Thank you, thank you for so many thoughtful posts. This is an international move for us, so I have been travelling to coordinate everything involved - I only had 2 weeks to find something and this house ticks a lot of boxes for us, so I will work with it. I completely agree with many of you on working with what is there and with the Scandi modern look - as I said in my first post "will try to go with a mix of nature (lots of wood), clean lines, bright colors (fern green, orange, yellow, turquoise), and some funky accents". My mom is Danish and I have inherited Danish modern dining table & chairs, buffet, turquoise pottery, floor lamp, etc. so that is our style in general. Our stuff is pretty modern, but not industrial, more nature-oriented mixed with lots of ethnic art and crafts bought on our travels. I'm definitely not trying to recreate a period-perfect kitchen or house - as palimpsest accurately guessed, this is a split entry colonial revival ranch so I'm really not sure there is any period-perfect style anyway. But we do like to respect the period features of our homes (most recently an 1882 Victorian and a 1910 Tudor revival, both 4 stories so we are really looking forward to one main level!) (And I really enjoyed reading all the commentary here on period issues.) Nonetheless, Tuscan-looking or even American traditional just isn't us, or the rest of the house, ergo my desire to create a feel in kitchen more in keeping generally with our eclectic stuff and the period of the house. Even though they are not my taste, there is no way I could take down almost new solid maple (cherry-stained) cabinets, as much as I might love IKEA. Anyone have any experience stripping stain off cabinets like these? I "might" think about that as I would like them better in a lighter wood tone, of course even better with a slab front but too many cabinets to contemplate that. I like the suggestion to take down and store the uppers next to the range and do a big tiled backsplash with a big stainless range hood. I like that idea aesthetically and practically since microwave vents are never powerful enough and uppers near a stovetop always wind up sticky and greasy. Will definitely look for a sleek stainless pull, maybe with a curve. I wonder if it possible to somehow cut off the mullions from the glass-fronted ones?? For the floors, I have loved the look and feel of cork previously so I'm inclined to go with that - it needs something less busy to minimize the busy-ness of the cabinet fronts. I don't know what to do for the counters? Formica or metal-trimmed aren't what I was contemplating. I think stone or tile will look too "Tuscan"/90s - whatever you want to call it - with the cherry cabinets. Already too much wood cabinet for butcher block. That leaves concrete, stainless or that manufactured quartz that looks quite uniform. Any thoughts? Thank you for all the links - I loved some of the tile patterns, but am concerned about busy-ness. I haven't had a chance to look at all the lighting links - thinking something clean lined, Scandi looking, not space-age. I'm also a bit stuck on backsplash and paint color. I love green and will be using it elsewhere in the house, but I have too many memories of dark green with cherry in 90s kitchens. Maybe another shade? I do love yellow and orange, which again will show up elsewhere in the house alot. I guess I am just really hung up on that cherry and what goes with it...

Where are you located? There are places that are dry enough to make having a gravel yard practical, but if you live somewhere with a more average amount of rainfall, you will need to use an application of weedkiller at least a couple of times a year or get a flame weeder. A flame weeder could be an issue if it is underlain with weed fabric which might melt. The other issue is that gravel + kids can be an problem (so tempting to throw), depending on your kids. I like the gray tones for the house so much more than the current brown. I would remove the shrub at the base of the stairs and replace it with a low-growing flowering plant. I would want to break up the expanse of the side of the stairs with evergreen shrubs and face them with some lower flowering plants. Choose your shrubs so that the ultimate size can be kept below the level of the stairs. I would want something bright to bring attention to your raised front door, either the door color or if there is space, a large, low flower container planted with bright flowers or foliage. Don't do anything to hide that gorgeous railing! Most houses of this time period have walkways are too narrow, so if there are funds and the walkway isn't at least 4'-5' wide, widen it. A lower cost way to widen it is to add a band of a contrasting color pavers that are 8"-12" wide on each side, and a full replacement would be more expensive. The more generous walkway, along with the more visible bottom of the steps from removing the current shrub, and a generous landing at the base of the steps will make the entry more welcoming. I like the way the fence breaks up the expanse of gravel, but the dissonance between the roof line and the line created by the top of the fence is a bit disconcerting.

George, I like your idea of working floating shelves into the alcove. I had forgotten that we would have sides to anchor them, also. By the size of our TV, we should be able to put in 2 24" shelves on each side. That *might* be enough room for my items. Going to give it some thought. Disfromage, I did see that system from Ikea. I thought about staining the wood something closer to teak/walnut... Calidesign, I think my pictures make the room look MUCH bigger than it is! The windows really help with that! Our couch is only a love seat! Also, I am trying to get rid of these 80's Oak cabinets all over the house. I painted them in the kitchen and bathrooms, and just want to remove them here. Good idea to change out the ceiling fan, though! We moved the Credenza into the house as we start demolition. I think it is going to be very pretty in the space!

I don't like the dark paint. With your light roof and light stone it looks like someone tied a dark green ribbon around the top of your house. A lighter color would be an improvement. I dislike the planters and would remove them if possible. I would remove the rail if it is not needed for safety. It is probably original but it makes the door seem inaccessible You can buy a full view storm door and paint it and the house door the same color. I love your lamp post. Do you have a porch light? I made an amateurish image of a lighter house with no planters. Do you think the stone is original?