Ideas to disguise load bearing post

[ArizonaKevin]

Thanks for the input on appliances in the other thread. An additional part of this remodel that we are working on is opening up the section between the kitchen and our family room. From when the house was originally built, the kitchen is 2 steps higher than the family room, with a wooden railing crossing ~75% of the span and then a "staircase width" 2 steps down into the family room.

picture of original layout from same floorplan house that just sold

The people that we bought our house from turned that area into a quasi kitchen island/kitchen table. With the kitchen side being at table depth and the opposite side being at barstool depth. It's an interesting use of the space, but very bulky and it feels like it closes off the kitchen from the rest of the house.

Someone else in our neighborhood is selling the same floorplan and opened it up completely, and my wife and both love how open it makes the space feel. The only problem we have with it is that the load bearing post that supports the master bath directly above just looks awkward there. Anyone have creative ideas on how to disguise it?

 

[Deckin Around]

I do this all the time and we just wrap the posts to match the cabinets if there are other cabinets within view. Sometimes if the post is in the corner of an island we will add a second matching post on the other side to make it look symmetrical.
EDIT: Now that I saw the pics, I wouldnt do cabinet skin unless the post went to the ceiling, the transition from cabinet wood to drywall going up the wall would look shitty.
If you could ask the other neighbors if they had to move any slab plumbing in the process. That’s where you will spend the $ to open it up

 

[ArizonaKevin]

I do this all the time and we just wrap the posts to match the cabinets if there are other cabinets within view. Sometimes if the post is in the corner of an island we will add a second matching post on the other side to make it look symmetrical.
If you could ask the other neighbors if they had to move any slab plumbing in the process. That’s where you will spend the $ to open it up

Would you do a faux post on the other side up against the wall that matches the cabinet wrap on the load bearing one to make it look symmetrical?

Yeah we talked with the people that opened it up, they also moved the kitchen sink from a perimeter wall to be in the island and said that it was a giant pita chipping out concrete and ultimately something they regretted in the end.

 

[King295]

Easy, whip out the check book and have an engineered beam put in. Post will be disguised permanently, happy wife happy life.

 

[NicPaus]

That's not a easy Beam situation as the vaulted ceiling is next to it.

 

[Waterjunky]

Easy, whip out the check book and have an engineered beam put in. Post will be disguised permanently, happy wife happy life.

Unfortunately I will be doing this as part of my remodel....
We are getting rid of two parts of a formerly exterior wall. yup load bearing. Fortunately the roof will be completely off and that area will be open for retrussing already. Should be easier to crane into place. Will probably be a 30' beam.

 

[coolchange]

If you can’t hide it, paint it red…..

 

[lbhsbz]

totem pole

 

[Mandelon]

Stripper pole?

Faux finish painting so it looks like a pot with a tree in it?

 

[ArizonaKevin]

Stripper pole?

Faux finish painting so it looks like a pot with a tree in it?

like this?

 

[Waterjunky]

Stripper pole?

This! Two inch solid brass pole. it will be plenty strong to replace the post and serve a double purpose. Who knows, on a good night you might get the wife up there on it......

From the living room it would be like a stage!

 

[napanutt]

Paint each side of it like you're looking towards the other side.

 

[DLC]

I would look into reversing the 2 openings

Add a cabinet like a Banquet w/ storage at the lower level dining area to block off the existing open access - keeping the post in place. This type of approach keeps the post in place. There will be a conflict w/ stair rail & the old open area - reuse the existing hand rail and rework it to flow into the post


Then
Open up the bigger section for your access - reuse / rework the hand rail to infill to the post

 

[ArizonaKevin]

I would look into reversing the 2 openings

Add a cabinet like a Banquet w/ storage at the lower level dining area to block off the existing open access - keeping the post in place. This type of approach keeps the post in place. There will be a conflict w/ stair rail & the old open area - reuse the existing hand rail and rework it to flow into the post


Then
Open up the bigger section for your access - reuse / rework the hand rail to infill to the post

View attachment 1488754 View attachment 1488755 View attachment 1488756

That sounds pretty close to the idea that I was tossing around, starting at the wall about halfway up the stairs, have each stair get progressively wider (almost like a grand staircase) to meet that post and have that post just be the end of the banister.

 

[DLC]

That would work also !

It would fix the rework area

 

[bonesfab]

Just go up to the roof with a couple of Harbor freight tie downs and remove the post. shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Deckin Around]

Unless that's a Simpson strongwall or similar structural wall brace, there should be a way to reduce that to a 4x8 or 6x6 post with an end column cap so it's not so intrusive visually. That's why I asked about the slab plumbing, I figured it could be a post with a 3" drain pipe next to it. It's bigger than it needs to be unless they were just trying to spread the point load over the slab to avoid a specific footing under that spot. In today's engineering world for a remodel, that would probably be a 30x30x30 footing minimum under the post

 

[Paradox]

That's not a easy Beam situation as the vaulted ceiling is next to it.

If I’m seeing this right, a steel beam across the full width with 2 welded in (and stiffened) perpendicular cantilevered pieces to pick up both sides of what would then essentially look like a soffit. Not easy or cheap as you note if it fits at all.

 

[DaytonaBabe]

 

[EmpirE231]

what post?

 

[NicPaus]

Looks like it would encroach on the headroom for going up the stairs.
It can always be done but depends on the budget.

 

[bonesfab]

A solid piece of acrylic or led in side it. See how many people would walk into it. That’s the joke on Fridays, we yell “screen“ when you close the screen as just about everyone has done it at least once.

 

[Orange Juice]

Those step downs are brutal. I’d start with knocking out the kitchen floor, and remove the entire kitchen. Get that floor level with the house. It will give you the opportunity to remove the middle support, and upgrade the beam to met code.

 

[Waterjunky]

I can't believe how few are supporting the stripper pole in place....

You all are getting too old and serious!

 

[ArizonaKevin]

Those step downs are brutal. I’d start with knocking out the kitchen floor, and remove the entire kitchen. Get that floor level with the house. It will give you the opportunity to remove the middle support, and upgrade the beam to met code.

Unfortunately, the house is technically a tri-level. The only way to level out the floors would be to raise the lower section by 2 feet, creating 6' of headroom.

 

[JL95]

 

[2Driver]

Id just leave it as is, its not that big a deal.

I might change the color of the step and riser so it stands out. When people are walking from the kitchen to the main room they are visually going to be looking at the main room and may walk right off the kitchen level.

 

[Bobby_329]

This is your answer but will take a lot of work and shoring before you tear the old post out. Clad the beam in whatever material makes sense where it will be exposed or continue the wall on top of it.

 

[coolchange]

View attachment 1488920

Epic

 

[rivermobster]

View attachment 1488924 This is your answer but will take a lot of work and shoring before you tear the old post out. Clad the beam in whatever material makes sense where it will be exposed or continue the wall on top of it.

 

[ArizonaKevin]

View attachment 1488924 This is your answer but will take a lot of work and shoring before you tear the old post out. Clad the beam in whatever material makes sense where it will be exposed or continue the wall on top of it.

Hard to tell from the picture, but where that beam would ultimately sit lines up about 2 steps up the staircase and would create a headroom problem

 

[1tonfun]

Ad temporary support, remove post, install stripper pole, remove temporary support, done!

 

[WYRD]

put a beer tap on it and run some lines back to a Kegerator in the garage

 

[AEA]

Thanks for the input on appliances in the other thread. An additional part of this remodel that we are working on is opening up the section between the kitchen and our family room. From when the house was originally built, the kitchen is 2 steps higher than the family room, with a wooden railing crossing ~75% of the span and then a "staircase width" 2 steps down into the family room.

picture of original layout from same floorplan house that just sold

View attachment 1488747

The people that we bought our house from turned that area into a quasi kitchen island/kitchen table. With the kitchen side being at table depth and the opposite side being at barstool depth. It's an interesting use of the space, but very bulky and it feels like it closes off the kitchen from the rest of the house.

View attachment 1488748

Someone else in our neighborhood is selling the same floorplan and opened it up completely, and my wife and both love how open it makes the space feel. The only problem we have with it is that the load bearing post that supports the master bath directly above just looks awkward there. Anyone have creative ideas on how to disguise it?

View attachment 1488749

I would leave it like this for 6 months or so and then decide if it needs to be changed.

 

[HTTP404]

I say embrace the load bearing post and make it look like an old rusty riveted iron beam. Go all Steampunk with it.

 

[ArizonaKevin]

I would leave it like this for 6 months or so and then decide if it needs to be changed.

We've been in the house for 11 months. It has it's pros and cons but would rather have the openness