Laura- Thank you for the response! I appreciate your input :) This is similar to another plan...my earlier, smaller plan. Then, I started thinking it would be nice to have more space and a second bedroom or study, on the main floor. However, it's just getting too big and the roof lines are too complicated. And...I'm definitely losing the charm of the original structure. So, I went back to the earlier plan, but with some small changes...that make a big difference. I moved the vestibule 'out' 3 feet, which allows the stairway to be closer to the front door. This gives me more room in the back, for an entry to the kitchen! This is something we didn't have before and it's a big improvement. Also, the fridge is now 'outside' the original kitchen, which creates more counterspace and room for a much bigger window, over the sink. We also have room for a shallow pantry, across from the fridge. The wood stove never really fit into the kitchen...although I think we tried every possible combination. And we also tried a sunroom off the back, but the light is all wrong, as that corner faces west. So, instead...it's a glass/screen porch for sitting out and enjoying the breezes or watching the snow...depending on the season! I did add some furniture...with a little Jotul wood stove against the wall. I also love your radiant heat under the floor idea...but the wood stove will give us a place to cook, when the power goes out. So, maybe both? Here's the plan with the furniture...and I probably need more clearance for the wood stove...but there's plenty of room to accomodate that. And maybe a little corner banquette, too! From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures I think this will actually end up more of a room with lots of windows that have screens, than an actual porch...but it does give me space for all the things I wanted in the kitchen and just don't have room for...and a great view, too :) Oh, and the detached garage will be off to the left, with the greenhouse on the front...facing southeast. Much better for the plants and easy access to most of the garden spaces!

It looks very similar to the vinyl soffit and trim color we used with our brick. It was called Driftwood iirc. We don't have that much of it except to trim out a couple of attic windows plus the gutters, window trim, etc. But I like it. I think it would tone down the reddish look of your brick, and make it look fresher, especially if you plan to paint the rest of the trim the same color. A BM dealer can exactly match the vinyl for you if you take a piece in.

You need a design professional and General Contractor to work with you for this project. They can look at the options and suggest the most holistic approach that works with your site specifics. Good luck!

Hi everyone. Thanks again so much for all your comments. I really appreciate it. Today I met with my GC to review the numbers again in more detail. I definitely decided against doing the big remodel. (as others could have predicted, moving walls etc are not a good ROI--they are an expense). I may do some sort of kitchen or bath facelift or "botox" since there's no guarantee I'm moving right away. If my 2-3 years stretches to 5-7, it might be nice to have some updates. We'll see. FWIW, he told me two things I thought you might find interesting: 1) right now, the cost of materials is very high, and rising all the time, like month to month, due, in part, to all the natural disasters: hurricanes, the fires in Sonoma, CA and the mudslides south of Santa Barbara, etc. These people are without homes, (and rebuilding is largely being funded by insurance) so this demand is not going away until the houses are rebuilt. 2) he confirmed that even if the economy takes a downturn, labor rates are not likely to go down right away. My neighbor had guessed a year. My GC said after the 2008 recession, he still had plenty of work until 2011. He didn't feel it at all. This guy comes highly regarded, so my guess is that the good contractors will be the last to feel the pinch of a recession. For my project, if I do something small-ish, there doesn't seem to be any point in waiting a year or so to time the market. But as everyone here has said, if I may move in 2-3 years, the best option might be to do nothing or...try some decorating magic. Thanks again everyone! I feel so much better!