Design Post | Guest Suite Space Plan 2
You’ve been anxiously awaiting my thought process and space plan for the mountain home guest suite! (And, wow, you’re all REALLY interested - I love it!) Let’s dive right in, shall we?
As you can see, the basic layout remained similar, however, I made seemingly small, yet powerful changes, which made for a significantly better space plan with improved flow, use of space, aesthetic balance, and visual ease. I wanted the space to be beckon you in for easy living, and I think it does just that.
Here is an exterior elevation of the south wall that shows the original windows, to give you a visual when you read more about those changes below. (Disregard the pink marker, that’s how it came to me!)
Now, then, you might want to grab a beverage and settle in, this is a long one!
The French doors and flanking windows remained in their original place. From the moment you step inside, there is a sense of calm and order. Even though you’ve essentially entered one large room, there’s a delegation of space that makes immediate sense to your eye. There’s also a bit of intrigue and a beckoning to come in and further explore where the sight lines lead in every direction. The entry sequence begins with a generous rug spanning the doorway so guests have plenty of space to ‘land’ just inside the door. The dining table is only two steps away, a convenient place to set an armload of shopping bags upon entering.
This narrow door and casing were removed and the framed opening widened to over 4 feet to open the space and include the room on the other side, what we now called the mudroom, visually enlarging both spaces by lengthening the sight line to the west from the front door.
Although there were limitations to work within, I was thrilled to be able to add a window to this exterior wall, letting in much-needed natural light. It is a replica of the windows that flank the French doors.
The whole laundry room-cum-mudroom (with laundry facility tucked away behind floor-to-ceiling built-in cabinetry) was re-designed. First, I moved the bathroom as far as I could to the north to allow as much space for the mudroom as possible. Then, I placed the laundry closet, which houses stacked compact machines and a folding counter with shelves top and bottom, on the north wall so as to open up the traffic flow into the room. In the end, the plan changed slightly from this drawing, as we opted for a built-in bench where the antique armoire is shown, with a peg rail above that runs the full length of the west wall and down the south wall almost to the edge of the window. Since one of the intended uses of the guest suite was to host mini-retreats, we wanted multiple guests to be able to use the mudroom comfortably, and find plenty of pegs on which to hang their wraps.
I went with the basic minimum dimensions for a full bath, which thankfully fit precisely over existing plumbing lines already existing in the concrete floor (originally, there was not a room here, just a stud wall separating the crawlspace to the west on which a urinal hung next to a utility sink). To bring in as much natural light as possible, I specified a tall, narrow interior window with sandblasted glass to the right of the bathroom door (shown in a later drawing - see top image). The room at the end of the hall houses the mechanical systems for the house.
With the all-clear from the plumber for the sink placement (we had to work with the plumbing waste line that was already set in the concrete floor, which governed the proximity of the sink to the main drain that was embedded in the bathroom wall - for proper drop per foot), I was able to set a beautiful, visually clean and calm focal point on the kitchen wall directly across from the entry doors, with a double-bowl sink in the center, countertop on each side, and balanced refrigerator and pantry at each end. The perpendicular ell provides for a range wall on the kitchen side and gives separation, definition, and storage to the bedroom area on the other.
I planned the kitchen according to how it would look, how it would be used, and what it would need to hold. Quite literally. As I worked off the requested spread sheet in which the client had listed every item that would be included in the kitchen, I planned a home for every plate, cup, pot, and fork, therefore eliminating unnecessary cabinetry. As for appliances, we went with a narrow refrigerator, and a full size range. The client didn’t want a dishwasher, and there is an outlet above a fixed shelf in the pantry should she decide to include a small microwave in the future.
The best way to get maximum dining seating in minimum space is to use a banquette - built-in seating on one or two side of the table. Here, I anchored a built-in bench on the kitchen’s west wall and pulled the dining table and chairs up to it. A light fixture suspends over the table and helps to define a dining area in absence of a dining room.
By bringing the perpendicular ell off the north wall, I was able to provide a kitchen that had plenty of storage, including a pantry, as well as wardrobe and shelf storage via floor-to-ceiling built-ins on the bedroom side - and a built-in floating desk, too!
Here, the queen Murphy bed is there when you need it and gone when you don’t. It’s flanked by floor-to-ceiling built-in cabinetry which provides more wardrobe space, hidden nightstands, and drawers.
The furniture selections were kept to the basics to begin with, and the client will add smaller pieces as necessary when she finds the right things (a slim coffee table and modular stools/seats that can be moved where needed for seating and/or drinks). To anchor the living area, we chose a large jute area rug on which sits an 8’ sofa - a good length for seating as many people as possible, or sleeping an adult or two children, if needed. The client’s own vintage rocking chair was placed near the window wall. A large piece of art hangs in place of the architect’s proposed bookcase on the east wall. In the corner there, is a bed for the client’s dog, Pepper. And that load-bearing post that seemed right in the way? I designed an end table out of it, or maybe I should say, around it. I had the contractor wrap the original bare wood post in drywall from the ceiling down to end-table height, then they built the white oak table top and a ‘collar’ table base that runs from just under the table top to the floor, seamlessly around the post. This also gave us the opportunity to mount a swing arm lamp to the post and install a much needed outlet on the collar below the table top.
The three separate windows were replaced with a much bigger window that echoed the windows on the two stories directly above.
This crawlspace required excavating with a shovel until solid concrete was reached, as well as re-routed plumbing, radiant, and electrical lines. Some width was lost to create a cavity for said plumbing, but it also gave opportunity to recess shelves into the north wall. In the end, we had about 4 feet of clear space from floor to ceiling, and enough width for two twin beds separated by a walk way, perfect for a bunk nook.
& 15. I specified twin extra-long mattresses (which sit directly on the wood plank floor). At their heads, I designed 6 inch floor-to-ceiling walls that do double duty as both headboards and dividers, separating the beds on one side from the small open storage areas on the other. On the bed side, each ‘headboard’ has a recessed bookshelf with a reading light above. On the storage side, each has enough room for a clothes hanging rod and a place to tuck a backpack or suitcase.
16. I incorporated a built-in ladder into the 4’ wall that leads up to the bunk nook.
How fun this is to share with you the details of the space plan for this project! You can see how much work goes into just the planning portion, before the first hammer is even swung. Let me know if you have any questions. Next up? The mood, aesthetic, and finishes!
