I just want to thank everyone for the help and advice. Dh and I have decided to go ahead with the full re-model. We won't be changing the layout but we are going to replace flooring, cabs and counters. I've decided NOT to use the maple slab from my barn. I'm going with granite all around. I REALLY want to remove the soffits but I took a peek today and there is duct work through out! I'm really having a hard time with this.. just looking at them makes me want to cry. I just don't know what to do to make them blend in. They aren't just typical soffits that are near flush with the cabs.. they come out almost 2 feet from the wall, and 10 inches from the cabinets. They also have some funny angles that might make crown molding around the cabinets look odd? I'm going to post over on the kitchen forums to try to get more feedback on the soffits. Thanks again.. you all helped me with the motivation to for the 'real' makeover!

I did our basement stairway same as in the pic. It's basically a wall built adjacent to the stairs, then attached to the side of the stairway and floor. It's not hard to do. With a fully enclosed wall, you probably have a floor-to-ceiling post at the bottom, which would need to be removed, and then you would likely have to attach to the stairs instead. You can start by removing the drywall and possibly just making adjustments to the existing wall.

" It's also a practice space for my daughter who plays the violin, and I'm pretty sure we've got a few other instruments coming down the pike at some point" I totally understand this. the music 'student' needs to be separate from the siblings and friends yakking and giggling and people in and out of doors and rooms. Distraction is not what he/ she needs to concentrate! also, opening into the LR gives a nice 'audience' area for a mini recital! I so understand you wanting the table in your kitchen area - to keep an eye on those little rugrats too! how about one with leaves that can be put in to extend it at holiday/company time? and other times allows more room around it (for racing? lol!) I had 4 but there was 6yrs between 2 and 3 and 4 came about 18 months after 3. I swear they are born with little explosive packets in their brains. And each yr near their birth date the appropriate packet explodes and all the tinytot terror tactics for their coming year are revealed to them.... God really has a sense of humor - it's done to keep parents humble (I think) while aiding the tinytot Ts in developing the defense armor they will need for their pre-teen and teenage yrs when they turn into crazy, hostile and alien creatures. For parents, they depend on the memories of those sweet little cherubs that used to live in their house and pray for the day they return to being normal sane humans. My mom's very small DR did open into her LR and at holiday time we had to put 2 card tables in the LR but close to the end of her DR table to make space for the grandkids as the ones she had grew and the number of them increased from yr to yr... what is the width and length of your mudroom? maybe some think it is bigger than it is from looking at the layout. You have some darling little former T's lurking in that pic. they will grow and take up even more space putting coats on and taking them off. btw, you weren't mean in your post. you put it very nicely. Maybe some missed that you said at least 2x that you didn't want to move your kitchen from its space and didn't want to use the music room for a DR - and that you have a limited budget. We all have boundaries and budgets and wants that we need to work within. There are times on here that some who are remodeling say they don't want 'something' changed or done, until they see it laid out in front of them. Often they do change their minds because prior to 'seeing' it they just couldn't visualize it. But, that's also when the budget and actually living in the space comes into play. Those are both major, major priorities for the one (or 2) paying and living there to decide.

We are going to be replacing the carpet since it looks HORRIBLE in real life. I’ve thought about different banisters or the glass look but worry about the dogs and kids. Paint is a good thought! I just feel like the current rails are bulky. I’ve also thought about closing it off completely with drywall but wasn’t sure how that would look. Thanks everyone!