Starting at square one, original building

How about a little tour?  I'll break it into 3 or 4 parts and explain how the building was configured and used when we bought it and what our plans are for the future.  Let's start with the interior of the main building, this is the 65'x35' original schoolhouse.  The ceilings are 13' tall with popcorn on the ceiling (installed post asbestos era) with 2 large beams that run across the ceiling.  I've been told that the beams are the remainder of the walls that made this a 2 room school house with a long hallway running between them.  I have a love hate relationship with them, I feel the scale is off (they aren't wide enough for as tall as they are) and there are only two of them, but I also like how they break up the space and think we could use them to make a really awesome ceiling statement.  If they can be torn down, (i.e. not structural) they will probably go, we can always add more appropriately sized beams later.  There was wall to wall blue carpet (with hardwood underneath) when we moved in and a variety of wall textures.  I like carpet in my living areas but if the hardwood under the carpet can be restored I may learn to live with area rugs, the walls will all eventurally be skim coated and given a consistently smoother texture.

This is the view from the front door, there are double doors with a transom above them, they open from under the original belltower that creates the covered front porch.  The doors will eventually be replaced but for now a little paint and new hardware will take them a long way.  I'm hoping to arch the transom window in order to match the arch on the exterior of the entry, it is a solid block wall though so I don't know how realistic that dream is.  This area will be our Great room, an open foyer leading into the living room to the left and dining room on the right.  The door straight ahead is the door to the new addition, and yes, that is a breaker box smack dab to the right of the door.  I've been told that this can be dropped into the basement fairly easily, I'm keeping my fingers crossed because this seems to be quite the decorating dilemma currently.  The door will be removed and the doorway will be widened and heightened.  The basement stairwell is directly behind that eyesore breaker box and our plan is to knock down the wall around the stairwell and put up a railing.  I think this will make these 3 spaces feel more like one cohesive space instead of 3 different rooms. This will be our Great room with an open foyer leading into the living room to the left and dining room on the right, in front of the kitchen.

To the right of the entry is the church's pulpit area, it is raised 2 steps from the main floor and will remain raised and become our new kitchen.  Behind the painting "Liveing Water's" is the baptismal, this wall will be removed so we can make use of the two boarded over windows in the baptismal for our kitchen.  I lobbied to keep the baptismal to use as a lap pool or hot tub but was quickly outvoted, especially when we realized those covered up windows could be put to use in the kitchen.

 

On each side of the pulpit is a small room. For the chruch these served as the baptismal entry / exit, hence the stairs.  The one to the right has 3 beautiful windows that face to the East and North, the lighting in there is magical throughout the day.  I have staked my claim to this room, I'm not sure what it will become but I see a "no boys allowed" sign posted on the door, consider it Mama's secret retreat.

The room to the left of the pulpit has one large window and an exterior door to my imaginary patio.  This room will have another door added from the kitchen and become the world's greatest pantry.  Imagine lots of storage, a sink, and counter space for days.  It will be the perfect prep kitchen (aka. the place to hide my cooking disaster when company arrives.)

There is debate whether a room will be added in the open space in front of the pantry to the left of the kitchen.  It is a fairly large wasted area but I'm afraid adding a room there will break up the symmetry of the space.

Looking left from the front door will be the living room, a wall will be built just behind the beam you can see in this pictue.  This wall will frame off 2 bedrooms, the master to the left (front of the building) and one kid room (to the right).

The area behind the pews is a long narrow (7' wide) area that is broken into 4 areas.  In the back corner  is open to the room and there is a coat hanging area with an exterior door, then a doorway into what I'm assuming was the cry room for the babies at church, then a doorway into a small bathroom with a toilet and sink that lead into an office that has a door into the sanctuary.  This entire area will become the master bath and closets.  The office will become my walk in closet, the bathroom and cry room will be reconfigured into a master bathroom and the back door / coat closet will become Dusty's closet and a door to a courtyard garden off of our bathroom. 

 

 

This is the view from the door to the addition, looking back towards the future living room.  The doorway on the back wall is into the office space that will become my closet, the 2 windows farthest right will be the Master Bedroom windows.

Whoa, putting that in words was tricky, if I've been unclear please let me know and I will try to explain it better.  I'll be back soon with pictures and plans for the exterior of the house, addition and the basement.