My top priority is layout. I really do use my kitchen, and it drives me bonkers when I am trying to get things done and don't have what I need on hand, or if other people are in my way, or if an island is in the way of where it feels natural to walk, or if I keep wanting to set something down and consistently have no place for it, or if I generally feel like everything is crowded and that I'm constantly banging body parts and shifting things around the counters over and over. That drives me bonkers. I paid a lot to have some electrical work redone when we came up with an even more functional kitchen layout after the electrical had already been done. We're paying extra to have a fridge that doesn't stick out and crowd a corner work zone. We went to a lot of trouble to fit in a BIG sink so I could easily wash big items without banging and splashing. This stuff matters the most to me. My second priority in my kitchen is the feeling. I want to it to feel airy and open and easy and calm. Cooking can sometimes get hot and chaotic, and I don't need the room to add to that feeling. A good layout contributes a lot to the airy/open/easy/calm feeling -- a place for everything, simple lines, and having things physically open and feeling spacious and nothing looming. Aside from that, I find the colors of things affect how I feel in a room greatly, so I'll pay more for a color that makes me feel calmer. We spent an extra $300 to get a white sink versus stainless because the white ones make me feel calm and happy when I look at them and the stainless ones feel like such a grind. (I know that sounds nutty.) And I'd splurge on something if it makes the most of the natural light (natural light makes me feel calm and happy too -- I never cook recreationally after dark). My third priority is sanity. We paid more for our pantry cabinet than I wanted to because it was the end of the remodel, and I just did. not. have it in me to put in hours more research to find something cheaper. My dead last priority is everything else -- mostly the finishes. I obviously want it to look nice and be pretty, but if several things fit the desired layout and are the desired color, then I am totally happy to get whatever is cheapest if the budget is getting tight. We went with Ikea cabinets for all our base cabinets for this reason. I also wanted white counters, but as long as they were white and one flat surface (no grout lines), I was completely happy to compromise on the material. We're reusing our original kitchen's cabinet pulls. They're not perfect, but they're good enough and free!

Ken's questions: "what is your base soil.;. is there mulch ... how do you water?" are important. If they aren't mulched, plan to do that to help preserve moisture as well as suppress weeds. Natural precipitation amounts are important as well, so get a rain gauge and set it up far enough away from buildings and trees so it is reasonably accurate. Consider adding a rain barrel or two as well. You can get a diverter to put in the downspout so the water only does to the barrel when there is room, and you can empty the barrel for the winter. Of the plants you listed, I have Ninebark, Techny arborvitae, and Hydrangea paniculata (different cultivars than Little Lime, but I don't think different as far as watering needs) in a bed that hasn't been watered since its third year. The bed is in full sun and has good organic content in fine sandy loam soil and is mulched with shredded wood, and despite having an official drought here last year that was only broken this May, I didn't water and I didn't see any issues with any of these plants. I would continue watering new plantings such as the Techny arborvitae, boxwood, etc as needed. Stick your finger down into the soil at the base of the plant and see if the soil is moist to know if watering is needed. Long slow soaks are best, and I have used soaker hoses under mulch to make sure that the water goes to the soil, not evaporation. Annabelle in sun will need plenty of water, so you might consider moving it to a morning sun spot and planting something more drought tolerant in the sunny spot. I almost never water my Annabelle in afternoon shade. Generally grasses and Sedum are pretty drought resistant.

Lovely home in need of an update, but nothing you can't live with for a while. You will get a ton of people telling you NOT to paint brick, and NOT to paint wood. Each person has their own opinion. I would paint the brick. The fireplace is massive and painting the brick white would modernize the room. My daughter just did her fireplace, and what a difference it made. As to the wood ceiling. I'm not sure - I'd do the fireplace and then see how you feel. As far as the kitchen cabinets go, I don't think that color is coming back anytime soon. In addition, they are the same color as the floor, so nothing shines. If they are "builder grade", or you feel you are going to make layout changes, then let them go for now as I wouldn't want to waste money painting them. If they are good quality cabinets, then that's a different story. However, before you decide to paint them, I'd be sure the kitchen layout worked for me. It looks like you have a built in refrigerator, and those can run 10K, so I wouldn't want to replace that with a cheap one. The other appliances could use an update, but again, live with them and see what is and isn't working for you. The backsplash needs to be replaced, as do the countertops, but again, make sure you know where you're headed before tackling that. I would totally paint the exterior brick. I simply LOVE painted brick and feel it makes a home much more charming than the sometimes ugly pink/red color. I'd also remove the mexican saltillo tile in the foyer and lace in hardwoods if possible. The front doors, while very charming, don't seem to go with the home. Painting the exterior white would help those doors to stand out. The columns on the porch look too skimpy and could be beefed up a bit. Yes, the landscaping needs help, but that is never my top priority. BTW - the home while built in the 60's, in no way reads Mid Century Modern to me. It simply reads 60's ranch.

Possibly, although it would depend on your selections and other construction details (eg, relocating plumbing, knocking down walls, etc...). But it is also possible to pay a contractor top dollar who chooses subs based on their bid (low), not the quality of their work. You mention above that you suspect your contractor hired inferior trades/handyman. Is this opinion based solely on the workmanship? I‘m sorry you are going through this. But you could hold back that $10,000 and hire a reputable painter to come in a correct those paint flaws. Although I would first give the contractor the opportunity to correct the problems.