I want to make the doorway arch in my apartment larger to get more light in the kitchen/hallway.
On the living room side of the arch, there are power outlets and a light switch (see pictures), so on that side of the arch, unfortunately, there's not much to take for widening (don't want a big project). On the other side, there's a fridge/freezer and wardrobes, so there's really nothing to take from there either..
Therefore, I'm thinking it's the arch itself that I should focus on removing so that the width is consistent throughout, and that it goes all the way up to the ceiling.
1. How do I go about doing this? (light wood wall)
2. Will it look good to go all the way up to the ceiling, or should I save a decimeter or two at the top? 3. Other suggestions for solutions?
The vault is probably not original, so you will likely get a larger opening both in width and height by removing the vault. In such a small apartment, I would not extend it to the ceiling as cooking odors will likely spread more quickly throughout the entire apartment.
Invest in better lighting in the kitchen instead of the ceiling lamp that is there today. A row of spotlights would work wonders for the beautiful but slightly dark kitchen.
When I look at your kitchen, I wonder about the possibility of a more open floor plan. What if you remove the wall by your nook in the living room? Naturally, the entire wall with the archway (so that the closets can remain). Then you will have the dining area much more practically placed in direct connection to the kitchen.
Regarding cooking smells, make sure you have a good fan.
I really understand, not such a big fan of rounded arches. Why not move the electricity? Then you can open up the entire wall and up to the ceiling.
Only because it means I would need to hire an electrician in that case which I guess will cost me at least a few thousand. Money I haven't budgeted for at the moment
When I look at your kitchen, I wonder about the possibility of a more open floor plan. What if you remove the wall in your living room nook? Naturally, the entire wall with the archway (-so the closets can remain). Then you'll have the dining area much more conveniently located directly connected to the kitchen.
Regarding kitchen fumes, make sure you have a good fan.
Is it really a wood wall and not plaster?
Please elaborate on what you mean by removing the wall. How do you envision the placement of the bed, for example?
You're probably right about plaster, I'm clueless Do you know how I go about tearing it down?
Is it a studio apartment with a sleeping area right by the kitchen? I assumed there was a bedroom in the apartment.
I have torn down drywall by cutting with a proper utility knife and then knocking out the board with a crowbar and sledgehammer. Quite easy but dusty. Use a face mask. Underneath are wooden studs or, if it's newer, possibly metal. They are nailed (or screwed) to each other as well as to the floor and ceiling. Pull out nails with a hammer, crowbar, or pliers. If it's screwed, use a screwdriver. Make sure there are no electrical or plumbing lines in the wall.
Is it a studio with a sleeping area right by the kitchen? I assumed there was a bedroom in the apartment.
I have demolished drywall by cutting with a proper utility knife and then knocking out the board with a crowbar and sledgehammer. Quite easy but dusty. Use a face mask. There are wooden studs underneath or if it's newer, possibly metal. They are nailed (or screwed) into each other and the floor and ceiling. Pull out nails with a hammer, crowbar, or pliers. If it's screwed, use a screwdriver. Make sure there are no electrical or plumbing lines in the wall.
My mistake, I thought you knew what the apartment looked like, but how could you know that Please see the attached images.
Thanks for the explanation! In this case, it's probably just going to be removing up to the ceiling. Do you think it could damage the ceiling or be a bad idea, or is the wall a "loose part" that I can just remove while the ceiling remains intact?
How old is the house and how tall is it?
That says a bit about how the walls might be constructed.
You have to expect that the ceiling will be somewhat damaged when you remove the wall, at least there will be no plaster if it's a concrete slab or gypsum board if that's in the ceiling where the wall is now, so some ceiling repair will probably be necessary.
If you remove parts of the wall, not just what's been added for the arch, you might need permission from the association since the wall beneath the surface is theirs.
Personally, I think it would look best to leave as much wall above the opening as there is above the front door or the bathroom door, because since it's a rather narrow opening, it might have odd proportions if it goes all the way up to the ceiling.
How old is the house and how high?
That says a bit about how the walls might be constructed.
You have to expect that the ceiling will be somewhat damaged when you demolish the wall, at least there will be no plaster if it's a concrete slab or gypsum board if that's what's in the ceiling where the wall is now, so some ceiling repair will probably be needed.
If you remove parts of the wall, not just what has been added now for the archway, you might need permission from the association since the wall beneath the surface layer belongs to them.
Personally, I think it would look best to leave as much wall above the opening as there is above the front door or bathroom door because since it is a rather narrow opening, it can look odd in proportion if it goes all the way up to the ceiling.
1970, 6 floors, ceiling height 250
Thanks! As you say, there should be some damage to the ceiling. I tried googling a bit to see images of how it might turn out, but unfortunately didn't get any good results. I've done painting work before and thrown in some sand, so if that's all it is, it's under control
Thanks for the tip about the association, I absolutely need to check this. As I understand it, they don't have the right to say no, but it's better to be open about what you're doing
I think you're completely right, it will look strange with a narrow tall opening. If I go all the way to the ceiling, it would probably require widening it and sorting out the electrical issues.
If you choose to remove parts of the wall, it might be good to know where the studs are beforehand. Then you can cut the drywall along a stud and thus avoid damaging the parts you want to keep. You might need to move studs if you only want to increase the size of the opening.
I think that there is concrete in the walls and not wooden studs with plaster, though there might be a simpler construction above the doors. Here in our apartment from '63, there is originally a simple wooden frame with a wood panel above the doors as a filler between the concrete elements that form the walls on the sides. Someone in the board should be able to provide more exact information.
It's true that they cannot say no, provided that it is not a load-bearing wall, but they can cause problems in the future if you don't ask for permission but should have. Check the bylaws and if there are any regulations for the association.
As I said, I don't think the vault has been there from the start. Knock on a corresponding apartment on another floor and check how it looks. If it's not original, it will probably be much easier to remove.
As mentioned, I don't think the arch was there from the start. Knock on a corresponding apartment on another floor and check how it looks. If it's not original, it will certainly be much easier to remove.
Unfortunately, everyone has the same, so I assume it's from the construction year.
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Mia Orange said:
BirgitS said: