This image is terrible. Let us pretend that the dining and living rooms remain pretty much the same (with repairs and perhaps some short "wing" walls between them to separate a bit. The green line is the wall between new stuff and old--just how that will work depends on everything else. But I do want to have a real actual separation here, with doors and stuff. Or at least any permanently opened opening would be towards the rear. The mudroom in the original I think I would like to keep as is (but stick laundry in there--it'll fit fine). So doorways from there would go into the ex-kitchen, garage, and new kitchen. Behind the garage and between garage and house is the new kitchen, family room, bathroom, and small guest room. We're thinking of a more open concept here (hence the erased kitchen), with kitchen open to FR and spare room/bathroom tacked onto the back. (I'm sure our architect can make that work better than depicted here, with an actual roof and walls and better layout.) I'm confident we can work out minor details (like laundry flow) once we get a general idea nailed down... But this concept appeals to us because it puts the noisy activities away from the bedrooms. And since there will be a separation between the old and new, it might not matter about a ceiling difference. The new roof is going to be in a new plane anyway so I'm not worried about it lining up on the outside. I realize this isn't going to be quite as nicely laid out as a new house built from scratch, or if I gutted it and started over, or if I just moved... And if it makes a difference, this house is oriented so that the "good bits" are in the back. It's based on that postwar mentality that the backyard is part of the living space and the front is where the car goes.

If it helps anybody here, my husband, myself, my daughter, and my son in law (all HCW) have all had the first vaccine, with only a sore arm for 24-48 hours being the only side effect to report. With 94% efficacy, and my husband's constant risk of exposure at his office, we are more than thrilled to get the shot and hoping to get back to a more normal state soon. Our small community has been hit hard, we have lost several personal friends, colleagues, including a physician and medical assistant, dear neighbors, and basically Covid has been devastating here. We were able to turn that bonus room upstairs into a most delightful "Playroom" and our grandchildren have enjoyed hours of fun there and they clamor to run there when they are here playing. I am so thrilled that we got busy and moved all the "Junque" into storage and created a space that is absolutely worry free and kid friendly. And, Molly, I bet your space is finished and gorgeous now! Its great to refine space and define life at every age and stage. My last BIG adjustment is preparing for my husband's retirement which will be official April 2021. Any of you houzzers have a husband that has retired with any great tips on sharing house space, I would love to hear. We personally have decided to create his office in (GASP) our dining room. Omg.....I never thought I would give up the dining room. But, POUF, like magic, we moved the table upstairs and moved the desk in its place. And, I'm good with it. We do have an office upstairs, but he prefers to have the view and proximity downstairs, and I agree. Yikes! My daughter will be hosting family dinners, and we will have casual eating in the breakfast room and our kitchen bar. Tell me I'm not crazy!

I would definitely do a different color ceiling - it's the 5th wall of the room. To some it may feel more traditional and to others it can feel more contemporary just by how the room is staged more so than the painted ceiling IMO. Here's some more pics: I do not have 1 white ceiling in my house and I love it! Good luck - it's only paint, so it can be changed if you get tired of it

Depends on your budget and overall home and style. I'd probably leave it. A color change would not alter the rustic Norwegian chalet look.