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.

I'm around, I thought this thread had died. We are going with wide plank white oak also from Carlisle. It will have a veiled white stain and clear satin finish. In fact, we just placed the order today..so I can't say how it looks but we got a great deal on it that we couldn't pass up. We will be doing the stair in the white oak as well, and I'm really happy with this plan. We considered so many different options and I got to where I was paralized and unable to make a decision. I feel that starting the new color at the stairs makes the color/species change look more intentional, if that makes sense. And going with carpet would just be too many different floors and colors in one area. This was a diy job, and it was very labor intensive, but not too challenging. Applying the tung oil on site was particularly inconvenient, luckily the white oak we are getting will come prefinished from Carlisle (it was a very customized order that a client placed and didn't purchase). I will post pics when we finish the install. Can't wait to cover up the painted plywood subfloor! kiki did you end up getting the walnut?

We did hardwood in our upstairs hall (with wood stairs) and I love it. It allows you to use different color carpet in each bedroom without it looking strange in the hallway, the way it can when the bedroom carpet meets a different hallway carpet. It also allows you to replace the carpet as it needs replacing without having to replace all the upstairs carpet. My neighbor has hardwood downstairs, carpeted stairs and hardwood in her upstairs hallway. She loves it also. Totally Confused

I love art on stair ways and landings, it creates curiosity and a sense of mystery about what is unseen in the rest of the home. Original art is compelling and to my thinking well worth the investment, so I think an oil painting would be great in that spot. With art the best way is to buy what "speaks" to you so if you are uncertain and close to a city with an art museum they often have lend/lease programs where for a relatively small fee you can select an original piece to hang for a month or so. These are not pieces from their collection, but from (usually) local artists. If you like the piece the option to buy is available. It gives you a chance to see what you enjoy. From there you can look to similar prints, if that's what the budget allows, or seek out artists at city art walks, open studio days, or even local art schools. Some savvy interior decorators I know even find great stuff at thrift stores. If you decide to go with a mirror and chest, then adding a beautiful lamp and a large vase with fresh flowers, to reflect in the glass, would be lovely as well.