New House Floor Plans

So I thought I’d share you our new house floor plans with you today and how we intend to use the rooms. That may all still change when we actually get there but it’s our starting point.

 

This is the entry level. You enter at the yellow arrow and to the left there’s a small WC. What I love about a lot of 50’s houses is that they are on several half levels so to actually get to the first floor there are a few steps up. To the right there are stairs leading to the basement.

As you can see it’s fairly open plan as the previous owners (henceforth called the PO’s) took down a wall already to make the living room larger. What you can’t see on this plan is that there are still remnants of that wall to the right of the staircase. That little (tiny actually) niche is going to be my bedroom.

The plan is to take down the wall of cabinets between the kitchen and living room and make the kitchen part of the living area.

Kök = Kitchen

Vardagsrum = Living room

 

Here’s the second floor but before you arrive up there there’s a half level where the bathroom is at. It’s under the eaves so it has a window in the sloping ceiling. Once up there there’s quite a large open space (where the POs again removed some walls) where I’ll probably set up my home office but the idea is that this floor is mostly for Wille. His room is quite large and he’ll also have the tiny attic room off it. When he has friends over I’ll bring my laptop downstairs and they can have all of the upstairs to themselves.

Duschrum = Shower room

Allrum = Den

Sovrum = Bedroom

Vindsrum = Attic room

Balkong = Balcony

 

Downstairs (obviously…) is the basement. It’s a great space with plenty room for storage, carpentry, crafts and laundry. Because of those fun half levels upstairs there’s a not as fun half space down here. Where it says “Förråd” it’s basically a crawl space but I’m sure I’ll find a way to use it for something. The great thing about the rest of the space is that it feels fairly clean as is and a few coats of white paint on the walls and ceilings and grey on the floors will turn it into a fresh basement in no time. I’m getting us one of those paint sprayer things, overalls, masks and goggles and Wille and I are going to have a blast spraying our little hears out!

Förråd = Storage space

Tvättstuga = Laundry room

Matk. (Matkällare) = Pantry

Hobbyrum = Workshop

Allrum = Activity room

 

So there you have them, our new house floor plans! Great potential, huh?!

Comments

[vita_margarita]

Nice! Som sagt, ser fram emot din inredning.

[Älvan]

Definitivt potential! Men är du inte bekymrad över ev. matos i vardagsrummet (och i sängkläderna, eftersom du nu ska sova där också)!?
Skönt med en fräsch källare! Vi kommer att behöva dränera om till hösten så vi väntar med att måla om därnere.

[Carlos]

Inte så väldigt faktiskt. Jag behöver fixa nytt kök så jag ser till att jag har bra fläkt. Och sen är jag ju inte speciellt road av matlagning så det blir inte så mycket helstekt gris hos oss :). Lite kommer det ju att dofta men inte värre än att det hinner vädras ut innan jag går och lägger mig.

[Peta]

So many rooms!! I bet you're not sleeping at night just thinking about what you're to do with it all! I know that's what I'd be doing!
In what state (and style) are the bathrooms?
And what is the existing flooring like?

Look forward to seeing some inside pics!!
:-)

[Lydia]

You are one good mother letting your son take over the upstairs whilst squeezing yourself in a tiny bedroom!!!!

[Judith]

Oh how exciting! One of my favorite things about moving is playing with the floor plans, figuring out everything I want to do and where. You have some fun projects ahead of you!

[Antonella]

Benita, in Sweden when you sell a house, do you usually move your furniture or you leave it in the house? Thanks, Antonella (Italy)

[Carlos]

Will start posting some photos next week!

[Carlos]

But that means I'll have the whole entry level and the basement for me when he has frinds over. And I so don't need a big bedroom :).

[Carlos]

The rule of thumb is that the kitchen cabinets and all appliances inluding laundry room appliances stay. Also any built-ins that are drawn into the floor plan stay (in our case some shelving and the electric fire etc). You discuss it with your buyer if you want to take any of that with you. The loose furniture you always take with you.

[tinajo]

Really, really exciting - I´m a bit envious to tell the truth. :-) I´m sure you´ll make something really great out of it!

[Siri]

Gratulerer med nytt rekkehus!

Where are you sleeping though? I can’t wait to see what you do with the house! I love projects like that!!! If I lived in Stockholm I would buy your house!!! It is so perfect! I am also very curious to see what you get when you sell it - to compare to the prices over here in Norway. Right now prices are going up around here - so I’m expecting a crack soon..

[Anne]

Well at least you will have a tiny bedroom! There are mothers who sleep in the livingroom... in a sofa bed... or so I've been told ;)

[judith b]

It looks so spacious - can't wait to see what your magic will do to this new "blank" canvas! Exciting stuff!

[Messy]

Don't you at least need a bedroom instead of a bed corner...? Or are there going to be walls?

[Petra from NL]

It looks very nice! I can picture some bins on wheels or Antonius racks (Ikea) in that storage room... Would love to see you and Wille after the spraypainting fest ;-).

[Carlos]

I'm going to get a nook of the living room.

[Carlos]

:)

[Carlos]

Don't worry about me :). I don't need a big bedroom or even a room for my bed for that matter. I have plans for my nook and if they don't work out I can add walls. Think loft living :).

[Anna]

Congrats! Lots of potential! Why don't you add a wall to the "nook"? You have a window so it's possible. Will you do anything to the exterior? I saw that you have an extention where you enter, with wood paneling...will you change that so it blends in more with the original house? Maybe not on the top of the priority list and I'm a neatfreak (architect). Love the house though but that was the only thing that "disturbed" me when I saw it on Hemnet!

Can't wait for the Chez Larsson 2.0 to begin!

[Carlos]

I love the way the floor plan is so open right now and kind of look forward to the "loft" feeling of having the bed out in the open (I ALWAYS make the bed every day...). That nook used to be a bedroom from what I understand (some wall remnants are still there) so it would be easy peasy to turn it back into one if I decided I needed more privacy.

As for the exterior it seems that all the houses that have the extension have the same type so I'm wondering if there are rules that state it must look like that. I know in our current area for example you can't extend directly to the length of the house, the new bit needs to be inset to properly show where the addition is. The fact that the original bit is asbetos cement sheeting probably rules out that exact material for the extension for obvious reasons. I'll probably leave it as is for now. Too many other projects that need attending too.

At the back of the house my plan is to paint what's yellow now also white and aside from the obvious need for the balcony to be painted I'm also adding a nice awning (grey?) and later on (next year?) some decking. I want to experience a summer in the garden before deciding exactly how to do the decking etc but I need to paint immediately and that stripy awning needs to go right away.

[Sara]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it, and can't wait to see what you make of it... I know it'll be incredible.

[Leena]

Love your plans and I really like the basement, lot of good space there, nothing wrong with the other levels either. I just enjoy the fact that you will have good crafting space on the new house too.

[Celia]

I agree with you,Benita, about letting your teen have the bigger space. But would any of the basement space work as a bedroom for either of you? I know some people who've done that and it gives the kids space plus keeps teen noise levels a whole two stories away from parents :)

[Celia]

Even if it's not the norm to sell houses furnished, I bet you could make a lot doing it!!

[Ana V.]

You are a very nice woman you can find a new boy friend so you need your privacy dont't you think?
So you need a room for you. :D:D

[Jennifer S.]

Thanks for sharing floor plans! I live in a house with a few half-levels as well. The good thing is that I keep fit going up and down stairs all day!

[jja]

"I'm going to get a nook of the living room."

It is boring to you I know, but in such a big house to have only a nook to sleep? Never a need just to close the door of your room and be alone for a minute? Maybe in a future to have some handsome man to stay over night? ;-)))

[Kim Frerichs]

Love it - looks like it has tons of potential. I can't wait to see how you customize it! I loved all the custom built-ins you had in your last home, and I have no doubt you'll work the same magic here. (Plus I'm jealous of all your porch and balcony space!)
-Kim

[jenn]

We're looking for a new house so taking this journey with you is fabulous! And you're such an inspiration. Can't wait to see what's next....

[Franziska]

I'm curious what you'll do to style the rooms up. If possible and okay for you it would be nice to see many before photos and then what you did (after photos). Inbetween photos are welcome, too.
Spännande!

[Michelle of Montreal]

As an architect, I love seeing the plans of your new house. Based on the window sizes and locations, I'm guessing that the entrance faces north while the balconies face south. That's what I'd expect of sensible Swedish design.

[Zosia]

Vary spacious for two people. Wille is one lucky guy to get all this space to himself. I am sure you will make it a great space for real living.

[Valeria]

What fun design! Mini and Bonus will have fun running up and down all those stairs... and Wille will be so happy to have a suite to himself. For privacy you could install a curtain on a wire ( like in hospitals).

[Micol]

Benita, besides of common areas you deserve a room of your own. Yes, like Virginia Woolf. Please consider that you news your privacy for many reasons. I believe it would be a food thing for Willie also.
The house you have bought is gourgeous and full of potential. Can't wait to read about your improvements. Your old house is going to be sold great, you have done a great job on it.

[Micol]

News=need
Food=good
Sorry :-(

[Annika]

I love how excited all your readers are about your new house.
And I love the floor plan! So much space! So many choices.

[Amanda]

Lovely layout!

[Karen]

Looks like it will be wonderful. Hope you can get a clothes drier now!

[Carlos]

My thought exactly! Heavy white velvet drapes perhaps?!

[Holyoke Home]

Ha! All the room names look like Ikea product names!!!!

[Hxx]

A white laser-cut wooden folding screen? Or something similar - I can imagine you knocking up one yourself and it being a million times better than anything you could find online/in stores! I thought I'd just add my 2 pence into the wall/curtain divide!

[Messy]

You sure make us curious... I'm sure I would hate to sleep in the living room, especially with a kid that may be coming home late etc. but of course I'm curious to see how your idea looks.

Anyway, the place looks absolutely lovely, congratulations again. Can't wait to see how you will entertain us with it! :-)

[louisabellissima]

I love the word Vardagsrum. :)

[Anne]

I sleep in the livingroom to give my children own rooms. It doesn't work out for this sister and brother to share since they are six years apart in age. It's not a big deal really - it works out fine. I would not want to sleep in a basement! When I told people I was giving up my bedroom many reacted as if I was cutting of a limb... The daughter is seventeen so it's not for that many years. Soon enought I will have all the space I want, and I bet I will look back at theese crowded times as happy ones.

[Ali]

I love your new floor plan! It is terrific that it is open plan style just like you hoped for!

This is so exciting! I imagine you are planning and creating in your mind non-stop because you are such a creative soul!

I'm smiling ear to ear for you and Willie and the fur kids!

So happy for you! ~ Ali

[Squirrell]

Looks great, I want one just like that...

[jeannette]

i'm thinking of all the cozy alcove/curtained beds in french and i guess other euro provincial houses, in the kitchen to keep warm! i know your penchant for white but right now i'm thinking of beautiful provencal cotton curtains and pillows. mmmmmmmmmmm.
i have to go get you some urls for spirit cloth/jude's beautiful white summery quilts.

[jeannette]

oops, all the urls are posted as a separate comment below, so sorry. they're the posts jude hill made on her "fling", a light transparent quilted cloth in white, so incredibly beautiful. your white velvet curtains sound ravishing also.

here are the urls again, maybe you can delete the ones below?
http://spiritcloth.typepad.com/spirit_cloth/2008/07/quilting-a-summ.html
http://spiritcloth.typepad.com/spirit_cloth/2008/07/flinging-1.html
http://spiritcloth.typepad.com/spirit_cloth/2008/07/a-fling-in-full.html
http://spiritcloth.typepad.com/spirit_cloth/2008/07/the-many-lives.html
http://spiritcloth.typepad.com/spirit_cloth/2008/07/stormy-sunday.html

[Robyn]

Wow, Benita! I bet you can't wait until you're in so you can start with all those plans that must be keeping you up at night! And with practically a whole floor to himself, apart from a kitchen, it's like Wille's got his own apartment!

I'm so excited for you!

[Robyn]

Oh! Now that you know where you are moving to, have you come up with a new name for your blog yet?

[Carlos]

I'm keeping the name but may still add a little something to the header.

[valeria]

Ohhh, glamourous!

[Nancy]

Ooh!, it would look great with that beautiful floral laser-cut light fixture that you have that Martin always hated! I can't wait to see how your new place unfolds as time goes on; showing the real Benita without your choices being influenced by Martin's likes and dislikes.

Does Wille generally have strong opinions about what he likes and dislikes about home decor or are his tastes similar to yours?

[Carlos]

Wille knows what he likes and doesn't like but he's usually fairly content with my ideas. I do like to ask him his opinions and take them into account.

[r8chel]

Nice! I can't wait to see pictures of the interior.

[Imke]

Wow, exciting. I am soo looking forward to observe your progress in this project. Best of luck with everything.

[lisa h.]

Re: Benita's bed nook. Some commenters are talking as though Benita is relegating herself to sleeping on a rug on the porch or something. If I understand her correctly, she's also going to use the Allrum as her office, where I'm sure she will be spending plenty of time, and will totally vacate the second floor only when Wille has his school buddies over.

Also, not everyone has the same needs/standards where personal privacy is concerned.

Benita, I remember you writing about your current bed being much larger than what you need. Will you be getting a smaller bed and going with a daybed/divan type look during the day? That could work very well.

I'm so excited for you!

[Carlos]

Thank you, Lisa! That's exactly how I feel! I remember when we moved in to the house, people couldn't understand that we gave Wille the biggest bedroom. It was like because he was small we should tuck him into a small room and we "deserved" the largest bedroom. We on the other hand thought it best that he have the bigger room so all his toys could fit in there and when he had friends over they could play there. And just like you say, it's not like I'm not getting any space in the house, I'll have two floors and he'll have one :).

As for the bed I AM considering getting a smaller bed if the one I have now doesn't fit. I need to get the keys to the house soon so I can measure properly. So exciting!

[Lydia]

Once I saw the nook with the walls it does look like a nice bedroom alcove! I hope I didn't start up some crazy stirrup. It's your house and your decision!! Most parents would squeeze their kids somewhere, I lived in a closet sized room growing up ;)

Bottom line I'm just saying you are a very good mother! I love how you've split things up.

[Kristin]

Why is everyone so worried about Benita's privacy? My guess is that she will turn one of the rooms downstairs into a craft room, and there she will get the alone-time she needs. Am I right, Benita? :)

[Carlos]

At least a craft nook :). See, I like nooks :).

[jude]

thank you for the link backs....