One Change Leads To Another (And Gets Pretty Overwhelming)
Now that my walk-in closet project is winding down, I’ve been looking ahead to my upcoming bedroom projects. If you’ve been around for a while, you know that the room that used to serve as our home gym is now going to be our bedroom.
That room used to look like this…
And because of a whole series of events that I won’t recap in detail, we decided that instead of building an addition onto the back of the house that includes a big, new bedroom for us, we’d turn this room into our new bedroom instead. So now, after having all new subfloor and flooring installed, it looks like this…
This plan works out for us because this room is also connected to the big accessible bathroom that I finished a couple of years ago. That bathroom is right through this door in this room (again, this picture is from when this room was formerly our home gym)…
And that bathroom looks like this, with the door shown in the picture below being that same pocket door between the two rooms…
So this room is perfectly situated to be our new bedroom, but making this change, from adding on a new bedroom to the back of that bathroom to changing the home gym into our new bedroom, comes with its own set of challenges. First, this room is where the breaker box is located. So before I can move forward with our plans for the walls in here (grasscloth wallpaper on top, wainscoting on the bottom), this breaker box will need to be moved up about eight inches.
That problem seems small in comparison to the main issue with this bedroom, which is that there is no exterior door in this room. With a new build bedroom added to the back of the house, we would have simply added French doors to the back yard. But with this room being at the front of the house, things get a little more complicated.
Honestly, I’ve put it out of my mind, thinking that in the event of an emergency, and if I needed to get Matt out of the house quickly, I could simply take him out the back door of the bathroom. That exit is only about 12 feet away from the bedroom, and it’s a straight shot from the bedroom to the back yard. I made sure that the door between the bedroom and bathroom, and the door leading outside, were lined up with each other (because of my obsessive need for symmetry).
So again, I had completely put it out of my mind. The plan was in place. I have almost everything I need (and all of the plans in place) to start on this bedroom and get it done as quickly as I can while doing all the work myself.
But last night, I started thinking about it again. My plan for this bedroom is to have grasscloth wallpaper on the top part of the walls. I have literally purchased every last bolt of that grasscloth wallpaper available in the U.S. No other bolts of that wallpaper exist. And the bolts I have will be exactly enough to do the upper walls in the bedroom and bedroom suite foyer. If I mess any of those up, or cut them wrong, I’m up a creek. There’s no fall back.
And that also means that if I wallpaper around this window right now, and then decide at a later date to swap out this window for French doors (which I would want to do when we do eventually build that addition on back that will now include a guest bedroom, guest bathroom, and family room), if any of that wallpaper gets messed up around this window during that swap, I’m up a creek again. There will be no way to purchase more to replace any that gets damaged.
So I’ve kind of backed myself into a corner with this. That thing that I tried to put out of my mind for now so that I could just move on and get this bedroom finished as soon as possible is now in the forefront of my mind again. I just can’t help but wonder if my forging ahead with this room in its current state is going to cause some significant problems in the future. And while I’d generally let Future Kristi worry about those problems, I know that I really need to think this one through right now. I’ve wanted a room with dark teal grasscloth wallpaper for so long, and I’ll finally have it. And once it’s up, I want it up for good. While I’m generally okay with redoing projects, this isn’t one I want to be redoing in a couple of years. I spent way too much money on this wallpaper to even think about possibly redoing it in a couple of years if something goes wrong.
So now, I’m thinking that this is the time that the window needs to be swapped out for French doors. Right now, before I start on the walls.
But adding French doors right here won’t solve all of the problems. That will just lead to other issues. The outside of our house has been tragically neglected for a couple of years now. When we got our new windows installed, I never did secure the shutters to the new windows. So we currently have two shutters that have been blown down in heavy storms. And of course, I still haven’t done any landscaping in the front. So please forgive the unkempt appearance of the front of our house for now. I’ve been wondering what I’ll work on after the bedroom is finished, and perhaps that will be a good time to resume these outdoor projects and get these projects finished.
Anyway, this is what the front window of our bedroom looks like from the outside. It’s the room that’s all the way on the left front corner of the house. The walk-in closet is the room that juts out beside the front porch/front door, which also has a shutter down right now.
And immediately, you can see a major problem. If I go ahead and swap out the window with French doors, we will need a porch or some sort of landing area outside of the doors. Keep in mind that the whole point of having doors is for me to easily get Matt out in case of emergency, which means I’ll need to bring him out in either a wheelchair or Hoyer lift. So simply having steps outside of the door won’t really be practical, although, I can guarantee you I’d make it work in an emergency. It may be a bumpy ride for him, but I’d for sure get him out.
Anyway, that gas line, which is brand new and was installed by the city, is right in the way. I have no idea if they would even move that, or if they’d charge me for it. I don’t know how that works.
And then there’s the issue of putting a front porch here. Does it need a roof like the front porch? Do the two need to match? Or would it look okay just to have the porch with no matching roof overhead?
Here’s a view of the two areas together. Again, please forgive the unkempt appearance right now. I really do need to set aside some time to get this put back, but I’ve been a bit busy lately. 🙂
So I just don’t know. I know that this isn’t something I can leave for Future Kristi to deal with. I need to figure it out right now and make a plan to tackle this. But it’s one of those “one thing leads to another” types of issues, and it stresses me out. Honestly, I just want to decorate a bedroom and get us moved in. But I’m thinking it’s not going to be quite that easy or straightforward.
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
Would the french doors need to be in front of the house? What if the door to the outside was the window right by the bathroom door? It might be easier to do a landing and ramp on the side of the house, because you wouldn’t have to make it match the porch?
That’s the wall where the bed will go, and I’d have a window on one side and a door on the other. That means I could only use one bedside table. And my symmetry-craving brain would be in absolute turmoil every time I looked at that wall. 😀
Yeah that makes sense. I think it would look off even for non-symmetry-craving brains 😆
OK I have hought about this all morning and I have a new thought. I was wondering if Matt’s side of the bed is towards the front of the house of towards the bathroom. If by any chance he sleeps on the side closest the bathroom, I think the difference between navigating him around the bed versus navigating him through the bathroom to the exterior door there might not merit removing a window, creating a door frame in your existing exterior wall, installing an exterior door, and then build a porch etc, with a gas line complicating things, especially since the entire case scenario for the use of that door is an unlikely scenario that we hope never happens. Honestly, 12 ft in a straight line seems like an adequate emergency route to me. I would just move on to your next project 😉
I agree with Val. I’ve been married for 33 years, and my husband and I never switch sides of the bed. Never ever. Not even in hotel rooms, guest rooms in private homes, RV beds, bedrooms in B&Bs, etc. We made the decision together in our first home, as he wanted the side of the bed nearest the door. Since then, we have moved many times — and he has yet to have the side of the bed nearest the door again. It appears that our sleeping pattern is permanently ingrained, and that we refuse to make any concessions to change of circumstances (haha!). If you and Matt have distinct sides of the bed, and Matt sleeps on the side nearest the bathroom (either by current arrangement and/or by mutual agreement if you are both more adaptable than my husband and I are), I think you wouldn’t need to go through all the finagling and complication of adding French doors to your bedroom on the remote chance you would need an emergency escape.
I agree…..
Whew! A true “if you give a mouse a cookie” situation! I think no roof/a pergola/something different would look fine, but I know your perfect taste will get it absolutely right.
My opinion, do it exactly like your mock up with no roof, run it right up to the gas meter, and add matching shutters on each side of the door.
Agree, except on shutters. It’s not architecturally correct to put shutters on a door.
Kristi did a beautiful job making sure her shutters are to-scale, as if operable, even if not.
I don’t think it needs a roof, you won’t be matching the steps anyway. I think it will look marvelous!
Unless you would want to enclose the porch at a future date, I think a trellis treatment over the porch would be lovely . Coffee on the front porch!
Although it might drive you crazy you could paint the interior of that wall and possibly do a faux grasscloth until you are 100% sure of what you want to do.
The other issue would be window treatments. Do you have enough fabric to cover the French doors?
Also do a dry run of exiting through the bathroom and see if that would work
Good luck, you will do a great job no matter what you choose
I love the idea of a trellis above it!
I do have enough fabric to do curtains for doors. I had planned to make the curtain on that wall wider anyway, so I’m pretty sure what I have will be enough.
You could have the doors put in, but wait on the porch and everything else until you do the addition. You’d just use the bathroom exit door until then, just like you’d planned, but you’d be able to do the wallpaper.
The problem with not doing the deck right away is that there are probably code issues that require proper egress requirements. That is you just can’t have a door floating in mid air above the ground like that. You need a landing that is a certain size and height
Even if that’s the case, she could do a simple step for now, since she can use the other door to get Matt out comfortably. It doesn’t have to be the whole enchilada now.
Great idea. Those of us that get overwhelmed easily like the way you think. Kristi’s got enough on her plate, like getting her BDR out of breakfast room. Fully support anytime on this blog that good enough is enough.
I like that idea. Add the door now, put simple steps in for code enforcement, and then focus on the final plan later. That definitely makes me feel less stressed about it.
I called the contractor this morning and he’ll be coming later this week to give me an estimate for swapping the window for a door. If I can do it in stages — door now, simple steps, and final exterior plan later — it seems doable. I just want to get on with the bedroom! 😀
I think you should come up with another idea for the bedroom foyer, maybe painting it the same color of teal rather than using the paper. That way you can postpone the French doors, landing, and ramp. When you do put in the doors, you’ll have the wallpaper necessary for repairs.
This will also give you time to make a decision on roof or no roof. If you made the porch large enough, then you wouldn’t need to move the gas, you could run the ramp to the outside of it. If you don’t roof it, then you could put some landscaping in front of the pad so it doesn’t look so stark and provides some privacy.
I agree with Chris! Get on with the bedroom and use paint in the foyer for now. A test emergency run should be done because Matt cannot get out on his own and probably at least once per year. While I think the french doors would look nice, I really think they can wait. Hope you find a happy solution.
These are my exact thoughts! The easiest decision to make right now is to change the foyer decor so there is grasscloth left for big changes later 🙂
This would be what I would do as well. Stash the leftover grasscloth until after everything shakes out and paint match the foyer in the meantime.
I think not having the wallpaper in the foyer ruins the whole experience of the room!
Very sincerely, why is the existing bathroom exterior door not perfectly suited to get Matt out of the house?
When she adds the addition, that door will go away, as the guest room will be there, with closet and hallway along that wall.
Isn’t the front door of the house still pretty close to the bedroom, though?
True. The amount of seconds it would take to get from the bed and out the front door is negligible. I think a French door there would be cute-with no roof- but not necessary.
I don’t think you would need a roof. I think with some creative landscaping, it could be a private little bedroom porch you could sit and have coffee, etc. I’d put some taller evergreen shrubs or small evergreen trees in front of the porch. Which would also give you privacy for your bedroom.
Kristi,
First of all, your closet is amazing! And so are you!
Think of your porch as a deck instead of a porch. Our deck doesn’t have a roof.
Jane
Can you still get the room finished but hold off on the grass cloth? Paint the walls for now using color match to the wallpaper. Then after you have had time to get the doors and patio figured out you can hang the paper and there is no waste. Of course, it won’t be the way you envisioned/planned it but your followers will understand why and remember it is temporary.
I don’t think you need a matching roof, however a simple pergola would look good and would be nice to sit outside occasionally. Could you just add a concrete slab with a ramp and add on a roof later? You should call your concrete guy to see what he suggests.
This: solving the grasscloth issue!!!
And the comment re going w/a deck vs porch is spot on too.
I’d do the french doors now – with just a ramp down (because in an emergency you’ll need that) and then leave the porch/deck for another time. A porch or deck would work just fine without a roof – you’d just need a little decking area with a ramp off of it – and you might be able to jig around the gas line in the corner there , but is that white-capped pipe your septic pipe right there in the middle of the space, too? Both the gas line and the septic pipe would be costly to move… thus my suggestion to just do the door with a ramp for now – it’ll serve its purpose for the immediate future, and then you can circle back should you decide to do more with the space at a later date.
The white pipe sticking up can be cut off lower. It’s either septic or it’s an incoming water shut-off. Can’t tell by a picture. Contractor left all mine, water & septic, standing about 3 ft tall! I couldn’t shut the water off because I couldn’t reach that far. I cut it down to almost dirt level with a cap to prevent leaves & debris getting in there.
The white pipe is the cleanout for our main sewer line, but I think it can be moved out further from the house. That issue doesn’t stress me out as much as the gas line and gas meter because I think only the city can mess with the gas line/meter.
Here’s an idea that makes it all easier. Install a single french door, and scale back the size of the porch to stop before the gas meter. You don’t need a roof over this area. And remember, that it would only be needed if there is an actual emergency. So go ahead and put in a couple of stairs down to the lawn area. I think it will look wonderful!
How will a ramp down from that door connect with the front walk and back patio? Or will it? How will that look in your plans for the exterior work since that would affect the overall look and dimensions of your finished exit as well as the overall look of the house facade? I know it’s frustrating to have this hiccup at this point, but I’m sure you will come up with a plan that works for both your and Matt’s needs. I’m loving the closet/laundry and looking forward to your bedroom work. As always, you need to do you; it’s your forever home!
I don’t have answer to any of those questions. 😀 I might need to contact my landscape designer again and see what ideas he has for me.
What are your pros/cons for making the other window into a door?
The other two windows in the room will flank our bed. If one of those windows is a door, then that side of the bed won’t be able to have a bedside table.
Why not, though? In an emergency a bedside table could easily be moved.
OK. Good to think ahead about the future use of rooms, we do it here all the time. I have the finalized project in my head, and on paper and have been working backwards from that for almost 14 years, I work a lot slower than you do. I have some mobility issues of my own, and my husband is not getting any younger, and we have some wounded Vets who visit the house. First find out about the gas and meter, we had ours moved on our second tour in Georgia. The city came out and did it and viola, we were able to have a patio. Think about having the patio all the way around the house, one you can do laps around the house, which is fun. Second, Matt can use his chair all the way around the house, and gets him outside, which is fun. And concrete is an amazing firebreak around a house. We live in the middle of a forest, and when we had forest fires back in 2016, it became paramount to make a firebreak to keep the house safe. So, what if the French doors go to nowhere at the moment, they will eventually, and you’ll be all set. You had your door to the outside of your bathroom going to nowhere, just do this in stages. You’ve got this. Trust me, landscaping is a lot easier when there is a boatload of concrete that you only have to pressure wash, and it does keep the house a lot drier and keeps the bugs down to a minimum.
Cheers to you and Matt!
P.S. The dog and cats’ paws will be cleaner too when they reenter the house.
Why is the Ex Jacobs ladder wall the bed wall? I thought the other was the bed wall all along I thought the sidetables fit both ways.
Why not a single door? a French door may not offer the symmetry you desire? and be able to utilize a table on that side.
Ideas- one allows has a continuous line wallpaper above (likely not much with ceiling height), the other not. Both are not great, but hopefully offer alternatives to get creative juices flowing. A layout of it so a new door fits inside the trim
Trim Option A: Do board and batten/picture railing on that wall? (I’m not a fan for how much a trend board and batten is, but tall panels hide it well)
Trim Option B: Have trimmed out panels above wainscoting and Trim as if the doors exist (maybe a fau paint to hide a lack of wallpaper) color and finish with curtains the width for french doors to fill the painted panel space. You shift after a door install curtains to fit??
that way the wall paper.
Do research and see if codes allow an adjacent floating deck with deck blocks outside a door as the deck/stoop solution. That may be easier than you think, if allowed.
#1 Do you NEED a pair of French doors there? Can’t you do a single door wide enough to get Matt’s wheelchair through? (Less $$ and takes up less space) And you would need a ramp outside, so where will you go with Matt once you are outside? Can’t leave him right outside the house while it’s burning down, so you will need to connect to the walkway at the porch to get away from the house. I would have a ramp and walk poured with your awesome concrete guys, then around the ramp outside of the bedroom, lay pavers for a patio at a later date. No roof needed unless you WANT one. Also, I think you need that gorgeous Oak out there limbed up so the ground can get some sunlight, because you will never get anything to grow as it is now. (a muddy mess!) I would do the foyer in paint or a coordinating wallpaper, ( maybe a simple stripe?) and save any grasscloth for possible repairs.
Two things –
First – I love the idea of the French doors in the front, and I really like the last picture with the open deck/porch. I don’t think you need a roof over it. You can landscape to add some privacy. To me this is actually a great added feature to the primary suite. Plus I get why it’s important to you to have an easy way to get Matt out in an emergency. For right now, I’d get the French doors put in, finish the inside, then move to the outside.
Second thing – while I’m 100% supportive of added the French doors now and then you probably have enough grasscloth for everywhere, I think that you should save the grasscloth for the bedroom and do something different in the foyer. Since it’s literally irreplaceable, it seems like it’s tempting fate to have just enough with not a lot of wiggle room. Even for down the road, I’d want to have an extra roll around for repairs, etc.
I’m sure that you are keeping in mind that Matt should be able to get himself out if you are unable to help for some reason. So, maybe do the door and a small ramp for now and carry on with the bedroom. The outside work could wait.
A pergola over the new deck would be lovely. Grow wisteria on it
As excited as you are to get moving on the bedroom I think it makes sense to get the door installed now. I imagine adding it later would be quite disruptive & messy in an otherwise finished space. Would the doors (assuming temp steps & deck later) really add that much to the timeline at this point?
I’m interested to see if/how Future Kristi will connect a porch roof to a low part of the roof over the bedroom. We have had this issue in two houses now, that left us frustrated without solution. One of those houses I live in currently, so I am hoping you can figure that out for us.
First of all this is on my dream list! I absolutely love the idea of a bedroom with French doors and a little porch. Yes it’s practical for safety purposes. But functional can also be very beautiful (as you’ve shown us with laundry and clothing storage lately 😊) I can just imagine sitting on that porch with hot tea doing morning devotions with a kitty on my lap. 😄 And I don’t think it needs to match your existing porch especially if you’re very purposeful about making it not match but instead an intentional design element. You could go with no roof, a pergola or different roofing. Maybe add landscaping in front of the porch for privacy. I personally would do a tin roof, screen it in and plant a flowering hedge, climbing roses or jasmine in front. As far as timing I’d do it now instead of waiting. A small delay now will save you a lot of trouble down the road. Once you and Matt move into that beautiful bedroom, you won’t want to move out again even temporarily to install doors later. Not to mention the related dust it would cause with your grasscloth already installed.
Hi, a couple of thoughts. I don’t know what your plan for the height of the wainscotting is, but if you raised it higher up on the walls, you could reduce the amount of paper needed if you want to delay the door installation. It will only save you inches at a time, but maybe?
Also for the door question, you could put a large single door with a removable railing in front. (think baby gate) And store portable ramps under the bed for emergencies. This will buy you time to work out the outside logistics. Moving a gas meter is costly. And they will not like you digging around for a concrete pad.
What about one of the side windows instead of the front one? You wouldn’t have the gas meter to worry about and you wouldn’t have to worry about how it would look with the front porch.
I agree you should do the french doors now, add a temporary ramp until you start on the landscaping later. Bedroom foyer can be wallpapered, painted, gallery wall with art or family photos, a library with book shelves etc.
Have you queried your Momma about this latest concern?
Every time in the past that you’ve asked for her input, it seems she’s had the goods to help you figure it out.🙂👍🏻
As to roof or no roof? Would a Pergola be an option instead?
When I look at that porch addition mock-up within the scope of your whole house front, I think a pergola would be a nice aesthetic – especially with some climbing/hanging greenery all across the top.
As to new gas meter: Calling and asking your questions to the gas company before anything else would seem the first step to beginning to figure out the rest, since what they say and/or what it will cost to move it, etc… will need to be known upfront.
If the purpose of the doors is to be able to get outside the house quickly, just add a small landing with a ramp outside the French doors. It meets your immediate needs – but the landing and ramp could be easily changed in the future if that’s what you would later decide you want.
Instead of a porch, how about a patio with a slight ramp from your bedroom doors? Then the patio could have a walkway that runs around to the front to connect to your front walk. No need for a roof, but you could add a short pergola to part of it. Just to add interest and a little shade from any direct sun.
I mean this in the nicest way, so if it comes across as snarky, that is not my intent. But are you creating a problem where none exists? You’ve lived in this house for 10+ years and spent many years in the bedroom that is now the closet and in the lounge area off your kitchen. Neither of those rooms have exterior doors for an emergency. I understand the logic behind the thought, but it seems unnecessary.
Good comments. I should have appolized before I added my opinion!
What if instead of double French doors you just put a nine light door making sure door is wide enough to accommodate getting Matt out? Since there isn’t a bump out on the other side you’re need for balance should be ok
Right. And why a porch? Isn’t a shallow ramp just as effective?
I’d call the city and find out what the cost would be to move the meter. If you decide to do the door you could place a Juliet rail across the opening until (the addition)and build a deck on the front. If you do move the meter i might place approx. where the hose reel is-easily disguised with landscape- so you may build a ramp around the corner of the house.
I love the look of the porch and you could definitely do it without moving the gas line like you mocked up. It looks like the tree gives some beautiful shade so you could do without an overhang. That would be a lovely spot to have coffee in the morning!
How wide a door does Matt need for egress? Would a single door that is the width of the current window work? Only to the floor and perhaps able to use the same framing at the top maybe? I like the idea of a small deck outside that room (morning coffee, anyone?) with a ramp to the side lawn. Can the gas meter itself be relocated around the side of the house or else dealt with in some other way? A box around it? I also like the idea of a trellis/pergola like the one you constructed for your shed over the top of the door instead of a new peaked roof. Just some thoughts. I know you will figure it out beautifully!
Before committing to french doors, do a timed mock fire drill with your husband. See how long it really takes to move him from the bed to 12 feet away. Should your bedtime routine include always having a wheelchair in a certain location? You might find you are both faster than you expected and it isn’t necessary to have a room exit. You should be able to measure 12 ‘ from where your bed is right now for the test.
It is always a good idea for any family to do a live fire drill so it becomes automatic in a time of emergency anyway.
Very good idea Diane. An emergency might not start in the new bedroom area.
I’ve read your post about 5 times. Then I went back and looked at the last floor plan you posted. That plan (https://www.addicted2decorating.com/the-most-influential-floor-plan-suggestion.html) has the home gym on the other side of the master bathroom with an egress door directly in line with the bathroom door. Your 12 ft straight shot might become 24 ft, but it is still a straight shot. Why the seemingly sudden need for external egress in the bedroom itself? It’s unusual for most bedrooms to have direct external egress. None of the bedrooms in any house I have lived in have had a door to the outside. I understand you have Matt to think of and he is your first priority.
Said with kindness:
I think you may be creating an issue where one doesn’t really exist. Perhaps as part of an anxiety response to such a huge undertaking? Your courage and bravery inspire me daily, but I wouldn’t blame you about having some anxiety over this monumental project and feeling the weight of your decisions. I’m undergoing something similar right now with our home. I encourage you to take a step back, revisit your floor plan, and determine if you must have an external door in the bedroom.
You have put so much time, effort and money into your home, too bad the outside looks so bad. How hard would it be to hang that shutter? Have you thought about that grass that is real grass but comes in rolls? You could hire someone to put than down for you. It would take long and only a few hours. That would be an instant lawn. Your front walk and driveway look so nice. I know you have no time as it is, but have you thought about Arkadeck (?) for a floor outside of the french doors in the bedroom? You would never have any upkeep with that. It is a shame you can’t use the back door in your bathroom as an emergency exit since it will be awhile before you are putting on the addition. You have so many projects to do, where to start….
I personally don’t think the outside of my house looks “so bad.” I have a couple of shutters down, but my house is one of the cutest on the street.
Kristi,
Great progress, beautiful closet and soon to be beautiful bedroom. Happy you thought of this before it’s too late. How about keeping it simple? Change the single window to a single door. I would suggest having the door swing outward as this is actually an emergency exit. Then have a simple ramp built heading straight that ends in a sidewalk that curves around to the front walk. At some future point if you wish to add a porch it would be doable.
Keep the grass cloth in the foyer. It is what will tie it into your bedroom to make it a suite.
I love your idea of french doors (single or double) and a small uncovered porch! I only have one idea: to tie the new porch into the rest of the house without breaking the bank, you could duplicate the posts and rails you built for your front steps along the left end and across the left and right front of the new porch, leaving an opening in the center so the new doors will show. Just a thought. Whatever you do will be amazing 😊!!
Perhaps and porch outside the bedroom. You could then grow something that climbs and crosses the pergola.
Could you put in a simple wood ramp outside the door for now, decide on porch details later?
I think wainscoting is too matching with the bathroom. I like the idea of a feature wall of grass cloth and do wainscoting with the primary suite foyer.
Would you really want French doors going out into your front yard? Would you ever use a front yard patio? I personally would not want that. If Matt had a problem in the living room or the area where you are now sleeping, would you go out the music room doors or zoom him down to the big bathroom door? If you were in your new bedroom, you would zoom over those 12 feet in a flash. No reason, seriously, to tear up the front of your home. That is too much money and design issues. 12 feet is close. You could wheel him out the front door and down your stairs in an emergency. I know you are concerned about his safety, but what if you never have an emergency. Then you have a patio with lovely French doors in your FRONT yard.
Put French door in your bathroom if you are concerned about the width of the door.
If you go through the music room doors, do you go into the sun room or to the back yard? I know once you get the addition built, the music room doors go into the family room.
I think you are overthinking this issue. That is my opinion which you are wanting from your blog readers. If you do not want opinions, please tell me so I keep my mouth shut.
Have a good week. Tell Matt to stay safe and you be safe too.
Don’t chance it, do what will ease your mind. It is your forever home, and as you age, you will thank yourself for putting in a quick exit for Matt and yourself.
Put the french doors in now, add a temporary step or ramp and keep thinking about adding the deck. That way, it might add incentive to get the deck and some of the outdoor work done sooner. And stick with your original plans for the grasscloth. I will look spectacular !
Going to jump into the fray on this one, but feel free to totally ignore my ideas! You will do what’s best for you and Matt, I’m sure. Anyway, my first thought about the French doors was “how wonderful! A private enclosed patio off the master bedroom! The perfect place for morning coffee, sit with Cooper, and to feel the sun on your face.” Love the pergola idea, a cement ramp, and having an enclosed pathway to the back along the side of the house. I look forward to your creativity in handling this issue, and love hearing the thought process.
If it were me, I’d put the French doors in now so as not to disrupt the bedroom later. I don’t think you need a roof over the small porch addition. However, you will need some type of ramp to get Matt off the porch and well away from the house in the event of a fire. I don’t know how things are done in Texas, but I would prepare for the gas company to charge you for moving the meter. It’s amazing what you have been able to accomplish in your home. It’s not only beautiful, it’s a comfortable, cozy home you can be proud of!
No roof on the escape porch. Add a porous screening wall to separate the porch from the road visibility, but still allow breeze. Run your ramp down the side of the house.