Im not 100% sure if the terra cota tiles fit into the mold of a cape cod home. But im brought back to the fack that its your home. Unless you are renovating to flip the house i would say no to the tiles. But if you are planning on living there. I say go for it. Ive been a pro hardwood flooring specialist for over 10 yrs and ill be the first to admit that too much wood can be overwhelming. Kudos to you are the terra cotta tiles. I think that would look nice against your cherry cab. Post pics when your project is complete!

You might want to consider converting your small attic to a conditioned unvented attic by closing off all roof and/or soffit vents and installing the insulation from the top down with layers of XPS or spray fibreglass. Which materials you use are dependent on your climate. (See link.) And since you are removing all drywall you would have access to the inside portion of the roof beyond the kneewalls. Wishing you well and an eventual return to a better home than you left. [I'm originally from Long Beach, Long Island, New York and remember seeing my Mom's photos of the aftermath of the Long Island Express that slammed into the northeast in 1938. This time, in Long Beach, the ocean and bay met sweeping in a wall of water up to three feet high.] Here is a link that might be useful: Moisture Safe Unvented Wood Roof Systems

Lars, I like that color, I'm just a little afraid to do it! Here are my concerns. Thoughts? *Getting the right dark blue--sometimes I feel like you think you have the right color and then when the whole wall is painted, it looks turquoise, or too dark, or... *the white trim--I've never had white trim--only white vinyl windows which replaced white aluminum windows, and also white gutters. The gutters and the old aluminum grew mildew/algae. Will trim also go green with time in a place that sees gray skies up to 8 months a year (no joke) *the dark blue--any concern with oxidation/discoloration (but esp oxidation)? I've thought I'd probably only upgrade to the Aura for a dark color, as the way the guy described the difference between the 2 was how the solids are mixed/suspended between them (at least, that is what my lay-self took from his description).

I wasn't able to find your sketch within a couple of minutes. It's better if you post the relevant pictures directly in the thread. One thing I've always found annoying because it ALWAYS looks and feels like a mistake, is that whenever connecting two destinations, a person must travel up or down BEYOND the destination elevation, and then return to the correct elevation. In other words, going from the upper deck to the basement level and then back up to the pool level does not seem efficient or classy. In order to "flow" from the upper deck to the pool, I believe you would have to make the connection directly from the left end of the deck, and it would thus have to be separate from the expanded deck affair that you are contemplating. To make it separate would not be a bad thing in my opinion. Can't tell from pictures, It might could connect at the outside of the deck and pool, or possibly hug along the house walls. A patio looks better to me than a 2nd story deck on stilts (or some half-derivation of that.) As you have a raised mound of earth off of the back of the house, it seems like you could develop a patio that is supported by a sturdy retaining wall, placing its elevation about two steps below the upper deck level. It would not seem so much difference that "flow" is interrupted, and it would give you the opportunity to include the features you're after. It could also be extended to include a second, even lower, level that puts a little more separation from the firepit area. A new, better and more direct path to the water could come from it. I have no idea what visual effect this will have from the basement area, between the mound an house. We can't see if there's a cave back there, or what. The sketch is rough, vague & general.