You are smart to be on top of this. The red clay DOES stain (not sure if you have that in Ohio but we have a yard full of it in GA). In fact, our painted brick house had to be repainted at the bottom after the landscaping went in because the red clay would not wash off. I would definitely do the black plastic, and perhaps even more than a foot up (we had red clay a little higher than that.

Um....well....wow. I did make it through the entire post...and quite a post it was! By the way....I'll take the pony. I already have a dirty kid. Lucky for me I have good paint on the walls...LOL! OK....let's get this out of the way... There's a good chance I may say something you don't agree with...and that's OK. I'm a 3rd generation painter and started learning the business when I was 12. Take that for what you will. Every painter...no matter how long they've been doing it...thinks they're the expert (just my opinion after knowing thousands). Now..your situation... This new concept of "full spectrum paints"....pure baloney. Absolutely nothing but marketing. Every paint is a full spectrum paint. Let's not forget that there are only 3 primary colors. Black is the presence of all color and white is the absence of all color. From this we derive all variations....and colorants (the term for what is added to paint) are manufactured to certain variations for simplicity. Without boring anyone to death about the progression...this page is a good start: http://www.artsparx.com/color_basicprinc.asp That said...what is most important is quality of the paint and the consistency of color. Quality of the paint is fairly simple. Every paint manufacturer has good paint and garbage paint. There is no such thing as 'which brand is better'. They all have top of the line...and they all have contractor (new construction) grades. What you want is 100% acrylic. Acrylic refers to the type of resin used to make the paint...and it's the best. Consistency of color is a tad more involved. Green (for example) can be made from blue and yellow...or it can be made from black and yellow...or from purple (blue and red) and yellow. All results are 'green' but they will have a different effect on the eye. You can take the same shade of green...made each way...and they will 'look' and 'feel' different. The best way to get an idea of this is to look at a paint 'fan deck' or color chip display. You see blues in one area...then blues in another different area. Most people look at this and wonder 'they're all blue...why aren't they just all together'? There's a reason...and you have to understand the reason. While they may look very similar...they are made from different color combinations. This is what gives color a 'feel'. An example is a home I recently painted. They do not like color. Huge fans of beige...in different forms. They chose shades from all over the sample choices. Beige is beige...right? Nope. I tried to explain...but they loved the little chips. Now that it's done...there's a different feel from one room with a beige based on black...to the adjoining room with a beige based on red. It's subconscious...but recognizable. Now I'm repainting 3 rooms. So here's the thing for you. Pick whatever color you like for each room. You can go for warmth, soft, vibrant, or any mood you wish the room to have. What creates flow is not color...but what the color is based on. Try to think of the basics of color and not get drawn into the hype. Now...this post of mine has gone on more than I planned....so if anyone makes it through...you can pass my pony on to them. I'll hang on to the dirty kid I have......for now. Best of luck to you.

I did BM Grant Beige throughout the living areas of my home because it was the most neutral looking beige I could find for my southern exposure, open living/dining/kitchen. Went with a neutral tone because I had to bring together the previous homeowners reclaimed, warm pine floors and cool toned kitchen (until we could change one or the other) and it goes with every color I've brought in. Has a very slight greenish cast with overhead lighting in the evening (warmish LED bulbs), but looks far better to me than any of the yellow toned ones did and looks great with lamps/accent lighting. It's easier for me to work with as far as matching curtains and furniture. I also like the suggestion of SW Rainwashed above. I did that (not cut...it's 100%) in my bathrooms and love it. I hate "cold" colors, but this one is very easy on the eyes and I'm glad I did it.

deck slippery? why not use a composite decking material? (After addressing your drainage issues that Flo mentioned ). Since it's a north facing, during the winter that ground will always be muddy. you could do shade plants, but w/the dogs, why bother? even gravel will get messed up. large concrete squares w/pebbles in between could work. But the deck would look the best. I have one around my pond that sits just above the ground. it's not slippery, doesn't require maintenance, but can get a little warm in the summer. you could always do a patio cover above it if you need too. not quite done with everything else (the walkway needs to be done, and the house painted) but you can see how the decking material is laid out w/the patio cover above it. we lucked out on this decking because it was a left-over lot. it was close to a 50% reduction. check local places that sell this material and see if they have any on clearance (if budget is a concern)