Paint: I would wait on selecting a color until you have your furniture and accessories chosen. The present color (in picture anyway) feels washed out and a creamy white would be more modern and crisp. - Built in‘s/tv location: with the width on both sides of fireplace being different, you’ll have to configure bookcases accordingly, if going that route. Suggest holding off on making a mantle change until you figure out wall - try to envision whole wall in your decisions Really like look below - Seating layout: really like your inspiration picture and as per the layout, centre to fireplace. If space in front of window feels bare, you could add the console table there vs behind couch as you enter

It's great to see your good news about your checkup posted. It seems there are a lot of nice young men out there still. I have run into quite a few recently. Warms the heart.

What a spectacular house and setting! No, I wouldn’t paint the cedar shakes. The natural look is perfect with this color scheme.

I mowed - again - today, I had just mowed last Thursday but the grass was so high already. Normally I don't like a "sheared" lawn, but I set the deck too low on my mower and didn't realize it. Since it would look weird to do the rest on a higher setting I continued. Golf course like lawns make me uncomfortable! lol Besides all the little wild flowers got their heads chopped off. Maybe I won't have to mow for awhile now though it being so short. There are so many violets and other wild flowers in the orchard that I have a hard time mowing them, so I leave small patches here and there. The ground itself is still very damp. Sometimes when I sit on a chair at my small table down there, a chair leg or two will sink right into the soil sending me backwards. I've learned to be quick to jump off! I think I will plant ever bearing strawberries in my mailbox cover this year just for something different. They will have a white bloom and hopefully have berries most of the summer. At least that's what I envision, will see if it works out.