We just moved into a brand new home that we love. I am having a difficult time deciding where to put our piano, maybe some of you could offer some advice? Our floor plan is very open. You walk in the front door, there is a small entry way and then you are in the great room, dining and kitchen. There are lots of windows and not a lot of walls. Really there is only one wall in this area where the piano could go. I want to enjoy the piano and since I am upstairs more than downstairs, it seems it should be upstairs. We have a lot more space downstairs but it is more of the kids domain. Is it weird to have a piano downstairs? We have a really large family room where the TV, toys, and entertainment area is. Have any of you had a piano downstairs and liked it or disliked it? What has worked best for your family?
Thanks!
Thanks for your advice everyone. It was all very helpful. I have decided to put the piano on the main floor like many of you suggested. I don't want the piano to get neglected and plan on having it be a main part of our family and family events. The piano is an upright and will fit just fine on the one wall in the great room. Thank goodness it isn't an outer wall.
Thanks for your great suggestions!
Put it where you will enjoy it most. I would think if it is away from the family it will be neglected.
Hi BB,
I'm a pianist by trade and I can give you a little advice about where to put your piano. First of all, I've lived in two-story and three-story homes all of my adult years and I've preferred having my piano on the bottom floor. The only dwelling that housed my piano upstairs was when we lived in Switzerland and my business (studio) was on the second story flat. I had no choice there. If your piano is an upright, it is best placed on an inside wall. That way, it is less likely to be effected by the constant temperature changes from the outside. It is also better for the wood to be at a constant temperature as the fluctuation from cold to hot can split the sounding board of the piano, permanently damaging it to the point of it completely losing its resale value (just in case you ever want to upgrade, trade it in, or simply sell it).
If you do decide to put your piano downstairs where the children play, be sure to lock it while they are playing or, at the very least, have a strict rule of not allowing them to open the lid as they may drop puzzle pieces, crayon chips, paperclips, or such between the keys. If you have high celings, it's quite nice to hear the beautiful sounds of the piano resonate throughout the house on the bottom floor. You'll find that the sound will be more muffled upstairs as there are usually more walls and sound absorbant furniture (beds) which will tone down the brightness of the piano's sound.
I hope my suggestions have been at least a little helpful. Please let us all know where you end up putting your piano! Once you get it settled, don't forget to get it tuned...and enjoy!!!
D.
I always had our giant, antique up right in the livingroom. I dont think I would want to haul a piano upstairs.
We have a grand piano downstairs in the living room and an upright in my study upstairs. Having a piano in the living area is great if you like to have people over to play, have recitals or music groups meet at your house. Having a piano in the living room is not so great if you feel like playing when someone else wants to watch TV. I like having the upright in my study because I can go in there and close the door and play the piano and not bother anyone else. What I didn't like about having the piano upstairs is moving it up there, and knowing that one day it's going to have to come back down.
Is it a baby grand or an up against the wall type piano?
If it is a baby grand/heavy piano.. you need to consider the weight of it and per the floors, support for that weight.
Can the floor, support all that weight?
We have our piano, upstairs.
Open floor plan too.
We had our piano downstairs up against the wall near the stairs, right next to the entrance to the kitchen. If you don't want the kids banging on it, just make sure to lower the fallboard, and lock it if you can, to protect it. Lowering the fallboard also helps to keep dust from settling between the keys as well.
A piano must be against an interior wall so that it can have a more regulated temperature. That is all that matters, not so much as where you put it. Why not put it in the family room so that everyone can enjoy it. I have never been to anyone's house where the piano wasn't in the family room and it was usually being played.
If it's acoustic, the biggest concern is not on an outer wall, or in a room with huge temperature fluctuations. I'd say try it where you think you'd enjoy it the most, and be open to rearranging if necessary. I'm assuming by downstairs, you mean in the basement. You just need to make sure it's going to be regulated enough for the piano to stay in good shape. We have always had ours either in our den or in our living room. Right now it's in our living room as it's easy for my students to get there. Enjoy your new home!
I can't even imagine getting mine upstairs.
Ours has always been on the ground floor, on an interior wall. It's actually in a room designated as the piano room and is played constantly.
Put it where you will get the most enjoyment and use out of it. Don't worry about whether or not it is weird to have a piano upstairs or downstairs. And don't get tied to it being one place or another. I know it is a HUGE pain to move a piano, but if you put it one place and find that isn't really working, then be open to moving it and trying it out somewhere else.
For us, we have ours in our sunroom -- wouldn't work if it wasn't electronic because of the temperature fluctuations, but since it is that isn't an issue. We enjoy it there. My kids go in and play on it and the other people in the house can watch TV or play or do other things.
My piano has always been downstairs because let's face it....getting it upstairs is not an easy task.
The more you move a piano, the more it requires tuning, etc.
I think ground floors are better.
My uncle had a grand piano on the second floor of his very open plan home, but it only had to go up one small flight of stairs. It actually was in a glass room enclosure. It was the smartest place to put it.
I think you should put it downstairs and teach your children that it's not a toy. It's to be respected and as they get older, you can get them lessons.
It needs to be in a dry and warm part of the house that gets good ventilation to keep it in healthy shape.
I'm no expert, but that's my opinion.
