Looking for an opinion on what to do with a wall opening...

skipjack · 09-29-2008, 04:59 PM

My house had this rather 70's-looking balustered opening between the kitchen and the hallway. My original intention was to pull the thing out and just drywall over the opening.

However, I'm getting mixed reviews on what to do with the space and now I'm not so sure.

My mother said to leave the balusters.
My brother said to fill it with glass block.
My girlfriend says to wall it up.

Here's a pic of what I'm talking about:

DangerMouse · 09-29-2008, 05:58 PM

mother, brother or girlfriend..... only one real choice, isn't there? *grin*

DM

Maintenance 6 · 09-30-2008, 07:49 AM

Close it. You can use the wall space to hang a picture of your girlfriend and score points to trade in for valuable prizes later on.

Nia · 10-03-2008, 12:45 AM

Wall it!

Nia

EdinDesign · 10-03-2008, 02:26 PM

Wall it up...

OR... open the whole thing up (an option you haven't listed) to the corner. Of course I think you'd have to replace the header for the doorway... but it could be done relatively easily.

Opening up this doorway would lend itself to a more "open concept" feel in your home that's so desirable these days. If you do this, I would recommend removing the trim (it's too small anyway [in my opinion]) and drywalling the whole opening.

kjwoodworking · 10-03-2008, 06:10 PM

I would wall it up, if knocking it out and making the opening bigger is not an option for you.

I think opening it up would look better and make the space from the kitchen and the view from the room on other side of the wall, I'm guessing is a den or living room, look bigger and more open.

skipjack · 10-08-2008, 10:03 AM

I just put on the first coat of joint compound last night.. so it's been walled up.

thanks everyone.

Inspecting the drywall around it.. it looks as if it used to be a door at some point. The best I can guess is sometime in the 80's someone turned the door into a balustered window and made the larger opening into the livingroom. (and added some hideous fake rock paneling to the adjacent wall)

I had thought about opening it up all the way to the wall like you said, Edie.. but it's load bearing and would involve more than I'm willing to do at the moment. Maybe someday.

Allison1888 · 10-20-2008, 08:54 PM

Good choice. Post some pics so we can see it!

09-29-2008, 04:59 PM	#1
skipjack Enormous Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 122	Looking for an opinion on what to do with a wall opening... My house had this rather 70's-looking balustered opening between the kitchen and the hallway. My original intention was to pull the thing out and just drywall over the opening. However, I'm getting mixed reviews on what to do with the space and now I'm not so sure. My mother said to leave the balusters. My brother said to fill it with glass block. My girlfriend says to wall it up. Here's a pic of what I'm talking about: Last edited by skipjack; 09-29-2008 at 05:02 PM.

09-29-2008, 05:58 PM	#2
DangerMouse the Musigician Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: I'm right here! Posts: 10,404	Looking for an opinion on what to do with a wall opening... mother, brother or girlfriend..... only one real choice, isn't there? grin DM

09-30-2008, 07:49 AM	#3
Maintenance 6 gravity always wins Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Central Pennsylvania Posts: 2,417	Looking for an opinion on what to do with a wall opening... Close it. You can use the wall space to hang a picture of your girlfriend and score points to trade in for valuable prizes later on. Last edited by Maintenance 6; 09-30-2008 at 07:52 AM.

10-03-2008, 12:45 AM	#4
Nia Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 47	Looking for an opinion on what to do with a wall opening... Wall it! Nia

10-03-2008, 02:26 PM	#5
EdinDesign Edie Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver, BC Canada Posts: 38	Looking for an opinion on what to do with a wall opening... Wall it up... OR... open the whole thing up (an option you haven't listed) to the corner. Of course I think you'd have to replace the header for the doorway... but it could be done relatively easily. Opening up this doorway would lend itself to a more "open concept" feel in your home that's so desirable these days. If you do this, I would recommend removing the trim (it's too small anyway [in my opinion]) and drywalling the whole opening.

Looking for an opinion on what to do with a wall opening...