Well, after much sketching and measuring...I've decided this plan will never be as cool, or fit us as well, as the other one. At least I know I explored all my options :) So, after much review, here is the plan with the master bathroom, rather than the half bath. If we can add a few feet to the back of that part of the house, my husband likes this one much better...and I can see his point. If we don't get the upstairs bathroom in, everyone who visits will be trying to take a shower, when we are! LOL The laundry should be on the window wall and the freezer where the laundry is, but hopefully you get the idea. I'm sure we can find a woodstove small enough to fit in the space and while the larger keeping room is nice...I really like the banquette in the dining area. The greenhouse is still off the mud room and can share a sink hookup with the pantry. The entire time I was trying to rework the plan, this is the one I kept thinking about...so I guess like anything else, you just have to follow your heart and do what makes you happy! Maybe not the best view, but that's what gardening is for, right? A pergola over the banquette window, some wisteria and a few climbing roses, a couple of fruit trees...what's not to love about that view? :)

Maybe the door would be good in red? But I always think that. Still.... Or how about a teal or soldier blue door? It's a cute, cute house. Maybe that horizontal rod going across the storm door is removable. I've had storms like that. If you could take the cross piece off, it would let the nice wood door show better. And the light that awmo3 posted would look great on your house. A variegated red-twig dogwood would be good, maybe on the left hand corner. They have nice bright red stems in the winter. (Oh-oh....there I go again with the red.) I'm in zone 4. My dogwoods are the nicest color I can have in the winter. Otherwise it's pretty blah in the middle of winter. You might also consider some Annabelle hydrangeas. They are so pretty in the summer and have a nice old-fashioned look. If you want to, you can leave the big pom-pom flowers on all winter and cut them back in the early spring. The blooms turn rusty brown color and it gives you something out there in the winter. And also one or two small evergreen shrubs would be nice out there so you have some dark green color during the winter. Then plant some daylillies and some asiatic lillies for summer color. If you expand those planting beds out a ways so they are deeper, and make them a curvy shape, that will add to the look too. If you leave the stained porch as it is, you could get some golden or medium brown cedar mulch for the garden and that will tie the porch color into the landscaping.

Interesting and could be a way to incorporate a blue that would work. What would you think of the walls still a white? Or would you think a gray white? Considering the blue is both on the top and bottom cabinets with a black/ gray counter I wonder if it was too much blue? Breaking up the room which is tiny... Also I am concerned about the back splash that needs to be put in, not only the color but the width if you look at the photo, I am sure you will agree. The last cabinet doesn't come to the edge of the counter how to balance that out ? I was thinking a few floating shelfs but its awfully close to the back door can you see that in the second photo? By the way I appreciate any help you could give with this. I primarily work with carpet and carpet designs and after I have a wood floor down that spans the living room and kitchen and dining area I will design a custom made carpet for the area. I am not exactly worried about how I will achieve that. I am more concerned about the color of the walls and cabinets into the dining room being too bland with white on white. I thought a grey/mushroom color painted on those oak cabinets and then the floor in a dark/mid tone wood look throughout would work well in the area. With accents of turquoise or blue. The whole house is only 1187 sq so I want it to look as open , as much as possbile. Glass tables in the living room...and possibly dining nook so that it doesnt look so closed in. Splashes of color on walls and furniture with a neutral background. Just a thought. The current wood trim may need to be replaced with better molding but just brightening the walls and woodwork with white paint at first may help, and getting rid of the dark large furniture has got to help. I am hoping to find a turquoise or green/blue sofa and a cool neutral loveseat. Loads of color on the walls and of course I will make a custom piece hand inlaid on the floor with carpet.

Hi Danielle, congrats on your new house! The kitchen's main challenge as I see it is a layout(say I'd be bothered by a very close position of the fridge next to the entrance, cooktop in the peninsula with eating space next to it) and lack of storage. It looks nice, at least on the pictures. I wouldn't do anything cosmetic, (including putting heavier countertops on older cabinets, or painting cabinets that from aestheticall point of view look fine and appropriate to the house..unless they're very worn and I can't see that, etc) until I'm in the house, maybe minimum half a year, studying how I want it to function, considering how layout can be changed(if you decide to go for it) and how it will impact the space as a whole. Changing the layout in 60's house..I don't know where the house is but here wouldn't be 20 K. Even with a small kitchen. Would be almost twice the cost. You touch walls, plumbing, electrical, you might need to abate asbestos, etc..drives the prices up, even if you keep the materials etc very reasonable. And it takes lot of careful planning, thought put into it, weighting pros and cons, your own preferences (say I'd be tempted to enclose the kitchen some, or move it a bit, to create the better sense of entrance, and increase storage..maybe I'd shorten it on the entrance door side, but encroach more toward the hallway so to say...I'd consider whether a pantry can be put in, or free-standing hutch would work better on the opposite side..I would give up seating there..and hundred other things) You will know all that better when living in the house. What bothers you the most, what bothers you the least..what are you ready to sacrifice and what you plan to gain. I'm waiting with interest to read other responses-there are some very talented people here, with better eye for layouts and spatial thinking than me..they might have great suggestions for you to consider. If you can upload even a simple plan with dimensions, that would be helpful too. If you want to paint meanwhile-your preferences will work nice with the kitchen as is. So you'll already feel more at home while thinking about bigger picture of a remodel.