HELP - entrance way!
Please help – I imagine this problem has come up before but I don’t think it has ever been addressed in the forum. We have a 4 story building and intend to keep the bottom duplex for ourselves and rent out the top 2 floors. We are having trouble configuring the entranceway on the parlor…
Please help – I imagine this problem has come up before but I don’t think it has ever been addressed in the forum. We have a 4 story building and intend to keep the bottom duplex for ourselves and rent out the top 2 floors. We are having trouble configuring the entranceway on the parlor level to allow access to both the duplex or to the staircase that leads to the rentals (we are keeping a basement entrance as well but want two ways of egress). Right now the parlor level has the typical vestibule with an entrance door and an inner door which opens to the main stairway or to the parlor floor. We want a separate entrance but the hallway next to the stairs is too narrow to install a doorframe/door. So, do we (1) build an angled wall from the bottom of the staircase to the parlor wall or (2) take down the inner vestibule door and install 2 doors (one leading to the common staircase and the other into the duplex)? Because the vestibule right now is too narrow to install 2 doors, we would have to move the parlor wall 1 foot in to accomodate 2 doors. This question has stumped 2 designers and I’m afraid either option isn’t aesthetically pleasing. Other options are greatly welcomed.
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I had the same situation. I decided to keep the original entrance (double over-sized parlor doors) and built the angled wall. My choice was based on the architectural detail. Salvage as much of the original detail as you can. If it has already been compromised go ahead and make the change where you will get the most sf available for you use. Be careful if you decide to go with the second option, more than likely that wall is a load bearing wall. Good Luck
Anonymous 8:28 am: Your comment is unnecessary. This post engendered many replies which means other brownstowner readers were happy to participate with their opinions. That’s what this forum is all about.
You have stumped two designers who have viewed the space and you expect to solve your problem by posting a one paragraph description on some web site?
We configured our lower duplex as LR/DR/KIT on the ground and bedroom on the parlor. We enter under the stoop to the living floor. The downside is that it would be nice, in theory, to enter our apartment up the stoop through the main doors. But the downside is what you are facing: figuring out an elegant way to have an entrance from the public parlor foyer, and there’s really just no good way to do it. If you have to enter up the stoop, I’d go with the angled wall/door idea.
thanks to everyone that posted. I guess it is important to mention that our parlor doors are gone and there are just double French doors that open directly into the parlor floor (on the right, BTW). Our house used to be an SRO. I have seen the configuration you’re all talking about…keep the double doors and wall off the hallway that comes after it. Lots of people use that small space as a half-bath. However, we don’t really like the parlor door opening up directly into the living space…rather have a mudroom of sorts that leads to the living room. Since this is the case, the configuration is more complex.
I’m poster at 11:36 and 10:51 and we have exactly what 1847 and anonymous at 12:38 describe. We don’t have the half bath, but do have the coat closet to the right of the double door entrance.
It’s hard for me to understand how your designer didn’t come up with this since this is more or less how all the multistory brownstones with a bottom duplex are combined, at least those I have seen. Unless this is one of the options you are describing but is being misunderstood by us, or your double doors are somehow placed so that it is impossible to build the wall and keep the doors.
I did what 1847 suggests. Able to fit in a large double hung coat closet inside the duplex, to the right of the double door entrance and a tiny but wonderful half bath under the stairs. Very happy with the layout.
I think I misread some of the original poster’s descriptions, sorry, but I still think the above proposal would work. I think the proposed options #1 and #2 both sound pretty unattractive, though #1 sounds better than #2 IMO if you had to do one of those.