Interior columns, what to do?
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wrote on 30 Sept 2021, 16:35 last edited by
I had a neighbor who worked for the "family." He'd suggest a "controlled fire." I was always nervous when he visited the fire-trap home I owned at the time.
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wrote on 30 Sept 2021, 16:35 last edited by 89th
Ok here are 4 photoshopped images:
- Squared off (hide columns) and continue to ceiling.
- Removal of columns and pedestals, leave everything else.
- Same as that, but lift ceiling to current dining room height (so it's flat, not arched)
- Same as that, but add a wood beam.
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One time I had an idea I wanted to implement that involved removing a door-door and installing a pocket door. I had a contractor in to look at this. He took one glance and told me the beam I wanted hollowed out (to accommodate the pocket door) was load bearing and couldn't be weakened that way.
So that is my first thought in your deal. To what extent are the columns load bearing? Probably any guys you get in will advise you on this . . . or maybe IT will.
My only other thought is a matter of taste; the columns look like gilding the lily to me. I'd want to disappear them for that reason. But that's me, you may not agree.
wrote on 30 Sept 2021, 16:38 last edited by@catseye3 said in Interior columns, what to do?:
One time I had an idea I wanted to implement that involved removing a door-door and installing a pocket door. I had a contractor in to look at this. He took one glance and told me the beam I wanted hollowed out (to accommodate the pocket door) was load bearing and couldn't be weakened that way.
So that is my first thought in your deal. To what extent are the columns load bearing? Probably any guys you get in will advise you on this . . . or maybe IT will.
My only other thought is a matter of taste; the columns look like gilding the lily to me. I'd want to disappear them for that reason. But that's me, you may not agree.
Thanks for the feedback! Yes a lot depends if it's load bearing or not.
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Are you putting in new carpet or a solid surface? Whatever way you go here it will cost a few shekels. You might be better off to just go ahead and carpet and paint for now and wait until you live there a while and get a comprehensive plan for the whole floor.
If you did the beam, knocked out the kitchen wall and got some modern metal stair rails it would modernize the whole floor.
wrote on 30 Sept 2021, 16:38 last edited by@mik said in Interior columns, what to do?:
Are you putting in new carpet or a solid surface? Whatever way you go here it will cost a few shekels. You might be better off to just go ahead and carpet and paint for now and wait until you live there a while and get a comprehensive plan for the whole floor.
If you did the beam, knocked out the kitchen wall and got some modern metal stair rails it would modernize the whole floor.
Carpet... and there's really nice millwork throughout so I think we'll keep the wood railings (etc). I don't think we'd knock out the wall, but I did add the wood beam (and ceiling raise) idea in the 3rd and 4th photoshopped images above. I like the wood beam idea, if we went that route.
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wrote on 30 Sept 2021, 16:44 last edited by
It seems to define that area a bit better. Leaving the arch without the pedestals looks imbalanced and with no trim at all it looks austere.
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wrote on 30 Sept 2021, 16:47 last edited by
Aesthetically, the last photoshop job with the wood trim looks best to me. It all depends on whether those columns are load bearing. If they are not, then I'd go for the wood trim option.
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wrote on 30 Sept 2021, 17:05 last edited by
Even replacing the columns with wood sort of like this picture would be better. probably cheaper too. Those white Doric columns are a bit grandiose.
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wrote on 30 Sept 2021, 17:55 last edited by
+1 for updated columns.
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wrote on 30 Sept 2021, 18:00 last edited by
This thread is so racist. You all ought to be ashamed of your privilege.
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Even replacing the columns with wood sort of like this picture would be better. probably cheaper too. Those white Doric columns are a bit grandiose.
wrote on 30 Sept 2021, 18:39 last edited by@mik said in Interior columns, what to do?:
Even replacing the columns with wood sort of like this picture would be better. probably cheaper too. Those white Doric columns are a bit grandiose.
You have a great eye, I like that idea as well! We have a contractor we've used in the past who will come assess if it's loadbearing or not. That will determine quite a bit!
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wrote on 30 Sept 2021, 19:01 last edited by
If you can match the wood perfectly, my vote would be for updating the columns.
If you decide to remove the columns, my vote is for #4.
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wrote on 30 Sept 2021, 20:49 last edited by
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If you can match the wood perfectly, my vote would be for updating the columns.
If you decide to remove the columns, my vote is for #4.
wrote on 1 Oct 2021, 01:33 last edited by@friday said in Interior columns, what to do?:
If you can match the wood perfectly, my vote would be for updating the columns.
If you decide to remove the columns, my vote is for #4.
Agreed, I think that’s where I’m at now.
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wrote on 1 Oct 2021, 23:20 last edited by
I think the existing columns are fine as is, but then I am used to seeing columns separating my living and dining room. However if you really need to make a change, I would go with Mik's suggestion with the wood. I have considered similar here.
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wrote on 2 Oct 2021, 00:43 last edited by
Personally, I'd put my money back in my pocket.
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wrote on 2 Oct 2021, 01:17 last edited by
Y’know, one thing you might try is painting them the same flat color as the walls. They really stand out in that gloss white.
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@catseye3 said in Interior columns, what to do?:
One time I had an idea I wanted to implement that involved removing a door-door and installing a pocket door. I had a contractor in to look at this. He took one glance and told me the beam I wanted hollowed out (to accommodate the pocket door) was load bearing and couldn't be weakened that way.
So that is my first thought in your deal. To what extent are the columns load bearing? Probably any guys you get in will advise you on this . . . or maybe IT will.
My only other thought is a matter of taste; the columns look like gilding the lily to me. I'd want to disappear them for that reason. But that's me, you may not agree.
Thanks for the feedback! Yes a lot depends if it's load bearing or not.
wrote on 8 Oct 2021, 02:50 last edited by@89th said in Interior columns, what to do?:
@catseye3 said in Interior columns, what to do?:
One time I had an idea I wanted to implement that involved removing a door-door and installing a pocket door. I had a contractor in to look at this. He took one glance and told me the beam I wanted hollowed out (to accommodate the pocket door) was load bearing and couldn't be weakened that way.
So that is my first thought in your deal. To what extent are the columns load bearing? Probably any guys you get in will advise you on this . . . or maybe IT will.
My only other thought is a matter of taste; the columns look like gilding the lily to me. I'd want to disappear them for that reason. But that's me, you may not agree.
Thanks for the feedback! Yes a lot depends if it's load bearing or not.
The span is too short for them to be load bearing -- if its a stick framed building you could probably just strip the drywall and cut in a laminated veneer lumber (LVL) beam at most.
Per Mik's mark up, the whole side wall could probably be opened up as well.
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wrote on 8 Oct 2021, 03:27 last edited by
Beautiful home.
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@89th said in Interior columns, what to do?:
@catseye3 said in Interior columns, what to do?:
One time I had an idea I wanted to implement that involved removing a door-door and installing a pocket door. I had a contractor in to look at this. He took one glance and told me the beam I wanted hollowed out (to accommodate the pocket door) was load bearing and couldn't be weakened that way.
So that is my first thought in your deal. To what extent are the columns load bearing? Probably any guys you get in will advise you on this . . . or maybe IT will.
My only other thought is a matter of taste; the columns look like gilding the lily to me. I'd want to disappear them for that reason. But that's me, you may not agree.
Thanks for the feedback! Yes a lot depends if it's load bearing or not.
The span is too short for them to be load bearing -- if its a stick framed building you could probably just strip the drywall and cut in a laminated veneer lumber (LVL) beam at most.
Per Mik's mark up, the whole side wall could probably be opened up as well.
wrote on 8 Oct 2021, 04:43 last edited by@ivorythumper thanks! We most likely will replace the existing columns with a squared off version of the millwork we see on the stairwell and even the fireplace in the family room. In other words, no removal of the columns but a replacement of the style.
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wrote on 8 Oct 2021, 15:14 last edited by
That would be more in keeping with the rest of the house. There's nothing else I see that is gloss white or that round style.