Split entry homes have, as the name suggests, an entry that is between floors. Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Tudor, Cape Cod . However, there are major differences between these two home styles. Living Rm & Foyer Before Building Up Front Door Raised Lower Level Transformed The lower level of this 1970's split foyer consisted of a bedroom, dated laundry/kitchen area, storage, and family room. In todays world many people find the formal areas of a colonial to be a waste of space. 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. link to What Kind Of Paint For Garage Walls. There is a large chimney in the center of the house used to keep the home warm during the harsh northeastern winters. If you were to view the home from the side or the back, youd be able to see the individual levels of the house. Noticing a theme yet? 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. 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. Most people use the terms bi-level and split-level interchangeably. Split-level homes, also known as bi-level or divided-entry homes, are a very American home style. 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". Many people have different ideas of what a cottage truly is, but the universal agreement is that a cottage is a small, cozy and old-fashioned house. Facing a set of steps every time you enter your house can get old, especially when you are doing stuff like bringing groceries in the house. [Living Room] Your Do You Need an Addition or Remodel Contractor? With a split-level house, you could have at least three bedrooms and still have plenty of space for backyard recreation. Ryan Shaw is the founder of Real Estate Witch, which he created to help consumers avoid unnecessary expenses when they buy or sell a house. A split level home is often a great investment, and there are lots of pros to buying one. Modern home designs tend to focus on lighting details. In some parts of the country flat roofs can be a problem and need continual maintenance. Kids can play upstairs in their rooms while causing minimal disturbance to parents and guests below. Whereas, the upper level will have a dining room, living room, and kitchen on one side and more bathrooms and bedrooms on the other. Add A Level to Convert Ranch to Colonial Convert a Cape or Ranch to Colonial As a general contractor I had the chance to renovate many homes in the lovely state of Connecticut, but nothing beats the wow factor you receive whenever you convert a single story cape or ranch into a beautiful colonial. Additionally, if you plan on constructing a home on an uneven or hilly property, a split-level home is often the ideal choice. In this idea, you must pay more attention to the front door of the house. If you wish to report an issue or seek an accommodation, please let us know. Brick steps lined with lush landscaping beckon guests toward the entrance. Houzz Pro: One simple solution for contractors and design pros, Split-Level Main Floor Remodel in West Seattle. This home didnt originally have a master suite, so we decided to convert one of the bedrooms and create a charming suite that youd never want to leave. The shutters on the windows were originally used to protect the windows from the wind during a storm and the ceilings are kept low to maximize heat conservation. That allows for expansive decks to be put on or to simply enjoy the extra yard space for kids and pets. This results in a stark contrast, especially when the differences are very obvious. A split-level home has a few great places to start. [Dining Room] You can see the appeal here. The original kitchen had been on the small side and cut-off from the rest of the home, but after we removed the coat closet, this kitchen opened up beautifully. With that said, here are some ways that you can modernize your split-level home and make it more suited to your style preferences: While ultra-modern can mean different things to different people, it generally means getting more natural light into the home. One set of stairs leads to the upper level, while the other leads to the bottom level. With some fresh mulch and flowers, it can provide that freshness that can elevate any home. 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. Most types of split-level houses will feature several staircases that lead to the different levels of the house. Below you can get a better understanding of the different types of split-level homes to help you determine which design is perfect for you. Ryan Shaw is the founder of Real Estate Witch, which he created to help consumers avoid unnecessary expenses when they buy or sell a house. Placement of the family room, kitchen, dining room, bedrooms, and bathrooms can all vary in this style. Again, the main advantage to this type of split-level home is the lack of staircases connecting each level of the house. Whole House Remodeling This home was transformed from a split-foyer into a french colonial. Even if the contractor promised to deliver the work at a certain time, you still need to make allowances for possible unforeseen delays that may happen. With proper drainage, you can keep the yard dry and clean, making it more appealing for potential suitors. You can also use sliding glass doors instead of a wooden door. Unlike traditional home layouts, split-level homes, also referred to as tri-level, feature at least three levels that are connected by stairs. 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. Commonly, however, the term is also used to denote split-level homes. 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. There is nothing worse than overestimating the amount of stuff a smaller house can accommodate, and now you have no space for the stuff you just spent a small fortune to move! Walk in the front door at ground level, and you climb a flight of stairs to reach the living room, dining, room and kitchen level . On the outside, you have paint chipping off, loose steps, landscaping that is in bad shape, the list goes on. With a sultry black hex on the floor and a dimensional geometric tile on the walls we set the stage for a calm space. Homes with two stories, or two-story homes, are built with one floor right above the other. 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. Required fields are marked *. These give an illusion that the areas in the open space still have divisions that separate them. Although you have limited remodeling options, you can still turn your home into something worthy of a spot in an architecture magazine. You should know the various types of split-level homes before you can consider buying or building one of your own. The entry has sets of stairs leading up the main floor and another set that leads to the lower level of the home. This browser is no longer supported. Renovated Split Level Home in Salt Lake City. There are many sub types of the Colonial style, with each world power at the time putting it's own unique stamp on this traditional style. If you want to go full-on modern, consider hiding the roof completely. You can also place raised garden beds if you want to disguise the slope of the land. There is plenty of new storage in this space (that ties in with the kitchen finishes), but the real gem is the reading nook with two of the most comfortable armchairs youve ever sat in. If done properly, this can tie in wonderfully with the natural stone sections of wall mentioned above. That's not usually a good thing. Browse through the largest collection of home design ideas for every room in your home. Refer to diagram below. In some places, homeowners with exterior steps will install a mailbox at street level. The homeowners are enthusiasts of residential modern architecture and wanted to update their 1960s split-foyer home with a modern design. Moreover, the proper windows can play an integral role in the energy-efficiency of your home. The Straight Ranch, also known as the Rambler is generally the cheapest house to build,also in the ranch family are the L shaped ranch and a U shaped ranch. Notice the symmetry and 2 level design. Bathroom closets are often catch-alls for anything and everything remotely related to self-care. Colonial Homes A typical colonial style home. This not only makes it appear to be larger, but makes it more inviting as well. If your split-level features garage doors that face the street, they may represent your easiest and best option for modernization. New columns replicate the original style, so the addition looks like it's always been there. You can also make use of that list as an inspiration for your project. Lets take a look at a few of the primary changes you might make to create a modern masterpiece from the average split-level home. Split-level homes are certainly making a comeback, but its important to choose the type of split-level that works best for you and your lifestyle. Our primary goal was to re-imagine the main level of the home and create an open flow between the space. Stucco is the most common material used to achieve this look, and thankfully, its not very difficult to stucco over many existing exterior siding products, such as T1-11. 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. With some proper planning and a little bit of flexibility, it is possible to transform that 1950s look into something that has a much more modern, updated feel to it. Residential inquiries: 404.446.3881 Commercial: 404.446.3882 Contact Us, Split level homes are efficient machines of 60s and 70 living, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). Of all split level homes, the raised ranch has the toughest exterior to deal with. The entire house was remodeled, plus we designed a screened porch and patio / fire pit for the rear yard. Written by Even designers will readily admit that remodeling this type of home is challenging for them. Because of all these inconveniences, consider scheduling the work at a period when its effects on your household will be most minimal. Moreover, it presents serious challenges when it comes to renovating the entire space. 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. The roof lines create an interesting look and this style never seems to be out-dated. Its nothing that cant be remedied with a little green thumb! Why do you want to do a renovation of your split-level home? Technically, the term "bi-level home" refers to a house built on two levels, both of which are ground floors. We store towels, medicine, toiletry supplies, first-aid gear, massage devices, facial steamers, spare Painting your garage is a great way to improve the look of the space and make the walls easier to clean. You can make changes to your existing landscaping, or create one if you currently dont have any. This may involve a major structural overhaul, but its worth considering. To make sure that your split-level home is remodeled successfully, you need to keep these in mind: Again, drawing up plans to renovate or update the appearance of this type of home is a challenge even for professionals. This is in place of having to excavate bedrock to build a basement on a single-level home. This arrangement is built around 14" x 14" faces to increase the width of the pullouts and provides over twice the usable storage of lazy susans. The familys living quarters are located on the main floor, on the other side of the house. 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. Magazine pictures of modern homes tend to make them look almost sterile; recessed lighting offers more light without it becoming impractical. The short answer is that, yes, you can convert a split-level to open up the home and make it feel more modern. The split level house design has evolved in the world of production builders following the ranch home. You can use plants, tall furniture, and decorative partitions. Over the years and more recently, we, as architects, have been more involved due to the riddle of the split level being so hard to solve. For the first idea, let's take a look at the picture of this traditional split-level house located in Minneapolis. The bedrooms are usually situated right above the foyer. The Colonial style is steeped with tradition and has a lot of character on the outside. 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. A split foyer conversion is no simple renovation, but Owings Brothers Contracting is up to the task! Updating the look and feel of your home, including the appliances like those in the kitchen above, will dramatically change the interiors. Photography by Tre Dunham, Fine focus Photography. To add some space inside without spending too much, you can get rid of some existing walls or partitions to create an open-plan layout. Ryan Womeldorf has more than a decade of experience writing. Personnaliser mon exprience l'aide de cookies, Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Outdoor Lighting & Audio/Visual Specialists, Gregory Thomas, Architect, AKBD, CG&S Design-Build, Politique d'Utilisation des Cookies de Houzz. Modern Capes from 1920s and after kept many of the exterior features of the original Cape with a modified interior for a more comfortable living experience. He's an authority on the Florida real estate market, as well as selling a house by owner. Bi-Level or Split-Level Remodeling Tips For Homes Built in the 1970s. It is not Zillow's intention to solicit or interfere with any established agency relationship you may have with a real estate professional. They first became popular in the 1940s and 50s as soldiers returned home and demand for suburban houses was high. Ryan also loves hockey and a lifelong Buffalo sports fan. Also, your current foundations wont have to support the additional weight, because these additions will have their own foundations. There are various shapes for the ranch style, but the main theme is that the entire house is on one levelwhich has its perks. Our primary goal was to re-imagine the main level of the home and create an open flow between the space. They were an off-shoot of the post-war modern movement. The cape cod style originates in 17th century New England and was built with total practicality in mind. It also helps to ensure that the drainage is properly taken care of. You'll usually find the bedrooms stacked above the foyer with stairs coming off the kitchen or dining room. Breathe new life into a dated split-level with these tips you have more options than you might think! What Companies Offer the Lowest Real Estate Fees? A split-level house is essentially a variation of the conventional ranch-style house, but split-levels make much better use of the space. We loved the original built-ins in this space, and knew they needed to always be a part of this house, but these 60-year-old beauties definitely needed a little help. Some split-level homes have ample space at the back and on one side. Thoughtful updates, such as a cedar shake roof, an expansive dormer, and a glass-panel front door, transformed the home's previously lackluster exterior. Perhaps the most popular home style in America today is the ranch. As a result, their homes look even more unbalanced and the new additions are blatantly obvious not a look you should strive for. 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. The first staircase that leads downwards goes to either the basement or some other type of informal living space. It is the literal antithesis of the modern floorplan. Consider installing solar lights on your property, particularly along the path leading to the main entrance of your home. 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. Moving your furniture around to change the look of your home is usually the first step many homeowners make. However, from the outside, they appear like there is only one level. The reason is to prevent on-foot postal carriers from having to climb stairs to deliver the mail. The craftsman style home was born out of a reaction to the industrial revolution. The most significant change done to this space is removing the small room in the middle of the floor that housed the kitchen. 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. Painted a crisp shade of white with black trim details, the home now boasts modern farmhouse style. Unlike conventional floor plans, when you walk into the front door of a split foyer home, youll be greeted by the two sets of stairs. For some, this section seems like wasted space when you can use it as a den or mudroom. But if extending your home is not a viable option for you, the next best thing is to gut existing rooms or sections to make certain areas bigger. Split-level homes tend to be small, in terms of square footage . Nowadays, its very common to see split-level construction when it comes to building a home on the side of a hill. Your house payment will be lower, property taxes will be less, fewer headaches, less clutter. 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. A split-level home, which is also known as a tri-level home, traditionally consists of the following: While the standard split-level home only consists of three levels, others sometimes add another floor to it. The original 1950s split level was expanded and completely reworked. The more steps you have, the more difficult snow removal is going to be in the winter months. Surprisingly, this style of home was developed not due to aesthetic reasons but out of necessity. That is, the middle and largest level is for the dining and living areas, the upper floor is for bedrooms, and the lowest floor is for the garage or cellar. You can also turn it into your home office and place all your filing cabinets, bookcase, and other similar items there. Design-wise, it is also much easier for you to work with new home additions that are placed at the back. Glass is known to let in more light, and this allows you to save on electricity. AFTER: Our design includes a new entryway gabled roof along with a combination a shake and lap siding, cultured stone, Pella craftsman style garage/entry doors and Pella 450 Series Casement windows with decorative flower boxes below. In most cases, the bottom level is a garage, a den, a playroom, a recreation room, or other informal living areas. 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.