Not sure why your chair has to "match" the sofa. I think it is wonderful that they blend in form, design, size, fabric, etc., but as far as matching, I just don't think that is a big deal. I think it might have been in past decades where every sofa had one chair that "came with it," as a set but that is no longer the case and as for myself, my side chairs and occasional chairs are not even the same color as the sofa, which is graphite and one chair is a black print with azure and paprika and the other chairs are a paprika herringbone and then the rug is ... well, I am not into matchy-matchy. :-)

Well, 4th contractor came out today & said, "I can get you a clad Andersen window for about $450, but Marvin will charge $750 for the same size." He also said that having interior AND exterior grilles will add a LOT of money to each window (even without simulated divided lite bars in between the glass). I need to go on a window-learning expedition, I think. I know I want a grille on the inside & outside of the windows, I looked at tons of windows on the drive home today & I'm 99% sure I don't want to go with between-the-glass grilles. Thanks for the advice on Pella, I appreciate it! -Pam

Either size sofa would work in theory. Do you plan or want an end/side table w/lamp, etc, too. Doing the the math, w /cabinet door fully opened, that gives you about 98"s, a 77' or 82" will fit and give you 16 or 21 inches (wide)on the right side for something. I would lay it all out out w/masking tape to get a better perspective.

Lindsay, the design challenge of garages--snout garages in particular--are well known, and have been discussed endlessly in threads on this forum. Your photos are one good alternative to snout and other front facing garages since all that is visible is the garage shell, which is admirably reduced in bulk and scale by the creative use of two smaller single door garage openings, with doors which are further detailed to reduce bulk and mass. The windows and that detail in the gable above the doors also helps refine the façade. Not every house design and site, however, lends itself to this design technique. The design guidelines cited by David Carey are another good way to have "front facers"--both garage and house which are visible from the street--in better harmony with one another. There are many, many other good design strategies, ranging from detached garages (connected with a breeze way, or similar device), garages in back accessed by an alley (or corner lot with two street faces), "L", "C", "U", "T" and angular shapes houses. These houses reflect their site specifics and incorporate innovative site planning as well as architectural design. Design by Olsen Associates.