Great thread. It's interesting what you said about the newer development. It sounds like you would be living in their home. I wouldn't want to have to go with their colors and styles. I have a tiny cottage built in 1943. I recently tried to sell it, but ended up keeping it. I love antiques and have this one decorated in the style of the period. Right now I'm having the bathroom remodeled. I found some 1930's pink tile the I just love! Next year I will do the floor in white tile with a pink border. It's really fun to put your artistic stamp on your home. I have several brass antique lamps that add so much ambiance. I would look at all of the older homes anyway. It can't hurt. Prices are great right now. I would also consider paying off your home completely and doing a small remodel each year. That's what I'm doing. It's very rewarding. Last year I bought a 1950's O'Keefe and Merritt stove and restored it. The year before I replaced the carpet with my favorite shade of green. Then I painted. Now it's the bathroom. Even though my house is old, I love the charm, and it feels so solid to me. Next year I'll repipe. I would definitely make sure you sell the first house before buying the second. Real estate offers can be iffy. People do back out. I learned that the hard way...

I have the same pit-in-the-stomach anxiety. We bought an old farmhouse last December and have been fixing it up with the intention of moving in. We paid cash for the house, but have already sunk about $73,000 into "improvements" including a modest master suite addition, new foundation piers, and a wrap-around porch. The remodeling so far has drained a significant portion of our ready savings and yet little work has been done to the interior. I am extremely nervous about the craziness in Wall Street and the economy in general, and am thinking DH and I need to hold tight and don't take on any more financial liabilities so the house may sit vacant for a while. I do like to garden, however, so have planted a considerable number of trees, shrubs and perennials around the house, which makes me feel better when we go over there and makes the house look better as well and overall wasn't very expensive because we did all the planting ourselves. I am good at delayed gratification and can wait until the time is right (if ever) to spend money on something. Like Chelone, I always pay more on my monthly mortgage payment on our current little house and last year at Christmas I paid an additional $1000. I don't like debt and don't have any, other than a mortgage. I think this is a good time to differentiate between needs and wants. As other posters have said, listen carefully to that inner voice. That is your intuition speaking.

Jockewing, first, condolences. Glad the protracted struggle is behind you. My first suggestion is to only spend a portion of your inheritance now and save the rest as the financial outlook is bleak for the near future. (I know, that advice is a drag!) But truly, my advice would always be to upgrade slowly since finding quality pieces you'll love for the long haul takes time. That being said, I also know how important feathering your nest is and think you will enjoy getting a few pieces now. I have lots of general suggestions below, but really want to encourage you to take your time finding good pieces which will work over many years rather than succumbing to throw-away purchases. Unless you have enough money to buy everything now, I'd start with the DR since you call attention to it with the accent wall color. I'd look to replace the bookcase with a wonderful marble topped buffet, a Danish rosewood or walnut credenza or a taller antique secretary. Really consider older furniture pieces which are generally much better made than the particle board stuff readily available. Antiques don't have to be stuffy or ornate, and with luck and patience you can begin building a wonderful, clean-lined collection. These days, without a really big budget it's hard to find quality pieces unless you have a great consignment store neraby or shop ebay. Center your new DR chandelier on your table. I think all the wrought iron legs in the DR (as well as the hodgepodge end tables) add to the busy-ness you don't like. Earlier it was suggested to place a larger glass top over a table cloth if you keep the table, or I'd consider replacing the set with a wood pedestal DR table w/o a cloth. Look for some comfortable DR chairs; I love simple leather chairs which hold up really well. Rattan is a good look but not as practical with crumbs, cleanability, etc. In the LR, start with finding a hand-knotted rug, larger than your existing LR carpet and a runner in coordinating tones to replace the striped rug. Get two small patterned carpets for the front & dining area entry doors, unless you find a nice area rug for the DR, then you will want only an interior rug at the front door.. Overstock (must really read descriptions as photos aren't always accurate and avoid lead based dyes), ebay and craig's list are great sources, but many higher-end mfgs sell dicsontinued rugs directly on line at close-out prices. The trick is to be patient and wait for a wonderful bargain rather than spend a lot for instant gratification. Hand-knotted for the large rug(s) is best as it will hold up well. Extend the drape rods as was suggested to add presence to the panels. Your wall color has to coordinate with the taupe tiles unless you can upgrade to HW or laminate. Assuming you have to work with the tile, I'd be cautious of cooler, darker hues since that can be drab and depressing and you already have a sophisticated darker tone in the kitchen/dining area. Consider deep non-yellowy cream toward raw silk/linen tones (I find it helpful to look at art mats and/or fabric and have paint matched) which will combine well with the DR wall and the aquas, green and brown you love and that you're currently inclined to eventually bring more into the LR. I like your tv in its current location because it allows you to keep a cohesive conversational arrangement in the LR. HDGuy's advice to consider whether you want/need display/storage area is a good one in determining what size piece to look for btwn the windows. I'd consider 2 love seats (in a neutral tone to accommodate changing accents as your taste evolves) flanking the media wall, much sleeker than the bulky one you have, but still comfortable. Put a console table or low bookcase behind the one on the DR side. Definitely add more lamps, up lighting behind plants, maybe a torchiere in a corner and/or a swing arm low floor lamp by seating. Replace the ceiling fan with another more beautiful fixture, even if you elect to keep a fan there. Replace the two chairs with more compact ones, even a sleek recliner as long as it has raised legs. Or re-upholster the burgundy chair and just get one new chair. Get a large leather ottoman which can pull double duty as a coffee table. Consider tucking a power strip behind the small console under the mirror to minimize the cords. Definitely place all your lights on dimmers. Before you begin, scour this site and others as well as mags to find the style that most appeals to you and use them for inspiration. Best of luck!

We will be moving next year and this is a discussion we're having. Like pal and chispa, we'll have a budget--and the price of the home plus necessary improvements has to fit in that budget. Looking at houses on-line, there are some I immediately start adding numbers on--flooring, painting, new kitchen. I'd rather buy a house that needed those things and was priced accordingly, though--especially the kitchen. For selling purposes, keeping this same concept in mind, we'll be repainting most of the house before listing it--Shaker Beige. I don't want people thinking "Oh--I have to paint that." Maybe they'll hate Shaker Beige and prefer a grey, but I figure beige won't keep people from looking at it (the purple/green in one room and deep teal in the other might--which is why we're painting those bedrooms). Our bathroom/kitchen/floor/lighting choices are all very neutral--I hope noone looks at ours and thinks "I'd have to spend $60,000 before I could even move in"