I am really curious about the information you gleaned from this post. We purchased a 17 x 40 3 floor two family in the south slope in December and are now trying to find architects and look for designs to allow us to turn the top two floors into an open plan parlor and 3 bedrooms (the garden floor is already a well set up rental - the previous owner lived in it). The top two floors are currently two reasonably chopped up apartments. Did any of the architects get in touch with you ? Have you seen a lot of open plan parlor floors which "work", and do you know who did the design ? Thanks. I left my e-mail address in my profile.

Posted by: thegoodtribe at February 17, 2008 11:08 AM in response to 16.5 x 40' brownstone layout?

We have a 20-foot wide house (I posted before) and after reading more of these posts I had more thoughts. I find even the wider houses can feel chopped up and narrow without the open floorplan. Our house does have the formal dining room separate from an enclosed galley kitchen, both of which are my personal preference. But the living room had various double-parlor walls ripped out before we bought it and that part is very open and spacious feeling. So for a more narrow house, I'd say take out every wall possible on the parlor floor and make it look like an open loft kitchen/eating/living space. It will not feel small or cramped, don't worry about that.

For the 2nd floor I don't think people should worry about kids' bedrooms being small. It's more important in remembering my own childhood to have the "room of one's own" even if it's small.

I look at home shows on tv and when I see those cavernous suburban subdivision houses with the massive rooms and cathedral ceilings it's like, omg, that is not intimate and comfortable in any way possible. Plus imagine what it costs to heat and cool them. Insanity. They'll all be torn down or reconfigured within a few years, those monstrosities, as fuel costs rise mark my words. I love the Brooklyn little-house lifestyle whether 20-foot or 17-foot wide.

Posted by: guest at February 17, 2008 3:43 PM in response to 16.5 x 40' brownstone layout?