we have a 3rd floor on our house.
i love going up there because my creativity gets swirling.
i dream up all kinds of things we could do with it.
would you like to see it?
i thought so.
to get there we have to through lauren's bedroom…no easy task most days.
on this day talby was in search of her summer clothes.
(click on any pictures if the words are too small)
when you get up the stairs it opens into a small room
and on the left there's a doorway to a big room.
there is a roughed in…something.
could be a closet or a bathroom someday.
this is the view looking into the big room.
four years ago when we came through this house i WAS IMMEDIATELY IN LOVE!!!
i kept my composure all the way though…until the third floor.
our realtor wasn't with in the room us and i looked at craig and said "I LOVE THIS HOUSE!"
the third floor sealed the deal.
i was too scared to open that box.
when craig did…i ran to other side of the room.
i've seen The Money Pit where the raccoon jumps out…i was not going there.
i walked across the room and took this picture looking back towards the stairs.
this room has been so many things in my day dreams.
so my question to YOU is….
what would you do with this space?
i am sure i could find a BIG prize for someone that can
find a way to get a design show or magazine to come here
and renovate this for us!!
come one ladies…who do you know?
Crystal - Looks like 3 options here…..first you could make this your photography studio/craft room. You could get all sorts of cool backdrops, props & lighting! second option would be to make it a playroom/hangout room for the kids. Lots of storage for toys and bean bags, big comfy chairs, tv with video games….just think of the quiet you would have in the kitchen if all the kids were on the 3rd floor! third option would be to make this Lauren’s room if she doesn’t want traffic coming thru her bedroom to get here. Then you could turn her room into either the craft room or playroom, and turn your current craft room into a guest room. Oh, I wish I had as much space as you!
Liz - Excuse me while I HYPERVENTILATE. Oh my gosh. Can you just make that into an apartment and I’ll come live up there and babysit for free? Thanks.
Seriously, in my dream world I’d make it over into a big study/library. Lot’s of bookshelves. Squishy chairs, big desks with great lamps. But that’s just me.
Aubrey - I don’t know what to do with it but sit up there and look out the window and dream. Make it the retreat space.
Now I want to see pictures of your Silence of the Lambs basement. For real. 🙂
carrie - Oh My! I LOVE this space… so many possibilities. My husband–builder extraordinare– would go nuts. I’m thinking: private-womanly-spa-room. 🙂 But spa or not definitely a painted black floor. 🙂 Love your blog.
Peace- Carrie
kasey - well, once you find someone from a design team, then send them my way when you’re done.
i love that room……
how perfect to start from scratch..
Amber - Can I move in? I love love love your house! I have always dreamed of a home with a third floor… that’s magical!
Alyssa - WOWZA!! i didn’t think your house could get any better!!
Sarah @ Thriftydecorchick - OH MY goodness…I have dreams about finding a room just like this hidden in our house and I find it and I SQUEAL. I’m not kidding. Those are some of my best dreams. Oh, I would looooove to have this space. Looks like it has great light too. I would make it a total kid hang.
Starnes Fam - Oh, dear. I don’t have any connections and your design elements far surpass what I would suggest. I do love the previously mentioned idea of a library.
And, those windows are to die for. My husband and I are renting a 30 year old house in KC (moving tomorrow from Denver) as a trial to see how we acclimate to smaller closets and smaller bathrooms b/c we want to buy a much older home when we finish this lease. LOVE your house and it’s very much like what we want. We’ve always built or bought new…..so I’m anxious to see how this next year goes.
Kristin - Your home is completely lovely. You have a wonderful style so fun, yet comfy and relaxing too. You extra room is so much fun. I think that the imagining of what a space can be is almost as fun as the finished project. I would think some sort of family hangout theater are would be wonderful with cozy nooks by the windows, and comfy chairs. I can’t wait to see what you end up doing with the space in the future. Thanks so much for sharing.
Lynette - I just came across this blog this evening and immediately thought of you and your attic dilemma. Maybe it will give you a couple of ideas…
http://patternoflife.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/attic-remodel-almost-complete/
evan - I know noone… but that space would be so cool turned into a treehouse-type hideout. that’s my idea. 😀
Sara - I would either make it an awesome guest suite and turn the smaller room into a bathroom or make it a media/theater room. I think those floors would look cool painted black. 🙂
renee' - i love this room, boy would that be fun. how old is your house. it could make a great guest room.
Mod Girl - Check out this gorgeous attic remodel! I thought of your space when I saw it…
http://patternoflife.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/attic-remodel-almost-complete/
Trish - umm… let me just say, “WOW”
What a fun house you have!
I would think a guest suite, or a entertainment area complete with a HUGE screen for all of your movie enjoyment and games… I’m sure since there is two rooms you could do a guest room and an entertainment area!
Wowzers, I wish I was in your dilemma right now!
Brooke - Your house rocks!!! There is nothing better than an old house…with all its quirks and charm. Love it, show us more!!!
It would be a great kid space…no one would see the mess! A charming master retreat…but I would hate to be a flight above my children. An incredible guest area. What ever you do it will be fabulous I am sure. Keep us posted!
Teresa - hmm I’m not sure what you could do. But one thing is for sure, you’ll have to give Lauren a new room. I doubt she’d be too happy about people going through her room and up into the third floor :X
angela - Craft room. OH. I Love It So!
JerriR - I would love, love (oh I already said that) to have Candice Olsen from Divine Design to do my basement but since she’s in Canada, well…but maybe if she has two jobs here in the States, yours and mine, she would come!! Oh the possibilities for the 3rd floor!! A girl can dream.
Ashley Ann - I was envious of your house before, but now it is beyond coveting. So jealous…so much you could do. I love it. Could you fit a family of 6 up there? We’ll move in.
Allikayes Mama - Ah! Am I a big nerd for feeling excited jitters for when you will share what you do?! Yeah…I have loved your house from the time I found ya in blog world…and now the 3rd floor…I will continue to live through you…while living in my townhouse! hehe! Hurry and finish it all pretty like you do!!
Rach - I agree. The 3rd floor would have sealed the deal for me too!
If it were mine, I would turn it into an art studio complete with a darkroom and a huge table in the middle so I can actually spread out my projects and work standing up and not bent over on the floor breaking my back.
You are so fortunate… and so busy so I imagine you won’t be able to get to it until at least half of the kids are out of the house and in college. Please tell me you are never moving from that house!! It is heaven.
Christine - i would make it into another living space, one that didn’t have to be kid friendly.
like a nice media or games room or a library.
I would put window seats along those gorgeous windows…especially if it was a library.
You could put up framed pictures of your children’s art work to keep forever, as i’m sure you run out of space (even the area you have now) to showcase them.
I like the idea of a grand master suite but i think i would be tempted to make it a “quiet space” for everybody.
A retreat space. a place for bible study, reflection, a place to keep your treasures….
a place to dream.
Carrie - OK, here goes.
I say you put Lauren in your current bedroom and make that your and Craigs area. What a great little “retreat”. The big room could be the bedroom, the little room and reading/craft/relaz/whatever you want it to be room.
OR
You could let me move in up there. I love to cook, and I find comfort in doing laundry. please! 🙂
Good luck!
Sara - I LOVE looking at this site. I visit it almost every day. I went to preschool in this house. I remember the inside quite vividly. Although it looks so much better now than back in the day. The basement was too scary back then and I was convinced the 3rd floor was haunted. I still have dreams about it. It looks much more pleasant in the pictures, excpet for the mouse pee. HA
MGF - Got no ideas but defiantly want to see the finished project.
Colleen - Perfect place for a new craft room or office. White Bead board and a super cottage-y feel would be so neat. Love the windows but without the woodgrain look. I would paint it all white and accessorize with color and add in built-ins. Is there room for a bathroom?
Fun to have options isn’t it? 🙂
adrienneK - wow! talk about room to grow!!!
Staci - Ooooh! The possibilities! I canNOT wait to see what you do with it!!!! LOVE IT!
Aby - OMG!!! What an AMAZING space!! I’m so jealous!!!! I’ve always loved, loved, loved your house… now I can’t even put into words how much I LOVE it!!!! What I wouldn’t do to have one like it!!! Too many ideas swirling through my head for what to do up there… I wouldn’t even know where to begin!!! You could always turn it into a place for me!!!! I’m ready to move in!!!
Lori Danelle - I just read the comment on a photography studio. . .I think I would give my left arm (if I didn’t need it for my graphic design work, which I’m not willing to give up!) for a studio space. . .. But looks like the difficulty is Lauren’s room below. . .any other options for where she is located? and is she willing?
I desperately wish I had an empty room that I didn’t know what to do with!!! (small house in the middle of the city. . .sigh.)
http://loridanelle.blogspot.com
Lori Danelle - Love the third floor!!! Oh the possibilities!
I feel like I should know where your house is. You’ve shown pictures of it from the outside and I keep taking a tour of the town in my mind trying to place it. Unfortunately, it’s been a few years and my memory isn’t so clear on the fine details of my hometown’s architecture. . .
http://loridanelle.blogspot.com
Karina - I just LOVE LOVE LOVE your house. It makes me want to paint mine in bolder colours…or, heck, just to sell up and find an old mansion somewhere…I checked out my local listings and even the ramsackle ones are too expensive. Bummer.
I think of two designers I love: Candice Olsen and Sarah Richardson. They both have tv design shows, but I’ve only ever seen them do one room at a time – I bet when they get through with a room, the owner is depressed about the rest of their house!!
I immediately think of myself when I see your third floor – STUDIO!!! Reading room!!! Escape space with comfy chair and cat!!! Spare bed for guests…or just naps for me. Thank you for letting us dream…
Joanna Peck (Jodi) - Okay, We lived in a victorian with a 3rd floor for about 4 years and then we sold it. KICKING MYSELF! :0( Anyways, I have 4 kids and we had so much extra junk up there……where is all of your JUNK?? Or am I the only one who won’t part with my junk? Anyways, We always wanted to put our 2 girls up there with there own bathroom, to get them away from their little brothers! I never could think of being up there (master suite) without knowing what is going on with the kids downstairs!!
Sarah - I would DIE for a 3rd floor. I would do almost NOTHING with it…clear out the junk, paint the floor with a white enamel, or carpet them?, paint the walls anything, and just let it be fun, free space..maybe a comfy chair. Then you could use it for anything…a playroom, guest room, craft room, kids home from college with their friends room…I AM JEALOUS!
Laura - IT IS OBVIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!! MY FAMILY CAN LIVE UP THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Serioulsy…it is bigger than my entire home!!!!! Please, oh please, let us move in!!!!!!!!!!!
think about the CAKES I would bake for you….
j.o. - This is one of my favorite posts ever. What great spaces you have.
Nessa Dee - I’m green with envy right now. This would be the ultimate play space for kids. I can see a craft corner with a huge table, cork and chalk board walls, and tons of storage. And, oh the plays that will be acted out in the theater section, with a trunk full of costumes to spark imagination. A reading nook with built-in shelves full of books and a big comfy chair to curl up in on rainy days. I can even cut out a little section for my easel and paint supplies. Hmmm, that sounds nice….maybe the space would be my ultimate art studio, and I could stick the kids’ playroom downstairs. Sigh.
Lisa - Hi Meg,
I read all of the ideas above and think they are wonderful. I was wondering how many bathrooms you have in the house? If you have one main that the kids use plus your master bath, one more might be needed. Eventually you will have 5 teens in one house and I don’t think 2 bathrooms will be enough. That said I think switching rooms with Lauren and turning the 3rd floor into a mommy and daddy retreat would be fantastic. You said the windows are what made you fall in love with the place so why not wake up every morning to them? The space is big enough. You could make Lauren’s room into a lounge / reading space. I don’t know that making Lauren’s room a pass through would go over very well. The other option is to use the “Reading” bedroom you recently did as Lauren’s new room and turn the 3rd floor into a great hang out space for your kids. Play area, movie area, the possiblities are endless!
Take Care,
Lisa
Liz - What a gorgeous house you have!!!
I think that space screams Master suite!!!! You could put Lauren in the master now and make her room into an office/sitting room.
Sophie - If that was my house, it would be MY place. I’d have my stuff eveyrwhere and I’d be able to decorate and furnish it however I wanted.
Courtney - I know you already have a craft room, but this CRIES creative space! You could always turn it in to a guest room that’s super dreamy too– or swap the two rooms.
I want your house, or at the very least to live near you and actually know you personally so I could help 🙂
mary dyer - it’s the third eye of creativity space
how awesome!
whatever it will be , i know it will be amazingly fun!
Kim - I am so jealous. Sooooo jealous. Your house is amazing. And I think your 3rd floor might be bigger than my little house. The windows leave me speechless!
Have a great weekend!
traci - man that’s a lot of space up there. oh the possibilities. you have my mind spinning now. i would probably claim a good chunk of it for myself – i’m kind of selfish that way. big comfy reading chair with a vintage floor lamp and lots of books. or your studio – creative or photography. so many options.
wendy - Oh I definitely think it needs to be a teen room. Love that idea. Then later you can turn it into something more useful for you. Kids need that space to have friends over. Your house will be the place to be.
If you don’t hear from anyone, I would contact all those shows myself. Just jot off a quick email with a link to this post. Easy peasy.
Lyndsey - Wow, I continue to be amazed with how beautiful your house is! It almost makes me want to move away from the land of million dollar dual properties in San Diego to beautiful homeland Kansas!
deb meyers - Share!
a retired professor and his wife at my college in Chicago had a similar space, they filled it with twin beds (not much STYLE, but hey, YOU could fix that) and girls the age of their youngest daughter, who stayed over the summer to work in the city, bunked there. Or if you were a guest you could flop for the night (me : ).
Sleeping there felt like the orphan scene in “Annie” but it was good and lovely, not cruel and cold! They always had hot waffles going for breakfast, a professor to talk to, and the dear wife who was supportive and fun …
deb meyers
Heather - After seeing what you’ve done with the rest of the house, and especially your master bath I don’t think you need any help. You have done an amazing job with that house. I want you to come help me with mine!
Elisa - I would have to be selfish and say a studio.
I am so stinkin’ jealous of your house!!!!!!
Anna - I like the ideas of a master suite and a large craft room/studio…however, as a parent I would be kind of nervous being upstairs at night when all of my children are below me. Also, you already have a pretty awesome craft room.
A family here in my town purchased a very large home…much too large for themselves. But their reason for doing so was a selfless and wonderful idea. On weekends part of their home was a small “haven” for pastors and their wives to come and relax and be surround by tranquility and a calm atmosphere. It gave them the opportunity to slow down, spend time with each other and with our Lord. Pastors from all over the US come to their home.
You could add a bathroom up there possibly even a small kitchen area and make it like a relaxing spa/hotel room getaway. I think a bed and breakfast type thing would be too much work for you. But when it isn’t being used by guests you and Craig could have your own little escape place 😉
Just think of what you could do as far as decorating. You could use scripture in frames or perhaps written right on the wall. You could fill a bookshelf with inspirational books. I am thinking whites and other soft colors as well as towels and fluff…oh and candles.
Like I said though, a master bedroom and craft room are also great ideas. I don’t know any one here in Missouri considered “famous” on this scale…sorry 🙁
Can’t wait to see what you go with. I can’t believe there is a whole other floor. So neat!
Becky - I don’t have any new ideas, the ones posted here all sound good! Just wanted to say thanks for posting the pics. I love your house, and have always wanted to see the inside, so thanks for showing it off! Have fun deciding! I’m sure whatever you choose will turn out fabulous!
Andrea from Orlando - I wish I was your friend so I could come and raid your old stuff! I am working on a baby room…love the white dresser!
I am with your though. Its a blank canvas for sure. I am sure you will figure out what to do with it:)
sandy toe - so fun..a craft room…or guest quarters…or MY room!
sandy toe
pve - I would make it into a fab “parents” love lounge with a huge built in window seat, with book shelves, and make it a place that the Momma’s and the Poppas would want to go to “Hang out” – read, and listen to music. No tv, no computer, just a room with comfy love seats and framed love letters, your photos full of love-
Of course, being a little selfish, I would swipe one of those hotel signs that reads, “do not disturb” Oh, I just woke up from my dream.
Nah, I think it would be my art studio.
Sandy - You’ve been holding out on us! Your house was amazing before the third floor and now….it’s…super amazing! I see why you fell in love with it!
Heidi Jo the Artist - You already have a craft room, so next in line for me would be a library with lots of bookshelves and comfy chairs. And lots of plants too, there is a lot of great natural light up there! It will be fun to see what you decide to do with the third floor, your house is beautiful! I love old houses. We live in one too. 😉
Heidi Jo the Artist
http://swirlsofcreativity.etsy.com
Swirls of Creativity’s Purple Thursday ~ Every Thursday!
http://swirlsofcreativity.blogspot.com
http://greenresolution.blogspot.com
kristin joy - clearly if you made this into your master suite, you’d have to give lauren your current suite. then you could make her bedroom your sitting room of sorts…a place where mom & dad meet the kiddos. that makes your bedroom a real sanctuary…kid free. of course you could go selfless and make it a hang out room, but really–a teen hang out room needs to be a leeeeeetle bit more open. can you say makeout room? i am sure that’s not what you’d be going for. 🙂 perhaps a family library. i am a reading teacher, and i’m in favor of family libraries. 🙂
flutter - your house rules. that whole space should be your studio.
Donna - you have the MOST amazing house……….i just adore it. The master suite sounds like the perfect thing, however what about a space created for the kids. I have 6 kids and we had our basement finished so that they can hang out down there with friends. Your kids are still kind of young – except Lauren, but when they start reaching the teen years, you will want them to have their own space………….Have so much fun with that.
Mindy - First off, I would go read “The Saturdays” by Elizabeth Enright about a family of 4 children who have a delicious 3 story level. They actually don’t do much with their 3rd level in the book, but yours reminded me instantly of the book.
Next, I would ask Lauren what she thinks since anything done would be traipsing through her room to do it.
Next, get rid of the mice. Eeuw!
Add a bathroom.
Then, since one house I lived in growing up had some unused space, I would fill it with a pool table, games, books, dress up clothes galore, an old make up mirror that plugs in and lights up and has a switch that goes from day light to night light. And lots of boxes and nooks to be curious in.
Finally I would get a great, comfortable chair and sit next to those windows and daydream- during the morning when the light is mellow, in the rush of mid-day when you need a good daydream to revive, at night when the house is silent and you must visit during every rainstorm.
Um, can I come over?
Keri - Oh how I wish I knew someone. If I did I would have locked them in my house ages ago.
So…your third floor: the master suite idea sounds nice, except sounds like you’d be close to Lauren’s room. (Maybe not a bad thing with a teenager though!) Craft studio sounds awesome, too, but I know you have a craft room. Cool media room? Play room? Oh, the possibilities!!
Thanks for the tour. I just love old houses, and yours is fantastic! No wonder you fell in love with it.
Leah - Hmmm…I dont know what you should do with that room. Do you have a guest room? I’ll see what I can do regarding the decorating show thing…as if I have any connections. Ha! I think your in the same boat as me tho…we dont live in CA where most of the decorating shows are. Maybe Candice could come down from Canada? One last thing…ok…is Lauren not at all freaked out by the stairwell leading out of her room and into the scary third floor? I would pee my pants at night!
Mindy Harris - Lots of plants/art on the ceiling/twinkle lights.
Or a photographer’s haven/heaven.
Lovely, just lovely…
And the only person I know who would love to get her paws on the space is my sister, who has a niche for decorating (she would have a coronary if she saw your house), but, alas, she’s not affiliated with a magazine or show.
TLC, where are ya?
lisa (momy4him) - i have noticed that you are into photography- how about a studio? looking at those big windows you must get great light!
Jenny - Master suite?
Super cool craft area plus play room?
Amanda - Hmmmm? I’m thinking AMAZING Master Suite (but off Lauren’s room?? not sure that would work….play room/hang out room like the Pottery Barn magazines, with fun decor or big huge canvas poster-sized pictures…..OR your studio for a photography business!! I like my last idea the best!!
Emily@remodelingthislife - I love it! In our old house, a beautiful old victorian, the 3rd floor had been renovated into a master bedroom and bathroom and I LOVED it! *sigh*
But today if I still lived there, I am certain I’d have moved my bedroom to one on the 2nd floor and used that 3rd floor space as one big girly getaway for crafting.
Have fun with it, it really is beautiful!
meaghan easterhaus - someone said master suite…all the way! i’m so selfish! what a GORGEOUS space though!!! family room came to mind first, but you’d proabably hear a lot of noise downstairs, hmmm….another problem if it’s a master… ;-0
Jess - Oh, lucky lucky you! I ‘ve been wondering what was up there!
If it were my house, I too would love to have just a chill out room. Bookshelves full of books and games. BIG comfy chairs. Quite. Peace & Quite. That’s my dream anyway.
Amanda - Thanks for the tour! I love love love old houses and have always been curious what your third floor looks like. It’s much bigger than I imagined! So much potential.
elizabeth holder - it would be my scrap/ craft room – all to myself-
with a nice comfy couch, you can add a bathroom up there,
just think of what you could do with those windows? i am so jealous {in a good way}
we are actually thinking of buying an old house with an attic similar to yours just because I love old attics like that –
I can’t believe you aren’t up there painting, and fixing it up for your secret get away
I love it!!!!
emily :] - i love the attic :]
okay, buuuut i have a random question. not so random, but question.
my friend natalia fell in love with your photography skills & would love to have you do her pictures. she never actually got senior pictures taken when she was a senior. but i can e-mail details & of course she said she will pay you if you are willing.
have fun decided what to do with that fab space :]
Meredith - Oh, the luxury of space! I’d just turn it into a chill-out space with lots of bean bags and squashy chairs, books, boardgames etc. Whether it be for you or the kids, it’s such a luxury to have an ‘escape hatch’ in a large family. How much fun you will have deciding what to do!
Kate - OH! I so wish I knew someone! Okay, what about a picnic room. Each momth, a different kiddo gets rule of the room? They get to post their art, play their music and on Friday nights you and the hubby spend 1 hour with JUST them after the other kids have gone to bed – or maybe Sat mornings – whatever works…. Ha! Whatever 🙂 didn’t even plan thta pun. LOL.
melissa @ the inspired room - Holy cow. I adore that room! My third floor in my old house became my master suite, but I never got around to doing much with it since we moved. But now that you have your dreamy bathroom on the second floor, you maybe don’t need that. I would think either a teen hangout room (you are going to need that with all those kids) OR a room for YOU to escape to.
Love love love that you showed us around in great detail. I always think of doing that but I am too lazy. 🙂 And, my new house is not as cool as yours so no need. Eh hem.
🙂
Sara - OMW, I have always dreamed of a third floor, seriously. I live near Oak Park in IL and just love walking the neighborhoods looking at all the third floors and wondering what’s up there.
I think a 3rd floor master suite would be amazing. I also think a library or den would be cool…just a place to read or do your devotions with a good cup of coffee. Since I have 4 and 1 year-old boys, I also dream of big open spaces for playing (like the huge play rooms in the PBK magazines :-)).
Keep us posted – can’t wait to see what you do with it!
Mod Girl - Studio, studio, studio! That space is begging for creativity. {LOVE the floors!}
Kristen - Your house is unbelievably awesome. Loved the tour! 🙂
Cassie - OMG- You hit the Jack Pot with this house. I am an interior designer/architect and I could do a million things with this space it is insane! You are truly lucky you have an amazing old home with some awesome history I am sure. You have done a great job re-doing each room!
Patricia - it would so be my craft escape room.
and no one would be allowed up there except me.
but i would let someone come up if they were bringing me a nonfat, chai latte, extra hot.
i absolutely LOVE your home!!
blessings,
p.
Chasity - twirl.