Thanks everyone. I was hoping to come up with a plan and get things done before we moved in, but now I think it will be better to live with it as is until I know how the kitchen functions with its current layout. I still feel a little conflicted in that I know there are lots of people who would love these "cool vintage" cabinets. I feel like changing something so old is a little wrong. However, I am not rustic. At all... And it talking about the kitchens character seems a little like calling someone the "funny sister". I am hoping to find some way to dress the cabinets up a bit, molding? The other thing is I like light kitchens and not in love with the idea of black hardware, cabinets, etc. I agree that is a great idea for this kitchen. But do I bend my style to it or try to bend it to me...the rest of the house is probably best described as colonial. I will stew on it a few months, again I appreciate all the ideas! This post was edited by ssnewbie on Sat, Aug 2, 14 at 18:48

I agree with others who pointed out your bath pictures show clean, neutral, and functional already. And that it's a great idea to live in the space a little while before investing in any changes. A coat of paint, a new faucet, and a new light will - seriously - work wonders. But you also asked some specific questions, so here goes. :-) 1. For software, personally I liked Homestyler for a while, but then they rebranded it as Planner 5D and started upcharging for just about everything. Then later, a different company started hosting a different Homestyler that I like a lot. But keep in mind, these are free (unless you opt to shell out for the upgraded tools), so be careful how much info you share. If you want to go high tech, Sketchup is a fantastic 3D drawing tool, with lots of plugins for furniture and fixtures... but the learning curve is STEEP. You're smart to invest in tools carefully... but you may not need anything carpentry-related for your baths just yet. Miter saws are great if you have a ton of crown to install, but I don't expect you'll be building your own cabs or doors, right? DH and I bought a hand-held circular saw 20 years ago, and it's still our main saw. There are ways to set up portable workspaces on sawhorses, and use a straightedge with clamps to get clean, straight cuts. But if you have real cutting to do and space for storage, a table saw is great. Don't overlook the value of a great cordless drill, high quality bits, good wrenches, and 2 measuring tapes in good condition. Hardware and lights... the internet is flooded. But there's a fun way to find new sources. Find something you like on Amazon or Lowes, then google that item and see what other stores pop up. They may be design centers, hardware stores, specialty shops, or other major retailers you just never knew of. Bathroom fans are frustrating to buy. The ones that work best look the worst. Go for specs, not looks, and make sure there are nicer things in your bathrooms to look at. 5a. I would not paint or resurface a bathroom counter. But if they're really that bad, you can buy inexpensive pre-formed counters at HD/Lowes for very cheap. You should look at Ikea too, but their sizes often don't work with preexisting cabinets. Another option (but probably isn't worth it) - small counters are easy to replace with a stone remnant from a stone yard. It will still cost something - more than HD/Lowes. But if the full bath redo is years away, this is a nice upgrade. 5b. From your pics, your floors look like they're in good shape and clean, but I couldn't see much of the floor... I will say - if the tile is original, removing it will be a nightmare. You will need a hammer drill, heavy wire cutters, strong backs, and a chiropractor. Tile setters in the 60s took their work very seriously - there is probably 2" of mortar under that tile, with some crazy chicken wire type stuff embedded in it. A hammer and chisel is not going to cut it. We pulled the tile out of our powder room a couple years ago - our house was built in 1989 and clearly, the tile setter was old-school. They didn't mess around. We put down 1000 feet of peel & stick wood look plank in our basement 5 years ago. I actually love it. It was cheap stuff from Lowes, and it looks like we paid much more. BUT. The concrete floor was very flat and smooth, and already sealed. We applied a primer, and that makes all the difference with adhesive floors. We do have a couple areas that have been exposed to water (washer leak and a Bilco door leak), but those were isolated events... I'm not sure P&S is a great idea in a bathroom. But it could be a reasonable solution for a short term replacement of the tile. Note - if you pull up the tile, and put down a skinny layer of P&S - you may have work to do to replace the toilet. The bolts may not fit properly, the wax seal may not seat the same. Questions you didn't ask, but I'll offer some thoughts anyway :-) If you're thinking to replace doors with Shaker style, there are some great companies who sell custom doors for reasonable prices. The kitchen forum is the place to look for the current favorites. And I know the beige fixtures are not so popular, but don't try painting them. The yellow I see in your pics will not work well with that dingy beige I'm imagining. But there are other nice colors that will complement the beige and make it tolerable - Maria Killam is a good source to explore colors and see if you can make that beige work in the short term. Congratulations on your first home! Have fun decorating!

What purpose would the front deck serve? I see none. IMO landscaping is the thing to give this house some life and I have to be honest ranch does not enter my brain when I look at that house . What is your style ? Maybe post more idea books instead of one light. That might help us help you. BTW IMO dark soffits will make the house seem squatty is that what you want .Get a nice MCM front door with lots of glass and then go to work on landscaping. If MCM is the style you like this would be a great inspiration for landscaping or the bottom pic if you are up to a more MCM look

On the exterior, I find the dark outlines around the windows distracting. Anytime you have stone on the facade the answer for a paint color is to choose one from the stone. That should give you many choices as natural materials have a variety of colors in them. If you want more specific suggestions you need to post a picture of the stone from a distance of 6-10 feet in good light. But I don't think you need to have multiple colors on the exterior. One color with the stone will be perfect. You can have the front door pop if you want. There are many interesting period appropriate colors you could use. On the interior, I think the ceiling will be more appealing once the walls are painted. They are a nice original feature. The wood walls on top of it were too much, so good call on removing them. The kitchen looks original (I lived in a house built in the '60's as a child and the cabinets were just like this), so leave it alone for now. If you need to replace appliances along the way I would buy SS to gradually replace the white ones.