Ron Howard's Simple Musings

Transforming a stair landing into my office/studio

I love old houses! My home was built in 1900 and has gone through several renovations over the years. It’s fascinating to think about all the people who have lived here before us and imagine how they used the space. 

For example, what is now our dining room used to be the kitchen. I can almost picture the original owner cooking meals for their family on a cast iron wood burning stove. Our kitchen, on the other hand, used to be the back porch, which had its own well. You can still see the old stone lining of the well underneath the floor in our kitchen.

The second floor of my house used to be an apartment with its own entrance. The stairs were removed in the 1960s and the porch was enclosed to create a sunroom. We still have the two original bedrooms and bath, a hallway that also once served as a kitchen for the apartment, and the landing. There are also four separate attic spaces, each at one corner of the house. 

Speaking of my office, I recently converted the small landing at the top of the stairs into my office/studio. It’s a cozy 8x9 feet, and I’ve decorated it with a few tongue-in-cheek touches that give it a Ron Howard vibe.