60 last week ... NINETY TODAY .... my body isnt used to that kind of heat yet .... last possible frost date is next week .. lol ... lawn was green for about 2 weeks ... dormant brown today ... i love sand. ... good day to play with pix .... ken

you need a "traditional" backup fuel for any kind of solid fuel heating. Solid fuel heating is considered a supplementary heat source (even if it's pretty much all you use) and a heat source that requires no attention is the primary heat source. Most homeowners' policies require something other than solid fuel heat to be present and be considered primary heat. Additionally, if you are away from home for an extended period, you will want to have a 100% maintenance free backup. Often, these two fuel sources can be combined in the same unit - most on the market today offer that ability. Thus there is no need to have two furnaces or boilers sitting beside each other and the associated costs that would create. With anthracite coal heat, the initial investment is usually far less and the payback much faster than most other "alternative" energy options. Anthracite coal heat is not for everyone, but, with the modern appliances on the market and the significant cost savings, it's an option that's worth looking into.

The fact that elevations are not being considered is a huge red flag. I am a modernist and I could see this being cool in a very modern form, but not so cool if you were going for a federalist style, etc. i think what you have does check some of the boxes (nice spaces for guests) but may be shorting YOU! Do you have any Houzz idea books started that show what style you are looking for? Based on your family guests, I would think that an aging in place specialist could help here too, in order to make things easier for your brother and your parents. as for the kitchen, think about taking something from the fridge, washing it, prepping it, then cooking it. Oh, and then clean up. The natural space for ALL of that activity to happen based on the layout is that space between the sink and the cooktop. Cooks crossing oaths, bumping into one another trying stake claim for the same real estate. It also renders that large expanse on the oven wall unused. for an entertaining and hosting house, there are some good ideas here, but they are not put together all that well and none of the spaces are really dual purpose, making you build ore square footage. lastly the depth and layout, unless this is a flat roof, could drive a behemoth roof structure that will be insane to build and even uglier to reroof! architect... and I'd highly recommend ArchitectRunnerGuy on this site. Cpartist has a great reference list but search for PensicolaPI and his saga on his "original" plan and what happened after he engaged someone with talent. It's recent, relevant and a fun couple of posts. You may see yourself. good luck and just remember it's a heck of a lot cheaper to change things on paper...

I like the double sconce above the nightstand, too. In my bedroom for reading, I have something like this. It's pretty unobtrusive, doesn't take up much room and could be used on the far side of the beds, so when there are couples in one bed, each could have their own light. I have mine on a dimmer cord that I hang on the headboard so I can dim or shut the light off from any sleeping position. All metal finishes are available and they do make some with shades that would be closer to the double sconce style.