And voila! For ranches, this can extend off the main house and connect to a garage that was once completely separate from the rest of the home. Even designers will readily admit that remodeling this type of home is challenging for them. Breathe new life into a dated split-level with these tips you have more options than you might think! Rooms on the lower level are usually garages, dens, playrooms, and other informal living spaces. If you were to view the home from the side or the back, youd be able to see the individual levels of the house. What makes split-level homes a pain to transform is because of the limits involved. The problem is that it may not be the easiest of plans to execute. He's an authority on the Florida real estate market, as well as selling a house by owner. Refer to diagram below. Doors with glass-like, translucent flat panels are beautiful in daylight and at night, when interior light can turn them into giant night lights all while obscuring the contents of your garage from neighbors. The Hardest Home Styles to Change and Maintain - Real Estate Witch From cramped split-level to a generously apportioned neoclassical Typically, split level homes are good candidates for an architectural intervention. The exterior of a split-level home is whats giving away its age. Dont be intimidated by the challenge of remodeling a split-level home it is absolutely doable, even with a small budget. To add a real element of fun, we jazzed it up with the colorful escher tile at the backsplash and brought in accents of brass in the hardware and light fixtures to tie it all together. Meanwhile, the topmost level is where all of the bedrooms and bathrooms are. In the early 1960s, for instance, no floor plan concept seemed better suited to the demands of modern life than the split level . To remedy this without putting up walls, visual breaks can be used. You can certainly look on the bright side and see it as an opportunity to get more exercise in your home. Read This Before You Pay For a Flat Fee MLS Service. Split-levels, also sometimes called "tri-levels," are an architectural dead end that were built in abundance from the 1930s to the 1970s. Unleashed by production builders in the 60's and 70's, split level homes are the most difficult type of house to transform into the way our customers want to live today. En cliquant sur Accepter , j'accepte l'utilisation des cookies telle qu'elle est dcrite plus en dtail dans la Politique d'Utilisation des Cookies de Houzz. The original 1950s split level was expanded and completely reworked. If you live in a suburban area and your home has been around since the 1950s, 1960s, or 1970s, chances are you are living in a split-level home. Art Deco has a cool, interesting style that sets it apart from other homes. In most cases, these homes have a garage with the bedrooms situated directly above it on one side of the house. Again, the main advantage to this type of split level is the fact that there arent a ton of staircases that separate the floors. Brick steps lined with lush landscaping beckon guests toward the entrance. One reason for its popularity was the competitive cost in comparison to the rancher design being built at that time. You can also have skylights placed on the section of your roof directly above your living space or bedrooms. Updating a split-level home is hard. Have questions about buying, selling or renting during COVID-19? The Colonial-style renovation upgraded the plain portico into a spacious covered porch, which allows room for plenty of outdoor furniture. Get Ready to Have No-Obligation Talks With Contractors, 2023 All rights Reserved Contractor QuotesDeveloped By ITVolcano. On the other hand, this is not something you can do with split-level homes. Whether youre looking to buy or build a home from scratch, you likely have a specific architectural style in mind. Comments (39) Oh, we added 1100 sq ft. We converted the old garage into the living room, moved the front door, made the old living room into the dining room, opened everything up and gutted the kitchen. If you want to go full-on modern, consider hiding the roof completely. Using bricks or decorative stones attached to the walls as accents, Adding more windows to balance out the elements of your home. Clients were also interested in: low maintenance finishes, usage of low/no VOC materials, good indoor air quality as they lived on site during the remodel, and preserving and refinishing salvageable resources. There is also hardly any room for experimentation when it comes to remodeling a tri-level home. We designed the rest of the space to be a clean and bright white, and really let the lovely blue of the floor tile pop. In todays world many people find the formal areas of a colonial to be a waste of space. If you are moving from a large house to a cottage or a bungalow, you really need to plan out what you can take and what you need to leave behind. People want more bedrooms, more bedrooms, more bedrooms at the expense of the communal space. The reason is to prevent on-foot postal carriers from having to climb stairs to deliver the mail. If you have any bedrooms not in use, transform them into one big storage room. Zillow, Inc. holds real estate brokerage licenses in multiple states. Both. Another reason why these types of houses are desirable to homeowners is that the layout separates the living area from the sleeping area, offering more privacy. That can help you save on electric costs over time. With a little landscaping, you can really jazz up your ranch! This is partially because they are seen as being out of date. If youre looking for a home with plenty of space for your family and for hosting guests, the stacked split design is an excellent choice. Another great idea is to replace old windows with newer ones and tearing down some of your interior walls to make space and bring in more natural light. No matter which you choose, youll get multiple levels connected by short flights of stairs, but each style has unique features. The lower level, on the other hand, has lower ceilings and is partly below ground level. The outside is often another story. There is a wonderful separation of space going on in the split level thanks to the small staircaseswhich are half of what it would be for a true 2 story. The biggest challenge for Sun Design Remodeling is the mid-level front door. Another common complaint about the ranch style of home is that the outside can tend to have a boring, lackluster appeal. For some, this section seems like wasted space when you can use it as a den or mudroom. Split-level houses feature an architectural style that was most popular in the 40s and 50s, and each type of split-level house has distinct features. The raised ranch introduces some stair climbing into the mix. Back additions are also generally cheaper than top level additions to a tri-level home. The split level can be built on a sloping a sloping lot (cheaper) with more square footage under one roof (cheaper! Location: Marietta's Indian Hills neighborhood Size: 4,500 square feet, five bedrooms and six bathrooms Year built/bought: 1972/2017 Architectural style: Split-level ranch converted into. Split-Level Remodel: Challenges, Ideas, Before & After - Contractor Quotes The need to climb stairs tends to lower the value a little bit, which can help first-time homebuyers that are looking to break into home ownership. Many homeowners concentrate on remodeling the inside of their home and neglect to work on the exteriors as well. And if you want to take it to the next level, does the KonMari method ring a bell? Now that youve learned a bit more about the pros and cons of each type of home style, you can make a more informed decision when you go out and look at listings. This allows you to adjust the temperatures separately to even them out. Split Foyer Renovation - Owings Brothers Contracting If you are working with a limited budget, even a fresh coat of paint can dramatically change the look of your home. Again, split-level homes tend to struggle with natural lighting. The short answer is that, yes, you can convert a split-level to open up the home and make it feel more modern. Modern home designs tend to focus on lighting details. The outdatedness of a split-level home isnt specific to the interior. Snow can pile up, causing damage and its harder for rain to drain off. Single-hung windows, which feature bottom panes that slide up to open the windows, are common in split-level homes from the 60s, 70s and 80s. The old backyard used to have some trellis installed and the entire garden looked unkempt. Our specialists are currently reviewing your case and will get back to you shortly. Split-level House Remodel | Additions & Renovation Options This way, the new addition is not that visible from the front of your home. We cleaned up the cabinets and brass hardware, switched out the formica counter for a new quartz top, and painted wall a cheery accent color to liven it up a bit. A little leeway may be unavoidable, such as changing the color scheme and tiles halfway, but changing your mind about big things, such as building a new wall in the same spot where an old one was removed, would mean wasted resources, especially money. A cottage is typically a one bedroom dwelling meant for travelers or people on vacation. Planters surrounding the home are made from raw sheet steel. The first staircase that leads downwards goes to either the basement or some other type of informal living space. Split foyer to French colonial. A split-level house is essentially a variation of the conventional ranch-style house, but split-levels make much better use of the space. A split-level home has a few great places to start. This works well if your house has other trappings of colonial style. Converting a Cape or Ranch to Colonial | Bethany, CT | 203-915-9972 Whats not to love about a split-level home? Surprisingly, this style of home was developed not due to aesthetic reasons but out of necessity. Windows can look simple at first glance, but they actually play a major role in the entire feel of the home. Adding additional spaces to your home will require you to sacrifice either your backyard or the remaining space at the sides of your home, if they are available at all. Each style has unique features, but all split-level houses consist of multiple floors connected by short flights of stairs. Aside from these two requirements, the design work involved aesthetics: enhancing the front faade with a modern architecture and high quality materials. Although this will lead to inconvenience when moving around your home, you can also get doors placed on each level to maintain the set temperature. This additional floor either becomes the highest floor or is the cellar or basement located just below the floor where your main living space is. On the other hand, bi-level houses have two levels that are accessed via a common entrance between the floors. There are also one or two chimneys (remember in the old days how they kept the place warm). The classic faade of a split-level home is very simple. The dining room had once been the homes living room, but we had other plans in mind. Recessed lighting, also known as can lights, can be an excellent addition to ergonomic, modern kitchens. When a home is cared for, it doesnt have that old, uncared for look that we think of with outdated homes. Two bedrooms are combined to form one big bedroom, the living room is adjusted to get a bigger kitchen and dining room, or vice versa. Striking Split-Level. There are 6 main split-level house designs, including standard-split, split-foyer, stacked-split, split-entry, back-split, and side-split. We removed the walls between the kitchen, living, and dining rooms to create a large open concept space that still allows a clear definition of space, while offering sight lines between spaces and functions. Make no mistake, retro is chic but split-level homes, to many, are still out of style. This Plain Jane split foyer was given more than a facelift, it was given a whole new second-floor by constructing an addition changing its style to a Colonial. Fixed glass is another very modern type of window, but it wont work for bedrooms that require an emergency escape and ventilation. Any split-level modernization project should look very closely at ways to make those exterior walls smooth. As a visual contrast, a simple layout with distinct wooden floors replaced the old plain carpet. Your garage takes up a lot of frontage, so it's a large portion of your guests' first impression. Some split-level homes have ample space at the back and on one side. More information Given the limited space that split-level homes are known for, you might wonder if expansion is possible at all. If you wish to report an issue or seek an accommodation, please let us know. The types of siding that are typical on this style are generally wood and high maintenance,it can be replaced with hardy board which is less maintenance. Youll want to arm yourself with this information so you can be prepared when flipping through listings. We will not contact you with anything else. The split level house design has evolved in the world of production builders following the ranch home. Due to the complexity of this type of home, acquiring the services of a professional or two is often the wisest choice you can make in this aspect. Also, your current foundations wont have to support the additional weight, because these additions will have their own foundations. The home will include many sets of stairs, or in some cases, just a couple of steps, but the entry is generally at ground level. The story and a is my favorite, especially if the children in the house are a bit older and dont need to be close to the adults,or if you have out of town company. How To Modernize A Split-Level Home (Here's What You Can Do) But times have changed, and modern garage door designs can transform the look of the front of your home. You can use the following materials or do the following to make noticeable changes outside, while looking neutral enough to complement everything else: If you recall, we made a list of remodeling ideas for the faade and front entry in an earlier section. While the ranch will need more roof to cover the square footage than a multi-level house, the roof lines of a ranch are cheaper to construct, so youre still coming out ahead overall. Cobb home converted from split-level ranch to farmhouse-style house - ajc With recessed lighting, you can even highlight the best features in each of the different rooms. For listings in Canada, the trademarks REALTOR, REALTORS, and the REALTOR logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. By replacing current windows with something that let in a lot more light and are more efficient, you can bring in more natural light to the home, making the space feel bigger, and help to cut down on energy costs over time. How to Expand on a Bi-Level Home | Home Guides | SF Gate Lengthen the present rooflines in your home, Match the paint of your garage door to the paint of your main door, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE7jN7ofmeI, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKS8AnI6Ahk, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHaeHzf4iBU. It is fairly easy to spot most split-level homes from the outside, as they seem to be half a two-story home and half a bungalow or ranch-style home that are combined to form a single house. In todays world many people find the formal areas of a colonial to be a waste of space. Split-level homes can be beneficial for those who are light sleepers easily awakened by noise or night shift workers who sleep during the day. Lighting is one of the most important features in just about any home layout. Making the lights more uniform and using a warmer paint color also made it look more inviting. What Companies Offer the Lowest Real Estate Fees? You can also turn it into your home office and place all your filing cabinets, bookcase, and other similar items there. An exterior remodel of your tri-level home may sound easy because you might believe you can just go for whatever design you want. There are some things designers typically focus on to make significant changes to this type of home, such as: If you are thinking of modifying your home but dont really have a clue where to start and how to do it, we can help you out with that. In the case of side additions, it is vital that it blends with the existing faade, which means getting the same windows, paint color, type of roof, etc. Here is more info about both split levels and colonial homes, and the pros and cons of each. From Home to Dream Home: Split Foyer to French Colonial Your link to How To Organize A Bathroom Closet. link to What Kind Of Paint For Garage Walls. Check out another split-level project by Jones Pierce Studios: https://jonespierce.com/marietta-split-level-facelift/, 400 Plasters Ave. NE, #225 Atlanta, GA 30324 05 of 22 Beautiful Colonial Home Renovation The design is a compromise between living on one level as in a ranch, yet having essentially a walk-out basement with additional finished living space below. This type of construction is very common among townhouses. Ryan Shaw. Whether architects like it or not, the split-level may be the "it" remodel of the future. You dont have to concern yourself that much with how it will blend in with the rest of your home, compared to having the additions done at the sides. And many of them are Colonial style, meaning that they feature grids that divide the window into 12 or more small lites, rather than larger panes of glass. Again, the main advantage to this type of split-level home is the lack of staircases connecting each level of the house. If done properly, this can tie in wonderfully with the natural stone sections of wall mentioned above. . Taken fromhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHaeHzf4iBU. 9 House Makeovers That Are Almost Unbelievable - Bob Vila Whereas, with split-level homes, theres usually a one-story section that connects to a two-story section instead of being right on top of each other. Split-level homes are great for those who want to conserve the space on their property, without sacrificing room inside of the home. You should know the various types of split-level homes before you can consider buying or building one of your own. Use landscaping to your advantage. One of the best ways to modernize a split-level home is to avoid a roof color that's too light or too close to the house color. Renovated Split Level Home in Salt Lake City. Commonly, however, the term is also used to denote split-level homes. Modern floor plans put an emphasis on open space to make the entire area seem bigger while also granting more freedom for the homeowner to decorate. Mid-Century Modern Split-Level Exterior Home Ideas - Houzz The floor plan is generally a story and which is popular everybody loves a big deep front porch. In some parts of the country flat roofs can be a problem and need continual maintenance. The U shaped ranch gives you a ton of options for the open space in the middleyou can put a pool, front porch or a courtyard area there. The original spec was probably a steel door with very little curb appeal. This open-plan layout made the space look a lot bigger. Thats some Brady Bunch vibes you have going on there. Consider this if you are more concerned about maintaining an even temperature in your home than the expenses that it can lead to. It packs a large amount of square footage into a relatively small footprint, something growing families appreciate. Ryan also loves hockey and a lifelong Buffalo sports fan. The homeowners are enthusiasts of residential modern architecture and wanted to update their 1960s split-foyer home with a modern design. Moving your furniture around to change the look of your home is usually the first step many homeowners make. If you come across an early cape it might seem a bit utilitarian on the inside but thats an easy fix with a little charm! Whole House Remodeling This home was transformed from a split-foyer into a french colonial. Opendoor: How Much Will It Pay For My Home. With a split-level house, you could have at least three bedrooms and still have plenty of space for backyard recreation. It may be a bit more difficult but it is definitely doable. Keep in mind that easiest homes to maintain and make additions to tend to be rancheswhich is why they have become one of the most popular style of home! The walnut vanity cabinet (complete with hairpin legs) adds a lovely level of warmth to this bathroom, and the black and brass accents add the sophisticated touch we were looking for. This way, you can maximize the space by adjusting the alignment of furniture and fixtures. This type of split-level house features multiple levels that are visible from the homes exterior. Split-Foyer Conversion Interior - Owings Brothers Contracting Taking inspiration from the typical ranch home, split-level homes were designed to maximize the very limited space available in suburban neighborhoods, while being budget-friendly for families to afford or construct. Changing the aesthetic of the exterior of your split-level can come down to some very simplistic changes. You can use our list to help you make sure that your remodeling project will be a resounding success. A circa 1960's split-level enhanced by a 300 square foot addition, a re-configured main level floor plan and a seamlessly remade front elevation will be featured in a "Remodeled Home Tour". [Master Suite] This can come in handy for those who want to rent their extra space out for additional income to a potential roommate. You can place bedrooms on the top floor or at the ground level, put your laundry area in the basement, have your living room at a floor somewhere above the ground level, and the entertainment room on the floor below it, and more. By working with siding styles and stonework, the creative homeowner can transform his bland home into something beautiful. Instead of the classic door leading to the back of your home, you can tear it down, together with the wall, and replace it with glass. Colonial Homes A typical colonial style home. Since split-level houses are stacked, they dont take up as much yard space and still provide plenty of square footage vertically on the interior. Instead of a centralized heating and cooling system, consider having separate thermostats for the spots known to be cooler or hotter than the rest of your home. But again, you need to visualize how the exterior will connect to and complement whats inside your home, including the functions of each level. Modern home designs tend to focus on lighting details. Since the house is all on one level, you will need more square footage to get privacy from other household members. Your email address will not be published. If youve seen one, youve seen them all. Another great garage door style on a modern home is a wood-look door. In most cases, the garage will sit on the ground level and the bedroom area will be stacked above it. Skylights are a great modern addition that can bring a split-level home into the 21st century. If youve recently fallen in love with this type of floor plan, its worth familiarizing yourself with your options. The lower demand in most markets means that they are readily available for a cheaper price than other types of homes. However, the major disadvantage is the fact that you must climb multiple sets of stairs to reach each individual level of the home. Or, maybe youre considering one of many types of split-level homes. Before we dive too deeply into the types of split-level homes, its important to know the distinguishing features of split-level houses. You can use this hallway as a small mudroom and storage space for stuff you usually take with you when you go out. This question is important and your answer will serve as your guide when it comes to updating your home. The split level or foyer offered a stacking of floors taking a much smaller footprint of land reducing the cost to build a new home. The substantial addition at the rear of the home is barely visible here--the only hint being that the main ridge is a little higher from this point of view. Magazine pictures of modern homes tend to make them look almost sterile; recessed lighting offers more light without it becoming impractical. Snow can pile up, causing damage and its harder for rain to drain off. Despite all that youve read about them being outdated, split-level houses do have some positives to them. This home was transformed from a split-foyer into a french colonial Bathroom closets are often catch-alls for anything and everything remotely related to self-care. The kitchen and dining room are on a separate floor from both the bedrooms and living room. If your land slopes and the main entrance to your home is higher than the pavement, which is often the case, add steps or a small flight of stairs leading to the door. If this fits the bill, you can construct a detached garage at the back and use the space on the side as your driveway. Although only minimal work was done on this home, primarily with a fresh coat of paint and better landscaping, you can see how these seemingly simple works already made a huge difference to it. After all, you dont have to spend a single cent for it. Whats most important is that your home works the best for you. The dated kitchen plus both small main and master bathrooms were remodeled. Even if your dream is to have a log cabin-type of home but you live in area that gets a lot of rain and snow all year, using even the sturdiest kind of wood may be the worst decision you can make in your life. One alternative is to re-do the exterior only; by converting the windows to a traditional colonial style (four upstairs, picture window downstairs). The functionality and cost-efficiency of split-level homes made it a hit for families that prioritize practicality over aesthetics. Colonial Homes Vs Split Level Homes: What is the Difference? The cape cod style originates in 17th century New England and was built with total practicality in mind. Wherever possible is important because some of (or all of) those interior walls could have major structural implications on the rest of the home. On our website, we have been getting many hits and search querys every month concerning split level renovations. Consider a new roof color. Clever: Are Those Commission Savings Legit? Since they are built vertically, that can mean that split-levels have more square footage in the yard. Installing glass panes or other decorative elements, especially on the foyer and main entryway, to draw the attention to that part of your home instead of the garage. All rights reserved. link to What Kind Of Paint For Garage Walls. Split-level homes tend to be small, in terms of square footage . The remodel welcomes a covered front porch that was absent in the original. The triangular shelves in the corner are quite accessible when the pullouts are extended. Not a lot of homeowners who own this type of home realize that there are actually workarounds or hacks when it comes to updating the look and feel of a split-level home. If you prefer a home that still separates the living space from the bedrooms, but doesnt require a full flight of stairs to reach, you may consider a side split style house. William Feemster of ImageArts Photography. We are continuously working to improve the accessibility of our web experience for everyone, and we welcome feedback and accommodation requests.
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