CEF, even dumping $300,000 into our house, we would have to spend more than twice that to get what we want elsewhere. It is expensive in my neck of the woods! We are in an awesome neighborhood, with great neighbors, amazing school system (to stay in this school system we would have to pay double AND remodel) and we are very close to metro, shops, DC etc. we love our house and we want to make it ours! Our kitchen will only be about 120 sq ft. Same size. The four of us fit here perfectly. :) I hate needing lights during daylight hours so lots of natural light appeals to me. we also have a very nice back yard and look forward to the views. I used to really like separation. Now, I like a little, with some more open spaces. Our living area is actually large compared to the rest of the house. Just because you open it up doesn't mean you will lose the other spaces. I think it really depends on how you want to live your life in your home. What is important to you won't be important to others. I think if you live your personal life in a way where you are always saying "gosh, I wish this were more open so that I could (fill in the blank)" then I think it you should really consider it. I don't think you need a huge house to make yours more open. JMHO. I am considering posting updates on the small house forum.

For budget reasons, you probably should not move appliances very far. My first thought would be something like the following (hope it is legible). This maximizes counterspace, which may or may not be what you most desire. To maximize storage, the pantry is full-height, and around 15-18 inches deep. It would hold much more than just upper cabinets. You did not show a photo of your buffet window, but I am guessing that you might need to raise the window sill, which could be a big budget item.

Not sure about colors or shutters - depends on the look you are going for, but definitely paint the brick the same color as you are painting the house. Properly primed, painting brick is fine. The brick causes a strong line that makes the house look too low and horizontal, despite the peaked roof on that section. There is just way too much going on there on the right side of the house with the brick, horizontal clapboard and shutters, and vertical siding on the top. Painting the brick will make a big difference. Garage door does look pretty dated. I would change that out, or at the least, not use contrasting colors on the “trim” and make all the door all one color.

Hi jjags. I do like your color selections except for the front door. You might consider making one of the two front doors a lot more prominent as I don't know which one currently is the actual front door. There are several ways to address this confusing issue including but not limited to the following; 1. Extend the porch out farther for the real front door. 2. Paint the non front door & railing a color that blends in with the siding color. 3. Address landscaping to help direct your eye to the real front door. 4. Paint the real front door a BOLD COLOR and not a shade of black. 5. Also, as you said, no shutters is a good idea. Best of luck on your project. Jerome DeMarco ART.chitecture