help with room layout for our new living room

[trales]

Foundation posts are in! after a sink hole, undisclosed, abandoned septic tank and super high water table table. (another story)
Construction starts in 6 weeks. I am attaching the layout b/c I need help.
1. Where do we put the TV
2. Should I shift windows to make room
3. How do we arrange furniture.
4. Side with sliding door faces neighbors house, other 2 sides face beautiful woods, so I want to avoid TV on neighbor side.
5. Thinking mini split or little propane heater, where should that go

Addition will be 9 feet off ground on far side bc of slope. Even with first floor of house which is ground level in front.
Was going to make it 2 stories, but water table, digging made that an additional 100K, so we did not make a basement. The old part of house has a basement- that is dry, but slope is strange. Size cannot be changed, but windows can be shifted a little bit.

Scale on the picture is 2squares = 1 foot.
5203

[trales]

I also need color help. The current house is a classic cedar shingle cape cod with 6 over 1 windows and black shutters. The shingles have aged to a beautiful grey. The addition will be cedar clapboards. What color should we paint those- a shade of blue, red, butter yellow?

The doors are currently Tiffany blue, but can be repainted any color. I usually mix it up, buy a gallon of paint and redo the doors for a pop of color every few years.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Color- a shade of blue. Like one lighter than navy sounds nice to me.
Your image is broken.

Are there no offer options for heat? I’m not familiar with propane heaters so have no idea their space constraints or if you need area around it. Baseboard heating? No way to tie into your central HVAC?

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[trales]

So, the current HVAC system is less than 2 years old and is forced hot air and isn't sized for the new room and would mean breaking through the basement wall and moving it outside and then up into the new room. So. . . Every HVAC person has said a mini split system on the wall or one of the Rinnai direct vent furnaces. We have a 500gallon propane tank buried in the yard. The rest of the house does not have AC, so we could get a mini split that would allow for more AC units.

Try this image, I saved it as another file type. 5204

[mommy111]

Issue with image is it’s too low resolution so it’s hard to see. Mini splits are great, everyone I know who has one loves it
Whay is the feel and the color theme of the rest of the house? That should determine what you do here. Our is a dark grey blue. But white walls also look really nice and provide a blank canvas

[WatchingThemGrow]

I can't read what's on the perimeter of the lines. Can you draw it out without graph paper and just write it bigger? Maybe take some pics of favorite spots around the existing rooms?

[Snow mom]

Can you just list what the room dimensions are? I can’t zoom in on the image at all and can’t see any details beyond it looks like a rectangle. Mini splits are becoming quite popular in the NE so I’d go with that. All my friends who have added them are happy with their choice.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Issue with image is it’s too low resolution so it’s hard to see. Mini splits are great, everyone I know who has one loves it
Whay is the feel and the color theme of the rest of the house? That should determine what you do here. Our is a dark grey blue. But white walls also look really nice and provide a blank canvas

I thought she was talking about the outside of the house?


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[trales]

The room is 16' wide and 24' long. On the long side facing the woods are 2 5' windows and a 4' fire place. She 16' end facing the backyard has 8ft window and 2 4 ft bookshelves on either end. The long side facing the neighbor will have a 5 ft window and a 6ft sliding door. The side attached the house will have an 8ft opening and a 4 ft closet.

The rest of the house is painted revere pewter and coastal pleasure with linen white trim. We have southern yellow pine floors, with traditional oriental style area rugs on them. The new room will get wood floors, maybe not southern yellow pine (probably an oak), in front of the sliding door and fireplace will be slate tile. Trim and windows will match the rest of the house. House is 1940 and most furniture is pretty simple with clean straight lines and small in scale bc the house is so small. This room opens to kitchen which has pine floors, white and grey granite counters, white subway tile backsplash and cherry shaker style cabinets.

It is the exterior color I need help with for the new addition. What color for the clapboards.

The rest of the house is only 1475sq ft.

Where would you put the TV? DH is totally against putting it above the fireplace, I don't think it should go in front of window. I will try to get a better picture or drawing tonight.

We have a basic grey tweed couch that we plan to move in there, simple clean lines, thinking of getting another couch in the same style, different color and maybe a poang chair- they are so comfy. The couch is Jonathan Louis artimus choices, with straight arms.

Thanks all.

[trales]

5205 This is the current exterior. Sorry for the off cut-off but the address is on the house, so I wanted to cut that off. The addition will go behind the little bump out.

[SnuggleBuggles]

From your description I think over the fireplace might be the only logical place. What’s his concern with it there? We put our tv there in one of our rooms. It was really the only choice except a tv stand in the corner that you would have trouble seeing from most spots. :)


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[Myira]

I am of the same opinion as your DH, I don’t like the idea of tv above the fireplace. It’s just not at eye level and I don’t get how anyone finds it comfortable to view it up there without straining their neck. Why do you not like the idea of tv opposite windows? We have that exact setup with tv facing the side with windows.


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[SnuggleBuggles]

I am of the same opinion as your DH, I don’t like the idea of tv above the fireplace. It’s just not at eye level and I don’t get how anyone finds it comfortable to view it up there without straining their neck. Why do you not like the idea of tv opposite windows? We have that exact setup with tv facing the side with windows.


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You don’t have a problem with window glare?

I thought the height was going to be a problem but it’s been fine. I think it helps if you can sit far enough away.

I don’t know why it’s a problem to have it on the side facing the neighbors. I really haven’t been able to see any of the drawings though so maybe I’m missing something. Our tv is over our fireplace in one room and the pretty view of outside is on the adjacent wall. We have multiple seats in the room. Some are better for watching tv. Some are better for looking outside. I assume you’ll have more than just a couch in there?


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[trales]

He has a painting he wants above the fireplace and doesn't like looking up. I agree that facing the neighbors seems the most logical, but they our backs are to the fireplace and away from the prettiest view which is the woods.

What do you think the the couches were facing each other, perpendicular to the fireplace and TV, and then a chair could be moved to face either the TV or the fireplace, which would be opposite each other?

We often have the fireplace and the TV at the same time. . .

In our current living room, the TV is next to the fireplace on the low table and it works well, but the new rooms has 5 ft. window on each side of the fireplace. I don't think I want the TV in front of the window.

I don't want to get rid of a window to allow for a TV. But maybe I could slide the windows away from the fireplace and put bookshelves on either side of the fireplace and then put the TV next to the fireplace? Would that be too much with bookshevles flanking the windows on the end of the room?

We do not have a huge TV- only 32 inches.

[trales]

re do of picture on white paper with sharpie. I hope you can see this one.5206

[SnuggleBuggles]

It must be something with how you’re uploading the pictures, not the pictures themselves. Still nothing.


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[trales]

Clearly, I am technology troubled . . .

I uploaded them to flickr, maybe this works: https://www.flickr.com/photos/192150830@N02/shares/9Q1Ye1
https://www.flickr.com/photos/192150830@N02/shares/To00Vv

[gamma]

Which sides are North South East West? That will make a difference in TV placement for glare more than anything else. If that isn’t a factor, then I think 2 couches facing each other with the fireplace on one open end and the tv on the other open end. Then place the chairs. As far as the siding for outside, your cedar siding that you already have is lovely shades of gray. I would match the paint for the clapboard to the shade in it that you like best so it will blend. Painting the clapboard a totally different contrasting color may make it obvious that it’s an addition. However, it’s hard to say without seeing all angles and sides of the house.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Do you need a closet? Could the tv perhaps go on an angled stand there? Then have a couch that faces that and more seating that faces outside? I don't like 2 couches facing each other when the tv requires a complete head swivel to see. At least one seat should be arranged to see the tv best if you want to watch tv in there :) I don't think I would want to get rid of windows but interested in the idea of bookshelves flanking the tv then the windows.

[gamma]

Do you need a closet? Could the tv perhaps go on an angled stand there? Then have a couch that faces that and more seating that faces outside? I don't like 2 couches facing each other when the tv requires a complete head swivel to see. At least one seat should be arranged to see the tv best if you want to watch tv in there :) I don't think I would want to get rid of windows but interested in the idea of bookshelves flanking the tv then the windows. Good point! I have never had that room arrangement, but can see what you are saying. Along with SnuggleBuggles idea of using a corner, if you are relying on the closet space, perhaps use one of the corners where one of the bookcases are placed?

[o_mom]

One thing to consider is that for a 32" tv, you want to be no more than 6-8 ft away. I would put a TV stand to the left of the fireplace, at an angle, then put a couch facing the fireplace and two chairs to the right of the fireplace facing the window seat. If you shift everything toward the window seat, you might get away with putting the TV on the bookshelf, but with the distance as it is, that will put the people to the right of the fire place about 15 ft from the TV - you would need a TV about double in size for that to work.

[trales]

Which sides are North South East West? That will make a difference in TV placement for glare more than anything else. If that isn’t a factor, then I think 2 couches facing each other with the fireplace on one open end and the tv on the other open end. Then place the chairs. As far as the siding for outside, your cedar siding that you already have is lovely shades of gray. I would match the paint for the clapboard to the shade in it that you like best so it will blend. Painting the clapboard a totally different contrasting color may make it obvious that it’s an addition. However, it’s hard to say without seeing all angles and sides of the house.

Neighbor side (sliding door) is north, fireplace is south,

[trales]

You guys are really good. I think ditching the closet is the answer, we don't need it with. With the closet gone, I can shift the windows, but built in's under, put plants in front of the window, and the the TV on a nice shelf between the fireplace and window.

I agree with the odd viewing angle if the couches face each other.

I will draw it and put it on flikr.

You guys are the best.

As for color, we could shingle in the same as the rest of the house, but then that is A LOT of grey. I was thinking on the end with the big picture window to used cedar shingles on the triangle, then clapboards on the rest. I like the idea of a pop of color. A lot of capes around here have additions off the back like this and they are a different color and clapboard rather than shingle.

[trales]

Here it is with the closet removed, the windows shifted for the TV. I was wrong, our TV is 36" so a little bigger.

https://flic.kr/p/2kC6cN9

[ezcc]

We have the tv opposite from the fireplace with a couch perpendicular and 2 chairs facing the couch, one of the chairs (a big comfy leather one) is ideally placed at an angle to watch the tv. The person on the couch has a great spot if they are lying down. The other chair can be turned to watch tv. It is not an ideal layout, but find it works ok- we don't really have another option, other than putting the tv over the fireplace but it is tall with a big mantel and we didn't want to do that. It is rare that we are all in there watching tv, but have other chairs that can be pulled in or sometimes people will sit on the floor. It is fine for 3-4 tv watchers, but usually there are only 1 or 2 people watching it at a time.

[Kestrel]

Do you have a rec room or similar? Where is your TV currently?

I would love to have a room with NO TV at all.

Another suggestion - we had our bookcases built with cupboards as lowers; you might think about that instead of a closet.

[trales]

Do you have a rec room or similar? Where is your TV currently?

I would love to have a room with NO TV at all.

Another suggestion - we had our bookcases built with cupboards as lowers; you might think about that instead of a closet.

Yes- that is the plan for the bookcase, cupboards on the bottom!

The room that the TV is in right now is tiny, has a fire place, windows, front door and staircase. I will move out the couch, put in 2-3 comfy chairs, bookshelves, and the piano. The piano is currently in the kitchen, I can't wait till I can move it out. At 1475 sq ft. there are not a lot of room.

First floor is living room, kitchen, bedroom, office and bath, second floor is 2 bedrooms and bath.

Part of the reason for the addition, is the current living room can hold an apartment sized couch and one other chair. So we needed more space.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Looks like it's getting closer! I would swap the single chair and the sofa opposite it for better traffic flow. Have you considered a sectional or a sofa with a chaise?

[trales]

Looks like it's getting closer! I would swap the single chair and the sofa opposite it for better traffic flow. Have you considered a sectional or a sofa with a chaise?

I have thought about sectionals, they intrigue me, but does it give less flexibility. I like the idea of one. We do have a nice and pretty new couch though, I would hate to waste it. I am open to anything.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Sectionals seem divisive on this board. I love them. I’ve never regretted our u shaped one nor interested in a modular design. But, I know that some prefer that flexibility.


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