Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Oct 21, 2012 5:40 pm Hi, We are in the process of our first build (custom home) and I am looking for thoughts/opinions on the 2 bulkheads that are in our family/meals area. We have one long room with the kitchen at one end across the back wall and a large Island bench (1000mm x 4250mm) through the middle looking on to the meals and then family area at the opposite end. To distinguish between the family and meals area a little we had a bulkhead to go around each area with downlights in each. My dilemma is the bulkheads have gone up opposite to what I thought they would be and opposite to the Afresco and entry foyer bulkheads. Our site manager knows my concern and I think we will be fine in them reversing it - but my question is should we reverse it or actually leave it. Pro's of leaving it is that it is a little different, but I have never seen this anywhere else before so concerned of how it looks. Also the way I was thinking it would e now looking at it,wil mean a 600w bulkhead going through the room just infront of the Island - wil this be strange? Cons- main one - we have 3m ceilings throughout and we have this large room and effectively the way it is we are losing all our height in the room (except the kitchen). Also the Island bench is huge and I am concerned with the loss of height it will take over the whole room. To try and explain -the bulkheads are 600w x 400d and thought these were going around the perimeter of each of the sections in the room somehow enhancing them as separate spaces and keeping full height in the middle. the way they are is the full ceiling height is actually around the perimiter of the room and the 400mm drop is the whole ceiling in the center instead giving a dropped ceiling look. this is actually difficult to explain, but I have added photos here: http://s1173.photobucket.com/albums/r59 ... ead%20blg/ I was going to add our floor plan to make it easier but not sure how to add a PDF image. You can see it on our blog though at http://cbcbuild.blogspot.com.au/ Anyway, any advice from anyone who knows much about building would be great as we will need to get them to change it in the next week. thanks Blog: http://cbcbuild.blogspot.com.au/ Building Thread: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=62155 Re: Bulkhead Advice PLEASE. 2Oct 21, 2012 6:53 pm I don't understand why they would think someone wanted it that way! I would get it changed back if it were me. Casey + Gary + 5 kool kiddos + 1 funky Frenchie + 5 happy hens = barrels of fun in Muswellbrook Re: Bulkhead Advice PLEASE. 3Oct 21, 2012 6:53 pm Or changed to what it should be I mean. Casey + Gary + 5 kool kiddos + 1 funky Frenchie + 5 happy hens = barrels of fun in Muswellbrook Re: Bulkhead Advice PLEASE. 4Oct 21, 2012 7:28 pm Yes I am not sure why. I can't upload the most recent plan and on the plan although it has the bulkhead measurement written, it looks like it could go either way, so the carpenter has done it as he read it off the plan. I have requested it be reverse back - if it wasn't so low then the floating ceilings can look nice, but my initial thought was what is the point of paying for 10ft ceilings and losing almost 400mm of it for practically the whole room. I guess I just wanted some opinions on it in case anyone had lowered ceilings like this in their own homes. thanks so much Blog: http://cbcbuild.blogspot.com.au/ Building Thread: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=62155 Re: Bulkhead Advice PLEASE. 5Oct 22, 2012 8:49 pm As a designer I would suggest something different. I would not have the bulkhead cutting through the centre of the room like this. I know you want to divide the rooms but believe me this is not a good idea. I would have the bulkhead drop over the kitchen (2600mm ceiling height) and then follow it around (600mm wide x 400 height) at around the perimeter of the meals family room all in one. This would look clean and make the space look larger. You would have 3m ceilings in the middle of the large room where it counts and the bulkhead giving a nice architectural look. Hope this makes sense Re: Bulkhead Advice PLEASE. 6Oct 23, 2012 3:26 pm Thanks Radiuz. Makes perfect sense and is actually what I was thinking but would you do the dropped ceiling just over the kitchen only and then the perimter bulkhead off that or make sure the dropped ceiling also runs above the pantry door and hallyway entry door? (if that makes sense??). I am organising to meet with the builder to discuss onsite, our issue will be variation fees so we are probably restricted as to how much we can now change this. I think they will pull it down and do it as we thought the plan was to be without cost, but as you say with not having the bulkeheads traveling across the middle of the room, our original plan probably isn't great either. I have seen the floating ceiling and the way it is now probably would be ok if it wasnt 400deep. We have them in our kitchen at work but there is a gap between ceiling and bulkhead with light shining in the gap - this also looks great but the reduction in ceiling height is only maybe 200mm or so. Just trying to visualise at what point dropped ceiling meets perimeter bulkhead. We also have the kitchen guys installing a bulkhead above our kitchen cupboards at the back, this probably won't be so high if we reduce the total ceiling. Any way, thanks so much for your advice. Regards, Blog: http://cbcbuild.blogspot.com.au/ Building Thread: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=62155 Re: Bulkhead Advice PLEASE. 7Oct 23, 2012 8:23 pm I would run the bulkhead commencing flush with the island bench and then around the perimeter of the family/meals at the same height. The kitchen bulkhead would then continue into the pantry lowering the pantry height to 2600 which is still ample height and will help with a standard size door, otherwise will look small against a 3m high ceiling unless you are having a 2300 door. The bulkhead above the kitchen overhead cabinets will then only be about 200 - 300mm deep to be flush with the lower ceiling providing a nice clean finish. Otherwise you will end up with a massive 600 - 700mm plaster bulkhead above the overheads cabinets which is how it would look if your ceiling in the kitchen remains at 3000. I would then commence the bulkhead at the opening to the kitchen so as you walk through the door in the hallway the ceiling height drops to 2600. Hope this helps Re: Bulkhead Advice PLEASE. 8Oct 23, 2012 9:33 pm Thanks - that sounds great and I so wish we could do all that but at the stage we're at, they will hit us big time to make those changes, especially adding the kitchen dropped ceiling and pantry.. Just wish we realised this prior to signing off our plans. At this stage, if we make any changes, it's $1000 variation plus the additional work and Gyprock is our next stage. I am thinking, if this is going to be too difficult, then we will get them to pull it all down and we will just have a straight bulkhead running from pantry door all the way around to the entry from the hallway, 3 sides effectively. This shouldn't cost us anything as the plans were not 100% clear to start with due to having the measurements written on there conflicting with the bulkhead drawing (dotted lines).. I know it's simple, but better than it currently is and sounds like it will be better than having bulkheads across the room as you first said. I have seen bulkheads crossing a room before - is it just because we only have 2. one between family and meals and another between Island bench and meals? Not adding the dropped kitchen ceiling will mean that yes, our overhead cupboards will have a large bulkhead of 700mm or so but our doors are all 2340mm high. I upgraded them all through the house due to ceiling height. Hopefully this won't look terrible but we just don't have the budget now to make significant changes. Gyprock arrives next week and they have to get the carpenter in to rip down all his work, although this I dont believe is our fault and then redo it all. Oh the dramas!!! Thanks again. Blog: http://cbcbuild.blogspot.com.au/ Building Thread: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=62155 Thanks for sharing. Looks good. 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