Old Castle Renovations Blog

Open Concept

Trends in style and décor are showing large rooms with flexibility to host many different family and entertainment activities. And often in the magazine photos, the kitchen is the feature of the large, open room.

More and more clients are asking about removing a wall in their kitchen renovation projects. Taking down walls opens up the rooms for more living space, improving flow through the home and increasing levels of natural light throughout. It’s a great idea and with some attention to the details you can achieve that open, airy feeling.

Removing a wall has an immediate and dramatic impact on the sense of space in your home. Opening up and integrating spaces previously separated by a wall has a ‘ripple effect’ though; that is, decisions will need to be made to address design, materials and layout issues created from ‘joining’ adjacent rooms.

WHAT DOES TAKING DOWN A WALL MEAN FOR A RENOVATION?

Supporting Beam

Depending on the length of the wall, and whether it is a supporting wall, will influence the construction. Removal of supporting walls requires insertion of a steel beam in the ceiling across the span where the wall previously stood. Longer spans require longer and larger steel beam reinforcement. The steel beam is embedded and recessed into the ceiling for a ‘level’ and seamless appearance of the ceiling.

Electrical and Plumbing

Any electrical or plumbing embedded in the wall to be removed in the renovation will need to be redirected and reconstructed.

Layout

Now that you have more space and windows…you have options. The main components of your kitchen can be placed wherever they would best function for your family and your home. New sizes and types of appliances can be integrated into your new kitchen.

DECISIONS ABOUT DETAILS

Flooring

Often the flooring is different between rooms and will be apparent in the new open space. Either replacing the floors in both rooms or changing the floor in one room for consistency will need to be factored into the renovation. As well, differences in floor height between rooms may need to be addressed. Tile laid over plywood may have raised the floor in comparison to the previously adjoining room.

Colour

Large, open rooms can be successfully delineated by wall colour, and there are examples of this in magazines. However, more often the same paint colour is used throughout creating a united and unbroken view to the room.

Lighting

Lighting choices will also be important. Light from the fixtures will not bounce off the walls once they are removed which creates the need for new layers of lighting. Task lighting and undercabinet mount lighting will be important for food preparation. Ceiling light fixtures that were in the centre of the previous rooms may need to be moved to provide a focal point over a kitchen centre island or breakfast bar. Pot lights may be needed to provide near level lighting for general use of the area, and other lighting can provide low ambience lighting for entertaining or evening lighting when the room is not in use for food preparation.

Window Coverings

Removal of a wall may also reveal to you that you can see straight through the rooms to the street. Depending on the style and décor of your home, drapes or shutters or blinds may be needed to provide privacy.

Removing a wall will immediately update your home with a new, open modern look, and provides the opportunity to reconfigure the layout of your floor space, building in flexibility to live and play in your home in new ways. A good contractor will guide you in identifying and planning for the design and detail decisions that will need your attention.

Give Old Castle Renovations a chance to show you why they are known as the experts in small and large wall removal in home renovation projects.

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