Next up on our new construction framing adventure – first floor interior walls! This was the point in our construction process when we could truly start to get a “real life” sense for our how main floor was going to be laid out and how it was going to feel. Our first floor is pretty much centered around a three-story open staircase, and at this stage we finally got to see if our decision to devote a good chunk of our square footage and budget to this feature was a smart one…or a bit of a bust.
[Related: ATG&D Dream Home | Floor Plans]
But first, here’s a look at the first floor interior framing before the big step of steps being added. This picture (below) was taken from the living room (located in the rear left corner of the house) looking out toward the front of the house. If you look at the floor you’ll notice the large square hole in the center – that’s where our square-shaped staircase will be. To the left of that is our dining room and behind the dining room is our master bedroom. If you look to the right of the giant hole in the floor you’ll notice the tall, double-height wall – that’s our two-story entryway. The large cut-out square at the bottom of the wall is for our front door and the two smaller cut-out squares at the top are for windows. I’m looking forward to having a bright and spacious entryway with all that natural light coming in!
This next view is from the living room looking right, toward the kitchen. You can see the two-story entryway to the left, and behind the kitchen is our mudroom/laundry room which is so much bigger than we expected!
Below is a look at the first floor interior from the entryway, looking back toward the two-story living room (left), dining room (center) and entrance to our master bedroom (right). This is also the last time you’ll see that giant empty hole in the floor, because…
Stairs!
They couldn’t start framing the second floor without a way to get up there, so we have lift off!
These stairs are such a focal point when you enter our home, which is fun, and I love, love, love how the main floor wraps all around them. G and I fought hard to make this design element of the home work and I’m so glad we did! Having the staircase here gives our main floor the perfect combination of openness and separation. I love that we have open sightlines to the back of the house, but there is still the feeling of a separate entryway and some privacy (so when the FedEx guy needs a signature or the Boy Scouts come a-knockin’ our whole lives aren’t on display). The kitchen, living room, and dining room wrap around the left and rear of the stairs, and the staircase helps give each of those wide open spaces some definition which I really like. To the right of the staircase is the entrance to our master bedroom, and that short hallway our staircase wall creates really makes our bedroom side of the house feel totally private.
Lastly, here’s a peek at one of our most favorite parts of all – the staircase opening in the center, looking down into our lower level! We can’t wait to see how this center part helps all three floors of the home feel more open and connected to each other.
Final verdict on the “square-case”? We love it!!
New here? Catch up on our construction process at the links below:
We’re Building a House!
ATG&D Dream Home | Floor Plans
ATG&D Dream Home | Breaking Ground
ATG&D Dream Home | Foundation
ATG&D Dream Home | Framing (Lower Level)
ATG&D Dream Home | Framing (1st Floor Exterior)
ATG&D Dream Home | Exterior Inspiration
Leave a Reply