Thanks Brenda, I hope the rains don't come early this year like last year. We are going to get all the outside done first and worry about the inside later. That can be done even if it rains. Mikey, as for the spa goes, yes we have and DH has even thought of a hot tub instead. One that works with wood, but I put a stop to that idea. I want jets. So we find a nice two seater spa that will work great, being that there's only the two of us and the cost to run it is not that bad. Plus at our age we are really starting to feel the effects of working in the yard all day and how nice it would be to relax those tired muscles after a hard day of work. Tamara

A lot of windows shown on the elevation drawings are not shown on the floorplans. Be sure your architect makes all the drawings show the same things...otherwise there could be confusion down the road. So sorry to hear about your RA. Planning for an elevator is a smart move! But may I ask why you've decided you want/need two staircases going up to the second floor? Building staircases isn't cheap and your house really isn't all that big. If it were me, I'd skip making the staircase behind the garage go up to the second floor and put the savings from that into going ahead and having the elevator installed now. (I assume the elevator would go where the 2nd floor linen closet is.) If your father is in good health at 82, he could easily live with you another 10 years...maybe even 15. And, the last thing you need to be dealing while suffering from RA and assisting an aging parent is the mess of a home renovation. I'd do the elevator now if at all possible and cut back on things like maybe granite countertops instead. Getting rid of the second staircase up would also allow you to make your 2nd floor laundry larger and more user friendly. Right now it is basically three skinny hallways. UGH! I'm sorry but that is a horrible design. (Speaking of which, I don't really see any need for a second doorway into the guestroom/bonus room. and having that second door just forces you to have a second hallway.) I'd get rid of the staircase, move the laundry room door up near the master closet and then incorporate that back hallway that currently lead down to the second door to the guest room into a nice large closet for the guest room...or maybe some linen storage to take the place of the linen room that is going to become the elevator shaft. Also, by cutting out the second staircase up, you can enlarge your first floor mudroom and make it more user friendly as well. So, unless you have strong feelings about keeping both staircases, you might want to consider cutting one out. As for having the piano upstairs, my only question is how are you going to get it up there? I've never owned a baby grand so have no idea how hard it would be to get one up a flight of stairs. You might want take the house plans by a piano moving company and get their input before you sign off on the plans. Also, while I see no need for two doors opening into the guest/bonus room from different sides, if you are going to have the piano up on the second floor in that "piano room" alcove, have you thought about possible putting a set of double pocket doors between the piano room and the guestroom/bonus room? With double 36" or 42" wide pocket doors, you would have the option of leaving them open and turning the guest/bonus room into a listening space where people could sit and enjoy a piano recital played on the piano in the alcove. Plus, imagine how pretty that nice large bonusroom/piano space could look with the doors pushed all the way open. And, when you do have guests, closing the pocket doors would still give them plenty of privacy since there is likely to be little reason for someone to wander down to play the piano when guests are staying in the bonus room. As for the kitchen, so run your plan by the gurus on the kitchen forum. Right off the bat it strikes me that while the fridge is in a reasonably good location for access by folks in the breakfast nook, it is not in a very good spot for use by the cook who will have to walk around the island to reach stuff like butter/milk while in the midst of prepping dinner. Also, a prep sink on the back counter is not likely to get much use because it is "around the island" from the stove. I suspect you will find that you wind up using the main sink all the time because all you have to do to reach it from the stove is pivot around. Just my thoughts. Hope some of it proves helpful.

Wow--thanks again, everyone. I guess sometimes I just wonder if I'm doing things right. You know, you get used to seeing the same thing day after day, so you just get used to it, even if it's hideous! I do love having a morning room. It was the ONE thing that my husband insisted on when we built the house, and I'm so thankful now that we did! funkyart: the flowers on the table are fresh cut from my garden...I've been working on a perennial/cutting garden for a few years now and it's finally paying off!! We're actually in WV, on the border of MD, but most of my family is from PA, so we know Boscovs. It is gorgeous...we're on our way to the pool as soon as I'm off the computer! parma42: I like the idea of putting 2 pictures there. That would fill the space more. I'll have to be on the lookout for a good deal (which I love to do!!). daisyadair: thank you! The window treatments are actually from Lowes. They are single straight valances, but I pinned them together and added the little pull up part in the middle. It was one really straight long line when we first hung them, so I'm happy they turned out. The desk I found at Home Goods, and it was 20% off b/c it had a little scratch on it (which I fixed easily with a black permanent pen). I'll hand the desk over any day to you, if the bills stacked on it can go with it!! :) bodica: Thank you. So you saw my next room we are working on too!! The color is SW Pennywise. I fell in love the picture that is hanging in there, and worked the room around it. I did the first floor bathroom in SW Spicy Hue (which is one shade darker) as well. Once the house is clean, I'll post more pictures. Oh, and I should give my DH credit for the crown molding/chair rail and picture frames on the lower half of the dining room. He just finished them a few weeks ago. :) Here's my 2nd attempt at the pictures:

Marti- Wood is a great choice for your kitchen. It will be warm, easier on your feet...and not as noisy, which I know is important, too. I'd stop the tile of the laundry room just even with the washer dryer. The garbage pull out could be on the wood and no one would see the division, with the wall oven at the end of that counter. I think a wood threshold, between the wood floor and tile will look nice and give you a nice transition area. Will that work in real life? It seems to, in the pictures.