I have an ironing board built into my cabinet surround in my new laundry set up that I had installed in my new bathroom remodel this past year. It was a total remodel and I spent lots of time planning. I "general contracted" the job, I did the layout to the room, the cabinet layout and specs, painting, and tiling. I wanted an ironing board too. I could not fit a wall mounted board, so I found a drawer type and it has worked very well for me. Hafele and Rev-a-Shelf make them. I spec'd Hafele and ended up with Rev-a-Shelf because my cabinet person, who ordered the setup I had planned, got it wrong. She got several things wrong, but thats another story. I still have the option for a change out, but I haven't found the need, other than to prove my consumer point. Sometimes I just don't want to press my luck :) I will bombard you with pictures, lol. Note that I have LED lighting with infrared on/off switch activated by the door, and an outlet for my iron. I have to have the door open before I pull out my board because it rises up and prevents the door from opening. Only a minor inconvenience. Access to mechanicals: Bottom shelf of the mid cabinet with a false back that I had put in so I could break down the unit for cleaning and emergency water shut off. My power to the w/d is on the back wall below the bottom open shelving where I have my towels and a woven gray basket, seen in the first picture above. The upper cabinet can be removed to access the plumbing for the shower that is on the other side of the partial wall on the right. I planned this access and ended up using it right away cause the plumber got the rough-in Hansgrohe i-Box plumbed wrong for the shower head I used :/ I love my set up for the ironing board. I would have used a wall one if I had the wall space available, just because that was what I thought was available. When I went looking I found this unit and have been very pleased. Regarding the flooring, I have tile in this room, and hardwood just to the outside in my hall. I didn't want wood in the bathroom, because I was worried about too many leak potentials.

You have a budget of $15K to remove, purchase and install 1850sf of flooring. That works out to be $8.11/sf - which includes install I am going to assume. Removal/disposal of laminate can be as much as $1/sf. With that assumption, you know have $7.11/sf. Assume that roughly HALF OF THAT will be labor (preparation and install). Excellent. We are down to $3.55 per square foot for flooring + under pad. Another HIGH END laminate will do the trick with a high-end under pad. CoreTec can START at $4.50/sf and go up from there. Other LVT = $1.79 from Home Depot...rising all the way up to $7/sf from high-end independent dealers. The "laminate is splitting" is the INSTALLATION in the KITCHEN...not the laminate itself. The LACK OF TRANSITION STRIPS through the DOORWAYS is causing ALL THE PROBLEMS (and the fact that they installed an inappropriate floor in a kitchen = big NO-NO)! With a budget such as yours, and a kitchen that you wish to "deal with" I would save my money, fix the floor so that it stops doing what it is doing, get a REAL kitchen floor installed and deal with the counter tops to suite your lifestyle. Congratulations - you've just spent $15K. The laminate throughout the house is fine...you just need to drop in some T-mouldings through doorways (couple hundred dollars) and install a PROPER kitchen floor ($1000 - $3000). You can do that when you deal with the counters/cabs. And to be clear, you will use the $15K just on the counters and cabinets...with only a small amount left over for the "proper" kitchen flooring.

Why can't the tv go on the walls beside the windows or the cased opening? Is there a special view out one of the windows? Is the doorway directly from the outside or a vestibule? To really help we need a scaled floor plan. Photos of the space would also help.

Thank y’all for the input! Have reached it to architects for costa to put into our budget, but still like to plan. Have one kid now, want at least one more. Currently live in a 1300 sq ft house (2bed/2bath) and are happy with the size of everything, but need at least one more room. @jck910 My FIL’s house has the tv like that and its not a huge deal, though may get a small couch to walk behind and face the tv in the lower right corner. Ideally want a U-shaped driveway in front of the house with it having an extension to the basement garage on the right. That does make me wonder if it’s worth it to have a mudroom upstairs when I can just have one downstairs. But won’t be able to put an exit on the back or the right initially. Definitely need a laundry room upstairs though. The living room size is the same as what we have now, but I think you’re right that it would be small for more people. @Patricia I’m not a fan of open concepts, and my FIL’s house has the wall separating them and I like it. Not sure I understand all your comments. Why remove corner fireplace? Guess you could put a recliner there or a standard sofa? For the closets was planning on putting shelves on the wide part and being partially able to walk in, but can see how making the rooms bigger would be good too. As far as shape just did it rectangular to save money. Basement will be walk out but wanting to save room down there in case we have more kids/move grandparents in/etc but be unfinished initially.to save money. thank you both, have a lot to think about.