New and Improved : Hillcrest v.3
My final installment (for now) on the Hillcrest renovation. This area definitely receives the award for most “new and improved”!
The Mudroom (and then some)
Before
What I call Hillcrest’s “back-of-house” was originally three distinct spaces – the den, a bath (I use that term loosely), and a hallway to the rear yard. All three rooms were cramped and too small to function well. In fact, the bath was just a quarter bath; that means a toilet and NO SINK (?!). The whole footprint of this area made absolutely no sense and needed a major overhaul to accommodate a practical lifestyle. First, there was no use wasting space on another sitting room when I needed a proper powder room and coat closet. Second, having a fluffy, large breed dog in Minnesota meant a mudroom was CRITICAL.
(above) The original floorplan. The arrows labeled 1 and 2 indicate the direction of the views shown in the photos.
Before photos of View 1 (above) and view 2 (below). You can see the house was in pretty rough shape. Also visible is the “dimensional texture” on the walls that I mentioned in my last post.
After
Space planning is one of the most valuable skills a designer can have. Working with what you have and “fixing” an area without making it bigger is hugely satisfying. This space just needed thoughtful consideration to make it sing. Now it’s my favorite room in the house. I store my china here and all my fall/winter coats. I can do laundry and pot plants. I use the sink as a wetbar when entertaining. It’s Ursi’s access to the yard and where I wipe her off if she’s wet or muddy. And not to be understated, drenching the room in one color* helped quiet the envelope and make the room feel cohesive. If you have watched my IG/Tiktok video about the Hillcrest upstairs hall, you will know I love to color drench a room/space that has a lot of “perforations”.
* Want to know the paint color? Leave a message on this post to request the spec.
The revised “back-of-house” layout. It actually feels larger and more cohesive now even though I packed six or so functions into it.
After photo of view 1 (above). Closing off the living room made all this possible. The double doors open to my primary coat closet. The cabinet to the left holds my china, glassware, etc.
View 2 (below) includes the sink area, exterior access (the opening was moved), and two doors that open to amenities … see next images. The marble I chose for the counter and splashes is called Arabescato Corchia and is a refreshing counterpoint to the olive green envelope.
(above) Two shots of the east end of room with doors closed vs. open – revealing the powder room and laundry closet respectively. I do have a large laundry room downstairs, but this one is great for smaller, daily loads.
(below L) A closer look at the powder room that now includes an all-important sink! (below R) Detail of china cabinet doors with custom hardware, chicken wire, and striped curtains from Europe. Click the photo to see a video of what I keep inside ; )
A few detail shots worth sharing:
I hope you enjoyed spending time in this part of my home a much as I do! Please feel free to post your questions about selections, etc. I am happy to answer anything requested directly here on the Luxe & Lucid blog.
