Stairway

The stairway in this bungalow admittedly is not very exciting. Typically-narrow and uninspiring, it leads to the side entrance and basement without fanfare. But what we see is the only space in the house with a dynamic soaring ceiling height and a great opportunity to create an updated transitional space between the two floors. All new materials, contemporary lighting, exterior door and hardware will entirely transform this utilitarian space!

Before

A major design flaw in these mid-century bungalows is the ceiling cut-out in the lower part of the stairway leading to the basement, necessary for clearance so that furniture – and your head – can pass without crashing into the wall. This creates an incredibly awkward bulkhead in the kitchen, rendering the corresponding corner virtually wasted space – unless you’re eight-feet tall and have six-foot arms. More on this later!