My new setup: Solution!

Aaron

Man, what the heck is going on? We're getting philosophical about my life here! I wanna hear about room suggestions!

Aaron

TroyD

AHHHHHH, c'mon guys, it's my birthday. Lemme wax philosophically once a year anyway......

BDT

nascarmann

Happy Brithday you big dumb ****...........

madmax

That looks a little more reasonable to me. What if you did this... Where the office and bathroom is, move it further over and just have a bathroom longways and get rid of the office. Make the office open to the audio room and have it at the back. Leave the wall off the second stage of steps so looking over the steps is your back wall. Man that is hard to explain without a drawing!

Aaron

Wow, that was hard to follow! The entire staircase is already enclosed with walls. See the second floor plan I posted (the one with the dimensions on the image). That's how it looks now. The stereo could go on either the 16' or 11' wall. Whichever sounds best, I guess.

Aaron

madmax

Aaron,
I think I got it but I can't seem to attach a .bmp. See if you can follow this one. Go to the third drawing down. where the steps start going down, extend the line all the way to the right wall. Where the wall goes next to the second set of steps, remove it. This gives a nice size room! It would be about 17 long by 14 wide. Where that second lower set of steps go out into the room you would remove the wall from the step height to the ceiling. Too bad I'm graphicly challenged on the PC.
madmax

madmax

If you want to email me the file and a way to modify it I would be happy to. This really would be a cool way to do it. You see, in my basement I have a similar problem and I have put quite a lot of thought into it. Fortunatly, I think there is a great solution for yours. With mine, the steps go right down the center of the basement and there is almost no way aroung the 11' width.
madmax

Aaron

I think got it this time. I don't think that solution will work in my case. See, the staircase goes from the basement all the way up to the second floor (3 floors). That's why the staircase is enclosed when you're in the basement. So, I don't think removing that wall is an option. If I'm still not getting the picture (pun intended), please email me the .bmp file at amsk@lehigh.edu. Thanks again for your help, Max.

Aaron

madmax

Man, what a hassle. I think I figured it out though. Save the below file then open with Word. There are three pages so don't miss the last one.
madmax

nascarmann

Looks good to me madmax001.......

madmax

Thanks nascarman.
It took me 10 min to draw the layout and about two hours to figure out how to post it. I'm glad it worked!

The only problem is that Aaron says there may be some reason why taking out 3 or 4 foot of that wall next to the steps may cause a problem. I guess there could be a steel support post in there or something but I wouldn't think so.

With the drawing program I'm using I can actually walk through the rooms and look all around. It really looks pretty cool other than I would have to build the speaker stands and the office desk in the back of the room. (it takes forever to build 3D furniture) One time I worked for 3 hours to build something that looked like a polk 1.2 and I lost it somehow right before I saved it. Save often!

madmax

Aaron

Wow, that's a really sweet program! Thanks, man! Now I understand what you're saying, and yes, that would work. There is a problem with the toilet position. We already have the plumbing in place for it to the left of the sink (when you're facing it). However, you got me thinking. I really don't need a toilet; I mean, all I have to do is walk upstairs. If I forgo that, it would give me much more flexibility with the bathroom. In fact, I could actually move the bathroom below what's shown in the floor plan (outside of the floor plan). Then that would open up that entire 12' x 8' section of room. Hope you followed all that.

Aaron

Aaron

This is what I'm talking about above.

Aaron

madmax

Aaron,
That program was fairly cheap. Allows you to see things much more clearly. (even when you think you already know what it would look like) If you want a copy just let me know.
Even that last few feet of wall where the steps make a turn can be history. It only needs to go as high as the turning platform (with a railing above it) and would make a nice place to install a huge subwoofer underneath! That would look very classy which would make it benificial to your parents once you move out to use it as an entertainment area or something. (Heh Heh, I just re-read that last sentence, take it however you wish)
madmax