Renovation happies

This (rare and unusual) post is for my friend who might be renovating a row house not too far away from ours. Here are a few of the top changes that we made/ the developer made to our row house that we have been really pleased with - in no specific order:

1. A new staircase that is wider than the original. Yes, the extra inches eat into the hallway (and/or the middle bedroom) a bit, but it is nice to be able to go up and down the stairs while carrying something and not scrape my knuckles on the wall or banister. And the new stairs don’t squeak or lean like so many of the original ones…Different houses have different dimensions so this may not be a need in every Capitol Hill home. And the preservationist in me loves the old original banisters and newel posts.
   

2. Skylights! We added a skylight over the staircase and it really brightens up both levels. We also have one in the master bath which is an interior room and therefore windowless. It is a great change from our old apartment bathroom (which was also interior) – I remember getting ready for work in the morning and thinking, “It’s so dark in here it could be 1 a.m.”. Another row house owner pointed out that she regrets the skylight they added in a bedroom that only had one window – I would agree because there is actually quite a lot of ambient light during the night. It would keep me awake and the daytime light would also make it difficult for any little ones to nap. If a bedroom just has one window I would try to play up the light with paint color, light fixtures and a good mirror.

3. Running a gas line to the fireplace. Yes, we (Wonder Husband) dreamed of a real wood fire; however, our firebox is just so shallow it would be very difficult to start a wood burning fire. We had a gas line added during the renovation. It could be used for a gas starter if you still decide to have a wood burning fireplace, for gas logs or, as we did, a gas insert. We are really enjoying the gas insert – it helps the house temperature a lot. (FYI, the insert and a blower or fan are what provide good warmth. A nice salesperson down in North Carolina told us that the gas logs (not an insert, just logs) are not for warmth, they are just "romance logs". But there's nothing wrong with a little romance!)
   

4. Deciding NOT to have a completely open floor plan on the main level. Everyone has different preferences here and many people decide to have an open floor plan on the main row house level which can be really awesome. We are happy that we left up the walls for the front room. We really like having the 6’ wide pocket doors so that we can have an open feel and flow, but we can close off the room if we would like to. We do that sometimes if one of us needs privacy with a visitor or for a work call while the other of us (and/or another guest) are in the kitchen or living room. Since we are not currently using our basement space, it gives us a private room that isn’t our bedroom.

5. Parking space! It was not an absolute requirement for us while house shopping, but we are really glad that the property allowed for parking access in the rear (albeit a tiny parking space with a big light pole that wants my car to steer into it). We did not realize, until we were under contract on the house, how busy the street parking is because of the proximity to Capitol office buildings and the train station. This is again particular to our home's location and might not be an issue in many other locations. The benefit of not having parking is the enjoyment of a larger backyard space.
   

6. Not having a “professional” stove/oven. I may be mistaken, but from my research it seems like the “professional” units have lower oven doors and my back just couldn’t take that. Additionally, several bells and whistles (hehehehe) aren’t usually included on the pro models: self-cleaning feature and the built-in timer and the preset cook start/cook time. I didn’t really research these too much, but I was fine going with a normal home-use stove and oven. (Now if double wall ovens and a professional cook-top had been possible...) And I burn too much food as it is. I think if I had the strength of a pro gas range I would burn everything.
   

7. Selecting a mid-tone hardwood floor color. I love dark floors; however, we really love our mid-tone stain that keeps the overall look of the house lighter. And they tell me it hides dust better than a dark floor; however, mine are always immaculate.

8. Adding a little linen closet. Thankfully our friend and neighbor showed us a linen closet she had added. It is great to have a place for linens other than our bedroom closet or under the bed.

9. Eat-in island in the kitchen. People do always gather in the kitchen, regardless of the size of the room or the layout. The island is semi-successful at keeping guests (or Wonder Husband) out of the main cooking and prep area :-)
   

10. Instant hot water faucet by the kitchen sink. We use this little luxury a lot, although its parts do take up a lot lot lot of space under the sink. Between the heater/filter and the trash disposal, we don't have a lot of storage under the sink.
    

11. Washer & dryer on the bedroom level. It is wonderful to have them on the upper level and it is a great change (I'm on a roll now!) to not have to use quarters to do the laundry!