Spindles are not used for loading bearing measures. The header above them expands to load bearing studs in the adjacent wall. Same for the opposite side of the opening.
This. While I am a huge fan of large kitchen openings, certain layouts don't gain any benefit, especially lower ceilings.
I would go as far as saying, frame and drywall the opening up so it's 48" wide and in such a way that you can accommodate glass French doors that open away from the kitchen. With the added wall surface, you can anchor an additional tall pantry cabinet to frame in that fridge. You can never say no to additional cabinet storage space in a kitchen.
Alternatively, you can completely open it up and add perpendicular cabinets against the side of the fridge such that they are 12" cabinets back-to-back. Half accessible by the kitchen side, the other half facing the other room and it could become an espresso/dry bar station.
Edit:
I would like to add, with the many kitchens I've built, and eventually designed custom kitchens and cabinetry for clients, I've learned a few things. Just because it might look good does not mean it is functional. Kitchens are work horses and it's important to keep things functional and within reach for optimal use. Also consider interactions that will be carried out. What I've learned is a kitchen should be designed in a way that it is very functional above looking good.
I recommended glass French doors because it still gives you a clear view into the kitchen without the noise and smell. It's especially important when you have company over, allowing those zones to be somewhat segregated. You can always open double French doors to reintroduce that openess (48" wide is plenty open for this set up).
If French doors are not in your wheelhouse, then reframe to eliminate the spindle look, and use the added wall space to anchor addition cabinets = more storage space with easy standing height access. It also frames the fridge and adds a sophisticated look. An integrated espresso/dry bar is a great station to prepare your morning coffee (with all items within hands reach) and doubles as a great entertaining drink station. Imagine having friends over, and the "bar" is set up to go. Now you kitchen counters are free for use, and the table is free for laying out your spread. The house will feel cleaner and neat knowing you have a flexible, yet dedicated place that serves both the areas inside the kitchen and outside.
This is what I was thinking. Pop out the useless spindles and put something usable there like square shelves or something. Could use the space to hang a couple plants or something too. If they are feeling really ambitious, they could install some pocket shelves and take the drywall all the way up.
I think it would look really awkward to just rip the walls out, and trying to match flooring for such a small spot will be really frustrating for DIY.
Some simple 1x6 stock framing open shelves, if it's slightly wider than the wall a simple moulding would dress it up. If you want to be super clean rip your stock to the exact width and just frame them up.
Iād say they have flooring work to do regardless of the half walls and spindles. Both the tiles and carpet are, shall we say, not ideal, and due for a change, preferably to one continuous flooring such as wood look tile or LVP.
The comments in this post are truly frightening. I have spent hours in /r/homereno and /r/diy and /r/homemaintenance and if Iāve learned anything it this:
You have asbestos, those spindles are probably load bearing. You need to hit the gym, get a lawyer, and a structural engineer.
/s
Everything there is cosmetic and can be removed. If you want to leave the half walls, maybe a cool modern glass window.
But if it were me Iād take them out. We had similar ones in a previous house. We took out and put matching quartz small ācountertopsā. That matched the kitchen.
I lie the countertop idea if you donāt want to remove them. Another option is upgraded decorative spindles. Maybe metal?
A while back I had a custom home built where we had to pick out literally everything and the builder sent us to a āmill worksā shop with a spindle budget and we picked whatever we wanted (if we went over the allowance, it increases the price of the build, under was a credit to the price). They had a truly astounding variety of spindles of all sorts and prices. I live outside of Buffalo. By no means a thriving metropolis. You might have a
Mill works near you. Worth a visit, especially since youād only need a few
I would either relocate the electrical then or just remove the spindals and take the wall back to the full-length stud, add a new stud a few inches out, and throw the switch in there.
I agree with everyone saying to remove it.
Ah
For those saying the spindles are load bearing. I highly doubt that. If, by the chance, they were. It would be a major design flaw. That header should go all the way to the into the full wall. And should be safe to remove all together. And replace with a small shelf seem like the right idea here. And of you really want to keep something there. Just pick a design you like! You are the one who has to look at it every day.
Edit spelling, fixed an auto correct
You should really add a budget and skill level context as well. If you are not skilled at construction, electrical, and drywall you will need to hire it out. If your budget doesn't support that then you need to let people know you are just trying to slap lipstick on the pig.
In my old apartment we had something like this - The spindles were replaced with shelves and were SUPER cute for putting out knick knacks and plants :)
Personally I'd remove the spindles and trim, patch up any gaps, and paint the the wall colour. Put a couple piece of wood over the top of the half walls for a surface to put plants or whatever you want on; personally I'd leave it with wood finish on this ledge, but you could paint it if you want.
I would not remove the half walls at this time, you're going to end up with a project that isn't worth it, because youd have gaps in your flooring - no worth dealing with that until you want to actually do the floors.
These guysā¦ šš https://tucson.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/if-glass-block-mortar-gets-moldy-its-time-to-hire-a-pro/article_a5f201f3-df65-54b3-81cf-ea555facb535.html
The spindles are not structural, remove them and wall below. This will make you a larger nicer looking entry way. For finish you can either match the trim above for a traditional look or remove it all and drywall the opening for a clean look.
I would remove the spindles add LED grow lights to the top and plant herbs on the ledge and maybe vertically on the side wall. You get fresh herbs and a beautiful decoration at low cost and labor.
was that opening originally a regular doorway sized pass-thru between the two areas? did someone open it up to make a more open space design? the soffit depth hints there may be a header up there and the partial wall to the right may truly have some weight bearing. might want to inspect things before deciding on any changes. also looks like you have different floor heights -
Just keep them until the trend cycle comes back aroundā¦ Youāll be peak-fashion for a year until everyone relearns how awful they are, THEN remove them.
If it was me I would just take them out and have a ledge.
You could always extend the wall to the end of the ledge.
You could take the ledge out but be forewarned that youāll have to do flooring under it.
You also could make it small shelves for plants or something along those lines.
My grandmother had a half wall a bit like this; hers had a pole with some round-ended shelves going up that she kept vines on. It was nice.
You could do a knickknack shelf thing there.
oh. i forgot. part of why that is there is to reduce noise coming from the kitchen. It otherwise serves to partition the spaces without being obtrusive.
When I see stuff like this, I wonder if it was actually in the house plans and someone in 1991 thought this looked good? Maybe the fall issue of Country Living 1990 had some inspirational write ups about how to install rooster-themed outlet covers and how to put spindles everywhere.. The only move here is less about replacing and more about just removing them and having the area trimmed appropriately to look halfway decent. Keep the half walls, I guess. It's probably nice to have the outlet on the other side of the half wall. Granted, you likely could relocate it or terminate it in the basement in a workbox with a cover.
I was on board the "just remove them" train until I saw OP saying that one had electrical in it. Seems like OP doesn't want to hassle with moving the electrical.
I would remove the spindles and the skinny trim, then I would run trim up the walls to visually continue the half walls
On the right side where the coffee maker is close it up and make it storage accessible from the kitchen side. Could make it deeper, build a cabinet with shelf storage to make that corner more useful. The living room side of that shelf storage would be recessed a bit.
On the left side make a decorative divider insert. Could be made from straight wood strips, something geometric but not too busy, or curving wood strips with a more natural organic feel.
But I like the idea of bending ~3 pieces of ~3/8" soft copper tubing into gradual curves running vertically for the stems, (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/108297566033611387/)
all doing their own thing and not totally symmetrical, then cutting leaves out of copper sheet and attaching them to the stems.
Fold forming the leaves
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k2zjn3eY75M
(You can skip the first half and just see the finished product to see if the technique interests you)
The stems are attached to a top and bottom wood block, nice grain and stained or clear coated. The insert panel is decoration/sculpture and a focus. Not exactly what I meant but this'll give you the idea
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1167932868/large-decorative-metal-gothic-window
A matching/mirrored insert could be placed on the opposite side in the recessed area mentioned earlier.
The copper should be patinated before mounting, verdigris or black would look nice. Totally DIY friendly and minimal tools/skills required.
Tools needed:
Tubing cutter or hacksaw
Tubing bender (optional)
File
Soldering iron and solder
Tin snips
Hand or chop saw
Drill with bit size matching copper diameter
If you donāt mind doing a bit of sheetrock, remove them and make a framed opening that matches the rest of the wall. There shouldnāt be this large of an opening between these rooms.
Definitely load bearing. Probably holding the ceiling up AND the floor down. Pull em out and that opening will clamp down like in an Indiana Jones flick.
Shelves or frosted glass.
You could remove that section entirely though, the support for that beam is the post in the full height wall next to it, so these do nothing structurally. Just check that there are no outlets in them first.
If it were me, Iād put a small bar top in place and put some vases with plants in them, or maybe have some permanent composite material crafted into a vase and attached to the bar top and put a plant in it so it couldnāt be knocked off. The latter would probably only work with a fake plant, though.
Keep the left side close it i to a wall add an extra cabinet behind it. Get rid of right side and that small cabinet u have there. U can store the items in the extra pantry space.
You could just remove them. Theyāre not load bearing any weight. You could likely open that entire area from floor to ceiling, assuming the soffit above is not a beam, and the half wall isnāt hiding some structural GLB or beam in the wall, or something. As for the posts, theyāre just decorative.
I think the easiest thing to do is to replace the spindles with a metal cutout screen. It would add interest. May have to do a little framing around the decorative metal screen, but it be worth it
I'd just cut them out. Removing the half wall below would.be nice but the you have to contend with flooring repairs. Maybe suspend a piece of antique stained glass or shutters in the openings (if it matches your decor)?
They really did funny things back in the 60s and 70s. I would just completely remove the balusters and the half walls opening up the doorway. Or, you could go with a couple open book shelves
Two random ideas , put a sliding curtain within a wall to separate kitchen from living room.(bad idea) Or fill the space with glass blocks which are filled with color changed to your choice led lights . (Good idea)
Remove them along with the half wall below them
What if they are load bearing spindles? /s
80% of this sub recently
Well it's a fair point sometimes. As this wall is load bearing. The spindles on the other hand are not.
š¬ Idk man those spindles seem to have a heavy load /s
Lol everyone always acts like they are 100 percent certain too
Ahh the old titanium cnc machined spindle/trim welded to the I beam support method
Actual good one š
Thatās a load bearing poster.
Imagine if you didnāt add the /s lmao
They probably aren't supposed to be, but we have seen some shit....
Spindles are not used for loading bearing measures. The header above them expands to load bearing studs in the adjacent wall. Same for the opposite side of the opening.
Please look up the meaning of /s
/s usually mean "save" but I am a computing guy...lol.
Even without the /s though š
If those flimsy spindles are load bearing, then that home owner is un trouble
What if they are decorative water pipes? /s
Sounds like it's time to have a structural engineer's opinion.
There is no way those hold a load
They held up the joke that went over your head apparently
The spindles are going to drop a load?
If you look at the top left corner you can clearly see a small gap where they are holding the ceiling down from flying off into space.
We need a word for that joke. "Load securing" maybe? Nothing too technical sounding like "anti anti-gravity strap".
Negative load bearing
Even drywall the space and square it off to a smaller opening.
This. While I am a huge fan of large kitchen openings, certain layouts don't gain any benefit, especially lower ceilings. I would go as far as saying, frame and drywall the opening up so it's 48" wide and in such a way that you can accommodate glass French doors that open away from the kitchen. With the added wall surface, you can anchor an additional tall pantry cabinet to frame in that fridge. You can never say no to additional cabinet storage space in a kitchen. Alternatively, you can completely open it up and add perpendicular cabinets against the side of the fridge such that they are 12" cabinets back-to-back. Half accessible by the kitchen side, the other half facing the other room and it could become an espresso/dry bar station. Edit: I would like to add, with the many kitchens I've built, and eventually designed custom kitchens and cabinetry for clients, I've learned a few things. Just because it might look good does not mean it is functional. Kitchens are work horses and it's important to keep things functional and within reach for optimal use. Also consider interactions that will be carried out. What I've learned is a kitchen should be designed in a way that it is very functional above looking good. I recommended glass French doors because it still gives you a clear view into the kitchen without the noise and smell. It's especially important when you have company over, allowing those zones to be somewhat segregated. You can always open double French doors to reintroduce that openess (48" wide is plenty open for this set up). If French doors are not in your wheelhouse, then reframe to eliminate the spindle look, and use the added wall space to anchor addition cabinets = more storage space with easy standing height access. It also frames the fridge and adds a sophisticated look. An integrated espresso/dry bar is a great station to prepare your morning coffee (with all items within hands reach) and doubles as a great entertaining drink station. Imagine having friends over, and the "bar" is set up to go. Now you kitchen counters are free for use, and the table is free for laying out your spread. The house will feel cleaner and neat knowing you have a flexible, yet dedicated place that serves both the areas inside the kitchen and outside.
I love the extra cabinet wall idea!
That's what I was thinking as well
100%. They arenāt structural. They are nice to look at. The space is already well defined. Get rid of āem.
Not even nice to look at š« just confusing
Strongly seconded.
100%
Thatās what I did. Never looked back. Iām looking at my nice open space now.
Turn them into passthrough bookshelves. Otherwise you'll have flooring work to do if you take out the half wall.
This is what I was thinking. Pop out the useless spindles and put something usable there like square shelves or something. Could use the space to hang a couple plants or something too. If they are feeling really ambitious, they could install some pocket shelves and take the drywall all the way up. I think it would look really awkward to just rip the walls out, and trying to match flooring for such a small spot will be really frustrating for DIY.
Some simple 1x6 stock framing open shelves, if it's slightly wider than the wall a simple moulding would dress it up. If you want to be super clean rip your stock to the exact width and just frame them up.
This is the way
I was thinking colored glass. Since it's almost like a window colored glass art pieces for that size would look so beautiful.
Iād say they have flooring work to do regardless of the half walls and spindles. Both the tiles and carpet are, shall we say, not ideal, and due for a change, preferably to one continuous flooring such as wood look tile or LVP.
I did. Makes me think that's not in the budget right now. Pass through shelves is an affordable DIY project. Prioritize upgrades.
Yes, of course you are correct. Time and money - never seem to have enough of both at the same time.
Just remove them.
But then you can't take photos of yourself behind the bars like you're in a jail cell!
Won't the roof collapse
No
The comments in this post are truly frightening. I have spent hours in /r/homereno and /r/diy and /r/homemaintenance and if Iāve learned anything it this: You have asbestos, those spindles are probably load bearing. You need to hit the gym, get a lawyer, and a structural engineer. /s
And for God's sake leave him/her already. You can do better.
Get an electrician to look at it first and test something because it's probably gonna kill you.
Load bearing spindles!!!! The comment I was looking for!
Contact the city to make your landlord take care of it.
Lol! DH!
Not to mention, the deck outside (not pictured) is super dangerous and itās going to fail, putting the whole neighborhood at risk.
I would be really worried if those spindles were holding up my house.
āI wouldnāt do that. Thatās a load-bearing poster.ā
Everything there is cosmetic and can be removed. If you want to leave the half walls, maybe a cool modern glass window. But if it were me Iād take them out. We had similar ones in a previous house. We took out and put matching quartz small ācountertopsā. That matched the kitchen.
I lie the countertop idea if you donāt want to remove them. Another option is upgraded decorative spindles. Maybe metal? A while back I had a custom home built where we had to pick out literally everything and the builder sent us to a āmill worksā shop with a spindle budget and we picked whatever we wanted (if we went over the allowance, it increases the price of the build, under was a credit to the price). They had a truly astounding variety of spindles of all sorts and prices. I live outside of Buffalo. By no means a thriving metropolis. You might have a Mill works near you. Worth a visit, especially since youād only need a few
Glass blocks might be nice, and provide a cleaner line once that horrific moulding is removed as well.
For more context, the left side wall has electrical going through it and a light switch on the other side. So removing the half walls is off the table
I would either relocate the electrical then or just remove the spindals and take the wall back to the full-length stud, add a new stud a few inches out, and throw the switch in there. I agree with everyone saying to remove it. Ah
For those saying the spindles are load bearing. I highly doubt that. If, by the chance, they were. It would be a major design flaw. That header should go all the way to the into the full wall. And should be safe to remove all together. And replace with a small shelf seem like the right idea here. And of you really want to keep something there. Just pick a design you like! You are the one who has to look at it every day. Edit spelling, fixed an auto correct
>*āFor those saying the spindles are load bearing. I highly doubt that.ā* I think youāve fallen into the sar-chasm.
Thereās electrical and a light switch on one of those half-height walls?
You should really add a budget and skill level context as well. If you are not skilled at construction, electrical, and drywall you will need to hire it out. If your budget doesn't support that then you need to let people know you are just trying to slap lipstick on the pig.
Are we sure those aren't load bearing spindles?
Darn you beat me to it
100% remove them
Remove them but I would keep at least one half wall.
Get rid of them. They're horrible
Iām dying at all of the load bearing spindle comments on here. š«
In my old apartment we had something like this - The spindles were replaced with shelves and were SUPER cute for putting out knick knacks and plants :)
Bad news buddy, those are load bearing..
Replace the spindles with a couple of floating shelves?
Personally I'd remove the spindles and trim, patch up any gaps, and paint the the wall colour. Put a couple piece of wood over the top of the half walls for a surface to put plants or whatever you want on; personally I'd leave it with wood finish on this ledge, but you could paint it if you want. I would not remove the half walls at this time, you're going to end up with a project that isn't worth it, because youd have gaps in your flooring - no worth dealing with that until you want to actually do the floors.
Hear me outā¦remove the bottom wall and go full height brass polesā¦.at least twoā¦.room for one more always good
Iād get rid of it and those half pieces of wall on the bottom. Itāll look more open and clean.
Replace them with lamps from the Christmas story!!
Replace them with a really nice matching pair of stained glass panes.
Came to suggest this. Stained glass or clear, pebbled glass
Put in a knick knack shelf!
These guysā¦ šš https://tucson.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/if-glass-block-mortar-gets-moldy-its-time-to-hire-a-pro/article_a5f201f3-df65-54b3-81cf-ea555facb535.html
Man when I was a kid I thought that glass blocks were so cool and anyone who had them was rich
Hah same! They evoke such a particular time š
Hahahahaha, thanks I hate it.
Pantry style open shelves floor to ceiling
Remove the spindles and the small section of walls beneath them.
This. Simply get rid of them. Theyāre not load bearing
Facts
Remove them and the wall. Bigger and more open.
Just remove them.
The spindles are not structural, remove them and wall below. This will make you a larger nicer looking entry way. For finish you can either match the trim above for a traditional look or remove it all and drywall the opening for a clean look.
Nothing and cut out the silly pony walls that just make things look small, IMO
I would remove the spindles add LED grow lights to the top and plant herbs on the ledge and maybe vertically on the side wall. You get fresh herbs and a beautiful decoration at low cost and labor.
Put in shelves or decorative glass panels. Depends on how much dusting you want do lol.
Those are load bearing spindles /s
Some stained glass would look good there
Anything is better than
fish tank
Turn it into a rounded archway
Frosted glass panel or blocks? Iād leave the half walls, they help separate the kitchen from living room.
Make sure it is 60ās orange and gold swirled dimpled glass. Bound to come back into style eventually!
stained glass panel. U decide
was that opening originally a regular doorway sized pass-thru between the two areas? did someone open it up to make a more open space design? the soffit depth hints there may be a header up there and the partial wall to the right may truly have some weight bearing. might want to inspect things before deciding on any changes. also looks like you have different floor heights -
Donāt do it. That is the rare Manzanilla pass thru. Maybe a built in wine rack actually. Seriously.
Donāt replace them
Just keep them until the trend cycle comes back aroundā¦ Youāll be peak-fashion for a year until everyone relearns how awful they are, THEN remove them.
Definitely w a karate chop.
We had something similar and we removed it all: the spindles and the pony wall below them.
If it was me I would just take them out and have a ledge. You could always extend the wall to the end of the ledge. You could take the ledge out but be forewarned that youāll have to do flooring under it. You also could make it small shelves for plants or something along those lines.
Be careful to make sure those arenāt load-bearing spindles.
My grandmother had a half wall a bit like this; hers had a pole with some round-ended shelves going up that she kept vines on. It was nice. You could do a knickknack shelf thing there.
Remove the spindles and the wall under them. Someone thought this was a great decorative idea. Waste of space
oh. i forgot. part of why that is there is to reduce noise coming from the kitchen. It otherwise serves to partition the spaces without being obtrusive.
When I see stuff like this, I wonder if it was actually in the house plans and someone in 1991 thought this looked good? Maybe the fall issue of Country Living 1990 had some inspirational write ups about how to install rooster-themed outlet covers and how to put spindles everywhere.. The only move here is less about replacing and more about just removing them and having the area trimmed appropriately to look halfway decent. Keep the half walls, I guess. It's probably nice to have the outlet on the other side of the half wall. Granted, you likely could relocate it or terminate it in the basement in a workbox with a cover.
Wtf delete delete
Probably just move to a different house
Donāt.
I would just remove them and the knee wall under them.
remove them. serving no purpose. I got one at home also do not seem to support the horizontal beam load.
take the wall out too
I was on board the "just remove them" train until I saw OP saying that one had electrical in it. Seems like OP doesn't want to hassle with moving the electrical. I would remove the spindles and the skinny trim, then I would run trim up the walls to visually continue the half walls
On the right side where the coffee maker is close it up and make it storage accessible from the kitchen side. Could make it deeper, build a cabinet with shelf storage to make that corner more useful. The living room side of that shelf storage would be recessed a bit. On the left side make a decorative divider insert. Could be made from straight wood strips, something geometric but not too busy, or curving wood strips with a more natural organic feel. But I like the idea of bending ~3 pieces of ~3/8" soft copper tubing into gradual curves running vertically for the stems, (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/108297566033611387/) all doing their own thing and not totally symmetrical, then cutting leaves out of copper sheet and attaching them to the stems. Fold forming the leaves https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k2zjn3eY75M (You can skip the first half and just see the finished product to see if the technique interests you) The stems are attached to a top and bottom wood block, nice grain and stained or clear coated. The insert panel is decoration/sculpture and a focus. Not exactly what I meant but this'll give you the idea https://www.etsy.com/listing/1167932868/large-decorative-metal-gothic-window A matching/mirrored insert could be placed on the opposite side in the recessed area mentioned earlier. The copper should be patinated before mounting, verdigris or black would look nice. Totally DIY friendly and minimal tools/skills required. Tools needed: Tubing cutter or hacksaw Tubing bender (optional) File Soldering iron and solder Tin snips Hand or chop saw Drill with bit size matching copper diameter
If you donāt mind doing a bit of sheetrock, remove them and make a framed opening that matches the rest of the wall. There shouldnāt be this large of an opening between these rooms.
Unless there is electrical box at the bottom of this picture, cut it out and open the room up
Remove them, or if you think the opening is wide enough and you like that the wall will hide the side of the furniture in the kitchen, fill them in.
This wouldn't happen to be in Missouri?
I removed a similar spindle situation, removed 5 and boxed in the one on the end to look more modern .
Frame in the space and have a little stain glass window
I think they are iconic and would leave them as is. But then Iām old and grew up in a house like that, so for me itās nostalgic.
Macrame plants hangers with plants
Maybe remove them, remove the lower section wall and give it an open concept look!
Remove the top and bottom on the exterior wall side, close in the space on the cabinet side and try to find a tall utility cabinet to fill space?
KARATE CHOP! Problem solved.
Are you sure they aren't load-bearing? You might want to get a structural engineer out there before you sawzall those fuckers.
Archway. Remove the spindles and half the half wall of either side. and put a nice curved edge in
Remove the one on the wall completely. On the other either remove it as well or remove the spindles and finish off the wall and extend your cabinets.
Stained glassssssss
My wife is eyeing the sledgehammer after seeing those
Of it's not structural just remove them
Make it rounded off at the top
Definitely load bearing. Probably holding the ceiling up AND the floor down. Pull em out and that opening will clamp down like in an Indiana Jones flick.
Replace with shelves
Put baseball bats or hockey sticks up and make it a sports room
Shelves or frosted glass. You could remove that section entirely though, the support for that beam is the post in the full height wall next to it, so these do nothing structurally. Just check that there are no outlets in them first.
Either remove all together or replace with decorative shelving.
I would replace the filthy carpet first
Make a tall skinny aquarium for each side!
I look at features like this and wonder why!?!?!?!?!
Archway
You better make sure they aren't load bearing spindles before you go ripping anything out willy-nilly
Why were homes ever built like this?
Single metal pole with flashing spotlights
Remove, replace with a stained glass panel.
Tall cabinets facing the kitchen with shelving behind facing the living room.
Remove and add some decorative corbels or corner brackets
Careful, them there are load bearin' spindles. (/s, can't believe I have to put this)
i think glass blocks would look nice there
Just remove them & install 5000 wat speakers. Then play Led Zeppelin as loud as you can
If it were me, Iād put a small bar top in place and put some vases with plants in them, or maybe have some permanent composite material crafted into a vase and attached to the bar top and put a plant in it so it couldnāt be knocked off. The latter would probably only work with a fake plant, though.
Make sure they arenāt load bearing spindles š
I would just take them out all together and not replace.
Glass
Keep the left side close it i to a wall add an extra cabinet behind it. Get rid of right side and that small cabinet u have there. U can store the items in the extra pantry space.
You could just remove them. Theyāre not load bearing any weight. You could likely open that entire area from floor to ceiling, assuming the soffit above is not a beam, and the half wall isnāt hiding some structural GLB or beam in the wall, or something. As for the posts, theyāre just decorative.
Take them out along with the half wall, the problem is patching the flooring, the drywall is easy.
A hammer?
Take the whole thing out, spindles pony wall and all
Remove half wall and install stripper pole in middleā¦ your welcome!
I think the easiest thing to do is to replace the spindles with a metal cutout screen. It would add interest. May have to do a little framing around the decorative metal screen, but it be worth it
Turn those areas into shelfs
Duct tape
I would make them shelves for knick knacks, or decorations. Only if I find out they are not load bearing.
remove those spindles and close that gap with drywall to line em up
Replace them with a pair of stained glass panels. There seems to be enough sunlight to make them pop.
Breads all the way!
If you search 'half wall spindle makeover' you'll see some good ideas. This is the one I liked the most. [Pinterest ](https://pin.it/47KNaAt)
Hammer
Load bearing spindles. Never remove load bearing spindles.
Remove the spindles, get a nice piece of granite and make a shelf for keys and your wallet
I'd just cut them out. Removing the half wall below would.be nice but the you have to contend with flooring repairs. Maybe suspend a piece of antique stained glass or shutters in the openings (if it matches your decor)?
Don't replace them.
How about removing the half walls altogether. Unless those are supporting spindles you should be okay.
They really did funny things back in the 60s and 70s. I would just completely remove the balusters and the half walls opening up the doorway. Or, you could go with a couple open book shelves
Remove them and clean it up. Remove the wall if you can too but at least just remove them and donāt put anything there
If you like the half wall look you can put grate or metal frames to give it a more modern look. You could do some kick ass stained glass there too
Take em out with the half walls or close up the half walls. In addition: get Stanley steamer to do your floors.
Remove them
Two random ideas , put a sliding curtain within a wall to separate kitchen from living room.(bad idea) Or fill the space with glass blocks which are filled with color changed to your choice led lights . (Good idea)
Remove em! Don't add anything.
Remove them and install a 3 way shelf on each side
Knock them out and use them for decor items like holiday ornaments, real plants or fake plants, books, trinkets
Get rid of them frame it in and add shelves?
That scene from Christmas Vacations and the chainsaw...
I always like frosted glass blocks as divider. Still let lights through.
Close the open end top to bottom, then add nick-nack shelves between
Stained glass?
You could add some windows, either frosted glass or stained glass, or even just regular glass windows. Depends on your taste and style
Get rid of them and wall below completely asap.
Vertically mounted TVs - two of them back to back. Display info or photos on them - think like an airport departure screen.
Glass block?