I know the boxes get heavy if you make them really deep, but I like the look of one box. Keep the wood simple, and before you drill any holes or designs in it, try painting a design on to see what looks best....then later on make it permanent. In your mix, put some of those water crystals in, but please do not do as I did and overdo it....the pot will turn to SLIME. Your flowers will be SLIMED.....And they tell you to use a lot of peat moss, but that stuff is way too dry, so you have to get some really good potting mix. I'd prefer the MiracleGro moisture mix which helps retain water, especially if you don't want to add the moisture crystals. If you decide to do a drain for the excess water, drill a couple of holes through the liner and the wood, and then get something like the whole end of an old waterhose and caulk it into place from the inside. Lay yourself a long piece of wire or fiberglas screen over the bottom and then pour in your potting mix. A time release fertilizer will be better to use (Osmocote) after the plants have been adjusting for a couple of weeks. The windows on our house are in pairs separated by a wider muntin than you have. (I think the word is muntin, just saw it used the other day in a new book on residential architecture...but I could be totally wrong.) The windows read as a pair, so I'd treat the window box as a single unit beneath the pair. But you might choose to use FOUR WOODEN BRACKETS even with a single box. The more support, the less stress on your siding.

I made 4 pairs of drapes for the biggest windows in my house this summer. You just need to make sure you get enought panels (or curtain width) to fit that big of a space. From what I read, your sliding glass doors are 96" wide with an additional 40" of wall space that totals 136" wide. That is a huge area to cover with the proper size of drapes. You will need drapes that are at least close to 160" wide, depending on if they are pleated or have grommets, to hang properly in that space. I also suggest hanging the drapes high enough to not hit the floor but float at least an inch or two above the floor. You may have to buy several panels or have these drapes custom made.

The size of the shelf means nothing to us without knowing the size of the fireplace. I think the fireplace currently has a modern, streamlined vibe. A shelf here to me would look like extra clutter, but it's really your personal preference.

Hi all Just wanted to update you on the project. First of all thanks to everyone who reported the racial comment from Kathy, it was very disturbing and I’m glad it is gone. For updates: 1) I took your advice and had the difficult conversation with the contractor. Although he disagreed, citing his experience, he immediately went to get some Redgard when I insisted - I think that is great customer focus (not many contractors out there are good about this). He was genuine about his response. For the record, he came highly recommended for the local Facebook page for moms, this is his profession for 30 years and is not a “Home depot parking lot side job person”. He also sealed up the joints and the work is coming together nicely (see attached pic). 2) I actually spoke with a couple other local contractors that folks in my network have used and swear by to get a second opinion too. One of them routinely applies Redgard and the other one does not. The theory is that if the water gets behind the tile, it’s going to be an issue, barrier or not. So these guys swear by their tiling and grouting job and also expect the homeowner to maintain it (eg resealing etc ). All I’m pointing out is there are different perspectives. I’m a perfectionist myself and admire all the pros here (reason why I turn to Houzz for advice) - that said I continuously learn in my profession that a) there are several ways to skin a cat and b) perfection can be the enemy of good. Each situation may be different slightly and one size fits all may not be applicable. Please note that I’m not recommending anyone to not waterproof - it absolutely makes sense for little additional effort 3) Last point: the tile accent wall is indeed porcelain and not abrasive stone. I expect it to clean well with the standard cleaning agents / solutions - in fact it requires less maintenance than natural stone or travertine that I often see in the bathrooms. I also checked with the manufacturer directly and they have confirmed use of this porcelain tile in tub and shower enclosures. BIG THANKS to @crcollins1_gw for your perspective on this. It is unconventional but we really love it. I’m sure many of you will disagree with opinions above and that is ok. My intent is not to offend anyone, rather just provide my perspective and in fact I’m thankful for the advice you all have given and the time spent in doing so as I will end up with a superior end result for my project and I have gained more knowledge in the process.