We briefly debated about opening up the staircase leading to the second floor. This staircase was fully enclosed with a wall and door. The wall was, of course, a load-bearing wall. While we didn’t want to open the staircase fully, we did want to create more of an open feel to the main floor. We also debated about removing a non-load bearing partial wall which separated the living area from the dining area to further open the space.
After much back and forth, we decided that we did want an open feel to the first floor. This was an important decision, as the rest of the work on the first floor could not proceed until we settled on a path for these walls. Because the electrical work we wanted done would involve cutting into the ceiling, and because the wall removal would also require follow-up patching of the drywall, we had our first order of business decided. With the carpeting already out, we set about removing the existing kitchen cabinetry and countertops ourselves. The cabinets and countertops were from the 1980s and in rough shape. Sadly, there was nothing that was salvageable.
The kitchen looks much larger without cabinets! Those lawn chairs, by the way, are our 'furniture'.
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