Thanks for your kind words about the house. :) awm03, I believe you're correct that this house is post-MCM. It was listed as such on Zillow. "Just noting, though, that both the dining and front rooms seem to be visible from the family room, so I'm wondering about visual...symmetry with one very dark and the other very light. Also, painting the dining room dark will make that one set of windows especially dominant during the day." hamamelis, good points! "Curtains aside, they also seem to be asking me for a console or some such thing under the single panes..." I guess that would be possible if the console or some such sat far enough from the wall so that the drapes could move behind it. "Regarding the glass and mirrors, it occurs to me that the front room would change light and character dramatically with all of it gone. And that it can be beautiful when well done and lit." Excellent point. I think I'm not liking it now because there are so many things on it. I was looking at the listing photos and I much prefer it with a few select pieces of art. "Why is there what looks like a little wall sticking out in the middle, though, with the glass continuing on?" It does have a little wall that divides the glass area into two sections. It's just decorative and has been there since the house was designed - no doorway removal. justerrilynn, I like those styles of rugs. I've been eyeing them up on Overstock. I'm going to mull over the light-colored leather sofa idea. My set is getting older, but it's still in good condition, so it might be a hard sell to the BF. Lighter colors and a more MCM design would fit better in this house. I think after digesting all of the advice given, that I'll stick with light, neutral colors and hold off on the deep blue dining room. I suspect that a new coat of paint is going to go a long ways towards making things seem fresh and inviting. Thank you!

we are going to tear down that ugly retaining wall and dig out so entire front of house will be exposed... want to add stone entry steps with porch or ? portico. Want to have large mossy and beautiful boulders to look natural and act as retaining wall. How do we get to front door with new plan? I wish we had never bought this place. It's so discouraging. The inside is ok and remodeled but the outside. it does sit on 40 acres but it's just such a hideous exterior.

You know how the police read people their Miranda Rights ... we have just come up with our own Bischak Rights! Well done Mark! ;-) This needs to be posted as the first reply to any post that includes floor plans or elevations. Bischak Warning/Rights: "WARNING: Posting your entire floor plan opens you up to facts you may not want to know, but should. Be prepared for suggestions that will make for a better design. Keep a thick skin, open mind, sense of humor, and a glass of wine within arms reach. You may not enjoy it, but everyone else will and you will be better off in the long run if you heed well the advice." Ok, back to looking at today's floor plan!

Would you husband be opposed to a tandem garage? With a good architect and builder and of course $$$ you could build on and have a side facing garage. The garage would still fit 4 cars, but just tandem through the new garage into the old garage. They can fill in the current garage door and make it look like it is part of the house and not just a filled in garage door. Remove the old driveway and re-landscape. And your house would not look like all garage.