauling in wood and hauling out ashes...its a battle to keep our floors clean. I am constantly sweeping up a bit here and there. I'd love to have a built in air hose..walk into a small room and blow all the dirt off before entering the house. LOL. I loved the rooms you posted. Blessings , xoxo,Susie

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    1. Ha ha an air hose would be great!! Or some kind of vacuum mat that when you step on it it removes all the debris from the bottom of your feet! As it is, I have a boot tray by the kitchen entry that is always piled with shoes. Pretty!!

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  5. Oh the wheels are spinning...it all sounds lovely...but... will you be able to sleep now ;-) The pictures you shared are gorgeous. I love the one with the windows all over instead of a traditional roof.

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    1. Yes, the first photo - that's my absolute favorite!! Couldn't you just see having coffee or cocoa there on a snowy day? Or wine on a spring evening? Oh, yes, sleep will be tough now that this is stuck in my head again.

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  6. That's a fabulous idea. We, too, have come up with the idea of a breeze-way to attach what we are living in now to the house that will go up this year. That way we can get to the garage without going outside. And, have a nice entrance with closets for coats and boots. It will be fun following along on your progress. :)

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    1. And yours, Deb!! I think I'll start with getting the drawings completed - we had started over the summer but found out we need much more detailed drawings to get a building permit. Something about the two elevations we are trying to 'connect.' So I guess I need to get busy!

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  7. I love your dream! Keep dreaming. It will be spring before you know it.
    Brenda

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    1. Says who? :) Meanwhile we're due for a big storm this weekend....the biggest snowstorm we've hat yet this season. Spring seems an eternity away!!

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  8. I'm sure it will be just perfect. There's a house not far from ours that has a little enclosed breezeway and I just love driving by it. She has it lit with small lamps and such, making it so inviting.

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    1. Oh how lovely! I'm sure mine would have little lamps in it as well since I have little lamps all over my house. Don't you just want to stop in for a glass of wine when you drive by? :)

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  9. You hit the nail on the head with your dilemma and ours ! Many years ago when we built our home we thought our plan was perfect, but living in our newly built home proved all our entry ways were not up to snuff for practical everyday living in the wet rainy Pacific northwest , more prone to mud most months. We changed our entry ( no more entering through the covered front porch with sky-lights into the living room )and removed the wall to wall carpeting in the new entry ( at our original front door) replacing it with hard-woods and laminate flooring that looks like wood. We also landscaped in such a way as to direct foot traffic to the front door because I , too, would have to stand on the wrap-around porch and invite friends and family into the proper door.

    Still, these are fun challenges and offer you so much opportunity for amazing creativity along with simple practicality.

    Love the many examples you posted !

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    1. Do you know I have just now realized I have never, ever lived in a house with a proper entry? Never!! I have never had an entry with a coat closet and a place to take off shoes. Bizarre! I've always made do, but wow, it would be so nice! It truly is the little things, isn't it? I adore my house but I knew the lack of an entry would be a challenge from day one.

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  10. Having a covered entryway is a huge deal, especially in northern climates, with all the cold, and moisture. I think your idea to have a covered breezeway is awesome, and I know you are looking forward very much to the day when your dream will be a reality! I loved seeing all the gorgeous pictures you had for ideas. Right now, our covered entry is basically a mud room, and although it has features that aren't so desirable, still, it is a place for boots to go and wet dogs to stay to dry off. I too have hopes of making it a nicer place, but there are always so many other priorities at the top of the list it seems, lol! :)

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    1. I would be quite happy to have a mudroom, believe me! I spent much of my day today cleaning my floors - wow, what a mess!! I really need to hit lotto so I can make my dream a reality!

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  11. What a wonderful idea! I hope with your contractor's help, your dream can come true. We do have an attached garage, but when you walk into the house through it, you're right in the kitchen. And it's a very tight space - only big enough for one person. In the winter, I have to keep two rugs there even though it looks awful, otherwise snow and mud go all over the kitchen floor. I'm sure you can relate on that one. ;-) The main entryway into our house is through the front door but there is no foyer. You're right in the living room. Like your house, nowhere to hang your coat. We also don't wear shoes in the house, so we have to kick them off at the door, so then the shoes are right there in the living room. Like you, I have tried to make a foyer/entryway with different placement of furniture, etc. but nothing really works. Hope you are having a good week!

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    1. I tried again this weekend after I spent so long vacuuming and mopping floors...I installed a new hook system and tried a bench by the kitchen door...but it was too tight and I had to remove the bench right away. Oh well....Winter will end and I will survive but I think I will get the drawings done and see what kind of $$ I'm actually looking at for this plan so I can budget and make my dream come true!

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  12. All excellent ideas! Boy howdy, that Powerball would have taken care of the problem...even a little bite of it...

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  13. You will enjoy the process and the end result. My main entry is my kitchen door, but at least I don't have to deal with snow and salt.

    I look forward to seeing this finished addition to your lovely home.

    FlowerLady

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    1. Me, too, Lorraine...but I don't know how long it will take to come to fruition!

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  14. You have NO IDEA how much I can relate to this Deb. Our former house had no proper entry digger, as the side faced the street. We used the back as the front and after you entered into a very small vestibule you were right in the kitchen. Not ideal by any means, but I've sorta given up on that concept, but you shouldn't! I definitely think you should follow through with this project. It will be one you won't regret.

    xxx

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    1. I feel the same way, Doreen - I feel like this project would change the way I actually LIVE in my house. However, it will be expensive. So I'm still weighing my options.

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  15. I had eye surgery yesterday and never saw this post of these beautiful breezeways. This sounds perfect for you and i really look forward to see the finished results. I've always loved breezeways

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    1. Oh, Carol, I am hoping all is well with your surgery and you didn't have to suffer too much!! xo

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