If I use this hutch, I plan on adding a middle section to give it more balance with the room. It would be sort of like this. To answer a few questions - the upstairs sideboard is too wide for this spot. It's much wider than the one that I'm going to use in the alcove. I'm not worried about having a place to put food with this hutch, the sideboard could be used for that when needed. Though I've never entertained since we moved here 9 years ago, and not sure if I ever will. Don't have any family close enough to stop in for a visit (nearest is over 400 miles away). I use the dining room table way more for large projects than for eating on, so I really like having the space. Our main dishes are multi colored fiestaware that lives in the glass front cabinets in the kitchen, and I love how they look there. Does not bother me to own china I'm only going to look at, I own lots of stuff that serves no purpose other than it makes me smile when I look at it. I won't use it for everyday because my husband is a klutz when it comes to hand washing, or insists on putting everything in the dishwasher. He's gotten near death threats for taking the scrub pad to my china. It's been a long standing joke about faucets with dents in them, every place he has lived, that has been the result, until we got the high arch faucet and enamel sink. He's too afraid to "shake" the water out of a pan in case he let go and broke the sink. His Dad use to say that he was coming to our house to dent the faucet as DH had dented everyone they had while he was growing up. I would respond that he didn't need to, as mine ended up with dents shortly after installing them anyway. But back to the hutch - I've given up on any plants in the house - since I have a 6,000 sq foot garden, that's enough growing stuff, and the cats mess with the plants any. This is Oliver( the mask faced Siamese) and his sister when they were little - in our previous house. I had my last indoor plant die about three years after moving here, and I've not had one since. Could not do any windows there - here is the door from the other side - there is a stairway behind the hutch. We have moved and replace every window and door in the house, so I'd have to really sweet talk DH if I wanted to change one now. Or wait until he's gone for a week and do it without him! We moved the door to the side and ran the roof across the two story section so we could create a small front porch. I think all farmhouses should have a porch. Actually the whole dining room use to be the front porch at one time, then it got enclosed, but that was long before we bought it. I won't be rushing into anything with this, I would love to be able to use it instead of sending it to the goodwill or dump. Thanks to all you for the ideas, lots to think about, but that is why I bring my sticky problem areas here.

Replace the flooring if needed. Remove dated wallpaper, paint or re-wallpaper (love the 2nd bath inspiration pic). Refinish or paint cabinet. Replace counter top, sink, lighting and hard wear. Replace the toilet to a more updated one. Keep walls clear other than mirror and art. I think this is one of the easiest and best updates you can do to your home! Good luck!

I really like that door, but worry that our existing storm door would take away from the look. But we live in Minnesota, so they are necessary. And having boys (8 &11) and all their friends in and out, I don't trust them with a storm door that is all glass. But that is the look I want. Unfortunately, I can't have any plants in the house - real or fake, even. The cat is obsessed with them, and even a pineapple sitting on the counter while I put away groceries is too tempting for him. I really have no idea what to do with that channel. The boys (husband included) pile stuff on there and the cat knocks it off. Felix the cat seems to think that is the best place to lounge and keep an eye on everyone. When we moved into this house, pretty much everything was original 1966 (including the KITCHEN carpet!) or cheaply and haphazardly replaced when the owner's children got it ready to sell. We are slowly changing out every almond light switch and outlet, hinges and door knobs are on the list as well. It's a hot mess of outdated drabness! But after a complete kitchen remodel and the entire level flooding after living here for two months, my dream of sweeping through all the cosmetic updates it needs fell by the wayside as my husband spent 6 months renovating the lower level. He needed a break from the inside and is now spending his spare time on building a treehouse. I'll get him back to it one of these days...

Did you ask the contractors why the half wall had to stay? I cannot think of a reason why the return could not be on the living room or kitchen full wall expect that both the kitchen and living room remaining walls look like exterior walls...even then there looks like an interior wall on the other side of the opening across from the half-wall. I just moved one...not a real problem...the late-twenty-something sheet metal guy was not real happy (more his personality than a reflection of the job's difficulty)...but it was not very expensive to do. He had to cut into the subfloor which our carpenter patched. I seriously felt like reminding the sheet metal installer that if people never needed him to do ANYTHING, there would be no reason for him to get a paycheck...bit my tongue but his p&m'ing sure got tiresome! Is there a basement; if yes, finished or unfinished ceiling? Our ceiling was finished....that too was easily patched.