I was hoping that you all would tell me to rip them out, but to make hubby happy I was entertaining the idea of salvaging some of them. We are in zone 6, Cincinnati. I appreciate the compliments...it is a cute house. It's actually a tri-level sears roebuck-you don't see too many of this style. The proportion of the windows etc keep throwing me off but I just don't have the money to throw at structure right now. I would love to add a small pergola (like this https://www.houzz.com/photos/over-window-pergolajpg-phvw-vp~743169-Window-Pergola-jpg---) over the window to try to balance everything out. I'm a hydrangea, hosta smoke bush kind of girl. I love a relaxed cottage style garden and I feel like it will compliment the house well. Any specific holly suggestions?...I noticed so many beautiful hollies over the winter. I'm so looking forward to getting my hands dirty with this project....I'm still petrified of the bald house look though!

From that site: Due to the destructive effects Cuban treefrogs have on native species of amphibians and reptiles, many biologists recommend that Cuban treefrogs be euthanized/killed. That's harsh, but true. We recommend a humane method of euthanasia for amphibians. Just make SURE the frog you have is a Cuban treefrog before euthanizing it (see the test suggested below). A humane method for euthanizing amphibians: To euthanize a Cuban Treefrog, hold the frog firmly in your hand and apply a 1 inch bead of benzocaine ointment along the back of the frog. Benzocaine ointment is a topical anesthetic (a numbing agent) used to treat skin pain (e.g., from sunburn) and itching as well as toothaches and sore throats. There are a variety of name brand and generic versions that are available over-the-counter in a tube or spray. If you are able to, using a gloved finger spread the ointment out on the frog's back. Alternatively, you could use a benzocaine spray. Once the ointment or spray is applied, place the frog in a plastic grocery bag or a sealable sandwich bag for 15-20 minutes so that the benzocaine has a chance to render the frog unconscious (be sure to seal the bag or tie it closed). After the bezocaine has anesthetized the frog, place the bag in a freezer overnight to ensure that the frog is dead and then throw it out in your trash. If you are unable to apply benzocaine to the frog, you can simply put it in a plastic bag, seal or tie the bag shut, then place it in the freezer overnight--dispose of the bag and the frog in the trash the next day. Do not throw a bagged frog into the trash without euthanizing it first. Remember, Cuban Treefrogs have a noxious skin secretion so be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after you handle the frog, even if you wear gloves or use a plastic bag. Freezing is a humane way to kill amphibians because their bodies go into a state of torpor (metabolism slows way down) -- just as they do in cold weather outside. If the cold weather is short in duration, the frogs will come out of their torpor state. However, after an extended time in freezing temperatures, the frogs die. A good test to determine if a frog is a Cuban treefrog is to grasp the frog firmly, but gently, and try to move the skin around on the top of the frog's head with your fingertip. The skin on the head of a Cuban treefrog is fused to the top of the skull and won't move. Be sure to wash your hands after handling any frog or toad. They all secrete a slimy film to protect their skin, but the secretions of some species, like the Cuban treefrog, can irritate the skin and eyes of some people.

First, thanks for all the comments. Keep them coming! Secondly, it's actually not small at all. It's 15' wide, with high ceilings and lots of sunlight (it's an end unit). Including the eating area, it's 20' long. The gunstock floor tends to blend with the cafe and cordovan finishes. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing! The amber provides more of a contrast. I'm also considering possibly going with light counters, but I do like black. I just wonder if it works well here? I also considered doing a light counter and a dark island, not sure. Keep those thoughts coming!

Here's a floorplan of the first floor. Blowing out the kitchen/dining room wall. I feel myself strongly resisting that, and I'm trying to figure out why. I love that it's a 1935 home with defined spaces, intimate scale (smidge under 8-foot ceilings), and great details. I'm concerned that a giant room would not fit the rest of the house. Also, when you enter from the front door, you could then see almost the entirety of the kitchen from the foyer. Not my fave. I'm okay with seeing a sliver of kitchen through the new cased opening. I guess if I blew down the wall, I could have a great island though. Peninsula: note taken for knee room. Could four of us stand at the peninsula for baking? Two one on side, one at the foot, one on the other side? I know the peninsula narrows an already narrow room. If I lost the peninsula, wouldn't I lose counter space and the base cabs? We really need counter space. Is there a better solution? We'd thought of a window seat along the window wall with a narrow refectory table, but I don't know. My kiddos are wiggly, and already no one wants to sit at the breakfast table by the windows. I'm not quite as concerned about the actual moving of the window than I am of moving any wiring/plumbing that we find back there. I don't think anyone could give me an accurate estimate without tearing out the range wall. We could bump out that window, but would it then look odd on the facade? Also, is it okay to have different window heights in the kitchen? We cannot bump out the sink window. There are narrow stairs right outside the window leading to the main rear entry deck. The top door leads to a rear hallway which accesses the mudroom, powder room, entry hallway, basement door, and family room. Yes, family members probably will still use the existing kitchen door, but I'm hoping to cut down on the traffic. There is another radiator under the windows in the current breakfast area. I hadn't considered more heating in the kitchen. How does one incorporate toekick radiators into cabinetry? I'm from the south. It's fair to say that I don't appreciate how much heat I'll need in the winter. Thank you, and please keep 'em coming!