The New and Improved Back Entrance!

The back entrance to our home was actually enclosed when it was added on in the late 40's and it had a LOT of glass block.  Therefore there was no window above the kitchen sink and the back hallway was narrow and dark.

As you entered there was a door immediately in front of you that opened to a half bath.  However you could not have the back door open, and open the bathroom door at the same time.  It was vey cramped.  Next to the bathroom was a double door pantry and a corner closet.  At the end of the hall was a pantry cabinet with a round column that hid the sewer pipe. (That pantry cabinet is now in the master closet, minus the doors). 

A look at the mud room from the dining room.  The pantry was to the right of the ladder on the back side of the hole.  Straight ahead past the ladder is the wall of the half bath.  The pile of debris on the floor is actually a wall we tore out in the dining room.

The piece of sheetrock to the left of the arched opening covers the old door that took you through the closet to the blue room, hot tub room and pink room.  During demo we discovered WHY someone would NOT make halls and doorways...concrete walls!  The original house was concrete and so we had to use a jackhammer to make new doorways like the one you can see in the arch.

Down come the walls and ceiling.  The new exterior door is open to let the dust out.  

Do we keep the bathroom or take it out and open up the space?  We just can't decide.

Okay...yep it's coming out.  The master bath is only 10 steps away, that's good enough for us. 

This is Zeke.  He was looking for a new place to live Monday through Thursday while he worked at Jerome Cheese.  His family was in Boise and he couldn't afford the extra rent.  We told him he could live with us if he helped with demolition.  I'm not sure he REALLY knew what he was getting himself into but he stayed a few months and was a HUGE help!  We started referring to him as "son" and would give him curfews etc.  He has since moved on from Jerome Cheese but he does keep in touch so it must not have been too bad!

The new entrance .

 The room now is wide open and an antique cabinet serves as the pantry. To the left of the door is a set of cabinets and coat rack that I designed and Wayne installed. But the best part of the room is  the floor.  It is made of  Big Leaf Maple which we had made from the dead trees we cut down out front by the road.   

I think it was a good decision to remove the half bath after all.  However Anyone want to buy a new vanity, granite slab and over the toilet cabinet for cheap? 

Kelly