Modifications to the Foyer

The next room on the agenda to show the before and after modifications is the foyer.  This is the only floor on the downstairs which was not removed.

Before:  Yes the staircase is leaning to the left.  One of the main floor joist which ran down each side of the foyer was broken.  It was due to the weight of all the brick work which had been added to the fireplace in the dining room.

Before:  The coat closet under the stairs. 

After:  Multiple layers of paint removed and the wood sanded.  Not a good angle to tell but during the leveling of the house, the stairs were raised about three (3) inches on the left side of the closet.  This was done by jacking up the house.  We installed twenty-seven (27) piers under the house with all new treated floor joist.

Before:  Handrail was brown peeling paint and the carpet on stair treads was nasty.

After:  All the carpet removed and the handrails and stair treads painted black.  The risers and spindles were painted white.

Before:  Narrow low opening into the keeping room.

After: This looking from the opposite side, but shows how the wall on the staircase was opened and the narrow passage now is higher, wider and has an arch.  We also had to add the handrailing in the new opening and madeit  to match the original.  This photo was taken on June 20, 2010 while we were still doing construction.

Before: Nasty carpet on the floor with narrow opening (on right ) into the family room.

After: Marble floor and all new sheet rock.

Before:  View of front door with the narrow low opening (on left) into the family room.

After: Black marble flooring replaced the nasty carpet.

After:  View of foyer and staircase.