Remodelling Townhomes In Chicago

Posted on: August 25th, 2010 | 43 Comments

This is Day 218 of the Slow Home Project and we need you to join us in our quest to evaluate the design quality of houses in nine North American cities in nine months.

Welcome to the Slow Home site this Wednesday, August 25, 2010 and today we are doing a Design Project!

We need you to re-design the main floor plan of the “Atwood 1″ which is a 1,721 sq ft townhome in Morton Grove, about 20 minutes NW of downtown Chicago.

There are several problems with this floor plan that need to be addressed:

1. The kitchen is poorly designed and has too much floor space.
2. There are not enough windows at the back of the unit.
3. The guest bathroom and laundry are poorly designed and not in the best locations in plan.
4. The entry could be made a lot better.

You can remove all of the interior walls, but the stairs need to stay as they are. Put back a new kitchen, living and dining space as well as a guest
bath and laundry area. You should also include a coat closet at the entry. You will get “bonus” points if you are able to include a modest study space
and come up with an outdoor room concept for the rear deck.

Day 218 – PDF
Day 218 – Existing
Day 218 – Demo
Day 218 – Full Symbol Library

To see how John has designed this space, click on the player below.

See John's Final Design

We look forward to seeing your designs! Post them to the site with your design rationale and we will reviewing all the best designs on the site on Friday!

Also, make sure to join us tomorrow, we are doing an “In Detail” segment on kitchen design in townhouses from the Chicago area.

If you are in the Denver area this weekend, don’t forget to check out the “Arapahoe Acres” mid century modern house tour. John and Matthew visited Arapahoe Acres earlier this summer and highly recommend going on the tour of this historical design community. To watch the video on Arapahoe Acres, click on the player at the bottom of the post.

  • BradW

    [img]shdp791.jpg[/img]

    Here is a quick fix…utilities+storage blocked with stairs, kitchen in the middle, new large window+door at the back

  • Steve in Van

    [img]image020.jpg[/img]

    Just a quick pic of one house in Arapahoe Acres that grapped my attention as I walked the neighbourhood last November. Corner lot with garage on the upper side street. This is a split-level I could live in!

  • Franco

    [img]townhomerework1.jpg[/img]

    Here is my attempt.
    I decided to place the living area at the front of the unit, with dinning in the rear. I also went for a move open plan.

  • Andrew

    [img]designprojecttownhomechicagomcconnell.jpg[/img]

    Well here is my entry for this week’s project. I put in several more windows at the back of the house and I wanted to take advantage of the natural lighting here as much as possible. I positioned the dining room here as well as a study space, and I left things a bit open so natural light would still reach the kitchen from both the front and back windows. I also located the powder room and the laundry space closer to the center of the plan and I designed a closet near the front entrance.

  • Mid America Mom

    [img]chitown3.jpg[/img]

    We will see if the jpeg of my scanned paper works. Going up the stairs your eye will see the light streaming in from a 3 foot wide by 6 or so high window in the kitchen. As you walk toward it you will pass the entry closet, deep laundry closet (shown with separate dryer and washer but a stackable would work as well), and powder room.

    The kitchen is now a double galley. One side is a 6′ by 3′ with seating for 2 or 3 and houses the dishwasher and sink. A shallow pantry comes off the powder room wall. Access to the deck is from a large slider (about 7’6″ wide). The deck has two chairs for seating at one end. The rest of the space has two large planting boxes for urban gardening.

    Moving back into the home is a bright and spacious dining room. Here we can have a table for 6. Moving to the living room you will pass the study area. Two comfortable chairs flank a small table. A nice sized desk is on the other wall. The living room fits nicely in the front of the plan with seating and TV.

    Mid America Mom

  • Terri

    [img]chicth1.jpg[/img]

    I kept the living area at the front of the unit with central kitchen and dining in rear. I did a couple of different versions of this general idea.

  • Terri

    [img]chicth2.jpg[/img]

    Here is the second version of my idea. There’s more light in this one.

  • Catherine Taney

    [img]cathy.jpg[/img]

    Thought that I’d give this one a shot – I just haven’t seemed to have the time to do one of these yet, but here we go!

    After seeing John’s and some others’ I notice that the kitchen in the middle strategy has paid off. I went with a similar layout. I couldn’t fit a desk though – I wasn’t sure if I should remove the mechanical equipment so I flipped it so that the access to it is a bit more private.

  • Tara

    [img]chicagotownhouse2.jpg[/img]

    Here’s my plan for the week. I tried to keep it as open as possible for light with a pass-through kitchen in the centre. The study space could also double as a library and reading nook. I’m not sure what the square thing is on the deck (perhaps an air conditioner?), but I would have added another window there if that unit could have been better located in another place. In the meantime, I kept the unit where it was for now and shifted the sliding doors over so that more light would penetrate the space.

  • Manolo

    [img]8_mytry.jpg[/img]

    I put the kitchen on the end near the window for one key reason: the kitchen needs more, brighter light than the dining space. Imagine trying to carve a roast in candlelight! On the other end I was able to put both a private study space and the living room. The glass wall is probably a huge expense, but I decided to “go to town” on that back wall to create an indoor-outdoor room. When the wall is opened fully – tucked neatly away – the deck chairs can be turned around to make one larger living space.
    Also, Tara – I quite like your plan!

  • Matthew North

    Manolo – nice design – any chance you could have the guest bath door not open direct to the study space……?

  • nicole

    [img]12_pp1.jpg[/img]

    Switched the location of the living – this seems to be the side of the ‘green space’.

  • Matthew North

    Catherine…..nice design! Thanks for submitting, you have been such a loyal contributor to the Slow Home Project that its great to see you post a plan today. I am wondering…….any chance you could re-work your living room furniture grouping to include a chair as well as the sofa……?

  • jim baer

    [img]100825slowdesign.jpg[/img]

    my thoughts on today’s project.

    grace: you are right in your evaluation and use of the slow home test. it is a learning and evaluating tool. as you get more adept at using and understanding it you can begin to use it in a more subtle way. and also begin to see how to trade of the plusses and minuses of each of the components. this is also true about design. it is very much a process of weighing the possibilities and making subtle informed decisions about good and bad and plus and minus.

    all: it is POSSIBLE that the WIC in each floor of the cedar? is allocated for an in home elevator. if you look carefully at the plans on the website, there looks like there are rails on the walls and the outline of an elevator cab. the WIC designation is probably what most people will use it for, but the possibility for a “lift” exists.

  • Eric S.

    Hey everybody,

    It turns out that a number of projects submitted today weren’t posted due a problem with data being captured by our comment system. I was able to correct the errors in the database but unfortunately some of the information was lost. I was able retain the name of the comment poster and the timestamp. I’ve used this timestamp to match it to the uploaded images and will be reposting the comments shortly. Sorry for any inconvenience.

    Regards,
    Eric S.
    Webmaster

  • Ashley P

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    (posted by Eric S.)

  • Daniela M

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    (posted by Eric S.)

  • Jamie L

    [img]1_jamiel.jpg[/img]

    (posted by Eric S.)

  • Joshua

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    (posted by Eric S.)

  • JPod

    [img]jpod.jpg[/img]

    (posted by Eric S.)

  • KyleB

    [img]kyleb.jpg[/img]

    (posted by Eric S.)

  • Marco

    [img]marco.jpg[/img]

    (posted by Eric S.)

  • ReneP

    [img]1_renep.jpg[/img]

    (posted by Eric S.)

  • sdokter

    [img]sdokter.jpg[/img]

    (posted by Eric S.)

  • Amanda

    [img]1_amanda.jpg[/img]

    (posted by Eric S.)

  • bstone52

    [img]bstone52.jpg[/img]

    (posted by Eric S.)

  • Tayler

    [img]tayler.jpg[/img]

    (posted by Eric S.)

  • Therese

    [img]therese.jpg[/img]

    (posted by Eric S.)

  • Catherine Taney

    [img]cathy2.jpg[/img]

    Matthew,
    I tried it with the sofa I had and it would have required a lot of reworking… so instead I did what any homeowner would do – pick a different sofa! My scheme works as is with a smaller 2-3 seater and a chair off to the side.
    Thanks for the tip!

  • Mid America Mom

    HI Jim, I originally tried that closet and bath in the front about the same way. Nice to see someone tried it.

    Mid America Mom

  • Tiffany

    [img]chicagotownhome.jpg[/img]

    So I kept the living area on the left as this overlooks the green space and not the driveway. I used a central kitchen to divide the area, and a bit of a wall to give the dining room some privacy. I added a small study to the space.

  • Frances GF

    [img]shdp79demo2.jpg[/img][img]shdp79demo3.jpg[/img]

    I have been thinking about walk in closets and how useful one would be at an entry when there is no space for a mudroom. The storage family’s need could be accommodated in a larger closet.
    This townhouse is wider than most and offers the opportunity for such an entry closet.
    This plan may have storage on the ground level, if so, perhaps a regular closet and a pantry would work.

  • Terri

    [img]chicth.jpg[/img]

    Had some time to play, so I took another crack at it. There is a central stove alcove which may not be possible, depending on upstairs… Open shelves facing dining area.

    Looks like there were lots more designs posted since this afternoon. I’ll have to check them out tomorrow now.

  • Mid America Mom

    [img]chitown1.jpg[/img]

    This plan I decided to add a more enclosed office space. Here we have a center kitchen with seating for two. Large slider on back. Deck has two seats and a planter box. There is a stackable wash/dryer.

    Mid America Mom

  • Manolo

    [img]mytrymanolo.jpg[/img]

    Just thought I’d heed Matthew’s comment and have another go at the amenity / study side of my plan. Now the study isn’t cut through to use the powder room, and the laundry has a slightly more private but still accessible location. The sacrifice was just a bit of space in the study and a bit of room in the laundry – but I’ve seen these washer/dryers that come as a single unit where you can wash and then dry without the need for 2 separate or stacked machines. Pretty cool. My plan has one, of course!

  • Steve in Van

    [img]sh100825.jpg[/img]

    Lots of great input today. I like the idea of putting the kitchen in the middle of the wall opposite the entry, but I wanted to try incorporating the tall kitchen cabinetry into the closet/bath/utilities “block.” I’m also loath to add hallways if they can be avoided. Thus, one large, open, living space with no fixed visual interruption above counter height.

    I opened the balcony wall as much as possible to allow the dining and sitting area furniture to be moved outside (as car exhaust allows). And since the TV is on this floor, a separate study desk can be put in the den downstairs.

  • BradW

    [img]shdp792.jpg[/img]

    A number of interesting designs – since mine was in the middle kitchen camp I was particularly intrigued by the back and front kitchen designs by Manolo and Frances respectively. Also, thought Nicole and Catherine produced concise efforts. My one criticism of most designs is that the furnace and water heater were omitted. These were in the original plan and many of the designers replaced them with laundry equipment – perhaps these could be relocated to the basement?? Anyway, inspired by many of the designs including John’s I reworked mine slightly…

  • Mid America Mom

    [img]2_chitown2.jpg[/img]

    Addictive! BradW due to the noise I think it is best having these in the basement anyway.

    I reworked my second plan with a stacked laundry and have this.

    Mid America Mom

  • U. Guler

    [img]shdp79uguler01.jpg[/img][img]1_shdp79uguler01.jpg[/img]

    i tried to keep it simple…

  • Terri

    I finally got to look at all the posts this morning. I agree with BradW–lots of interesting configurations here. BradW and M.A.M.–like seeing that you also did a later plan like me. I think you both did great reworks.(BradW–the demo didn’t show any mechanical equipment.)

    Matthew, you have your work cut out for you! Do you use the Slow Home Test when making your choice?:)

  • Terri

    M.A.M.,
    I can’t keep up with you!:) I thought the 2nd plan had a stacked laundry. Either way is good, but I think I prefer #2 so that the hall isn’t so far back. (I did this, and I don’t like it now.) I like having the laundry “at the back” so no one has to haul it through the kitchen or living space. Nice study in your plan too!

  • Mid America Mom

    Hi Terri :) I think I like my second better too (yes is that a stack). That plan gives more space to a private Den and the dining room is a respectable 11*11.

    Funny how we both designed a two seat bar off the sink – I did not see yours until I posted! I like your second dining room with the two built ins.

    I soooo resisted placing a U in this plan. Need to break out once in awhile! ;)

    Mid America Mom

  • U. Guler

    [img]shdp79uguler02.jpg[/img]

    sorry for the double-post…
    i forgot to upload the flipped version :)