After reading the various threads and looking at the pics, I'm sold for the basement but we're also considering it throughout the first floor. I'm concerned about resale (though it's would be decades away). The homes in our neighborhood are selling for $700,000+, and the expectation of course is high end everything. I'm considering putting this in the main living area too due to the ease of care and who knows what I'll like in 10 years? Our last home we had extensive use of hardwood. I loved the look but the constant worry, and no shoe policy was unpleasant. I want a house that we can live in. For as cheap as this stuff is, we couldn't even have the floors refinished, for what this stuff costs new. We currently have hardwood in the front foyer, front bath, dinette, kitchen, and laundry room (I wouldn't say the previous owner made a wise move on that decision). With all the remodeling though, much of the wood will be trashed anyway, so it's like we'd be starting from scratch. Are we crazy to even consider vinyl (even for a decade) when we can afford the real thing (installation and all), when the expectation is high end? It's only my husband, myself, and a little dog on a daily basis.

Beige vinyl is often a huge upgrade - there are a lot of people who would like to have your color issue! :) You can absolutely do white trim with the beige windows. If you think about it's really no different than if the windows were wood. Wood windows and white trim work out perfectly fine and so with the beige/white combination. Exterior is a lil different. White house trim with beige windows isn't always the cutest look. If you want light trim exterior, all you have to do is select a lighter version of the beige on the windows. You can go so light that it almost look white but the harmony is still detectable.

I think I would like to split up the wall creating a top border at least 18" left as is. Then I'd like a reddish warmer color to the lower portion of the wall of bricks. (usual standard red brick color). I think it needs to be broken up with contrast colors. It will ground the home and bring some life to the neutrals. This will break up the height covering so much of the lower half of the home. Or..maybe BETTER yet.... .. remove 12" H in rows of brick, off the top and replace with a 'deeper depth' wood facing (compared to brick depth) .... to create a band of color above the lower brick. Maybe match the wood facing with the vinyl beige or a contrast color for the wood trim added ..... to create a larger space above the brick. Lower brick in a natural red brick color. The windows will not feel so cramped above the brick top edge if you match the beige vinyl color.. I think it will fool the eye. This will give you a needed dimension to a rather flat facade of the home. Adds some architecture and a visual interest.

Tex max Im not sure what I want to do in the piano room yet…I wish the floors were all the same throughout the house- that will have to be a project for later- We May remodel the kitchen next year and that is when we would replace the floors throughout the 1st floor. Columns- either they should go away or be wrapped differently. For now we are leaving them. We have so many other projects currently in the works! Upstairs bath, downstairs powder bath, pool going in…