Paint and new pulls/knobs will do wonders, and you'll feel like you're accomplishing something! I also recommend a major spring cleaning of your cabinets and drawers -- organize the pantry, throw out all the wedding presents you still have but will never use and anything else that you don't use, set up a cabinet for all the baby bottles/stuff if you don't have one already. Get all the baby stuff sterilized and ready to go. As for the painting, if you paint, make sure you get the low VOC paints -- Dunn Edwards carries a special paint designed to have the lowest VOCs possible -- and then paint OUTSIDE, with doors and windows open and fans/air filters going. OR, better yet, get that DH working. During my first pregnancy, I was determined that the hall bath had to be redone before the baby. Poor DH had to remove a giant mirror, relocate lighting (new lighting), patch the wall, build an open shelf unit to replace the ugly medicine cabinet, refinish the vanity, replace the sink, faucet and countertop, baseboards, remove a glass tub/shower enclosure, new shower head, and paint (oh, and I picked out a harlequin stencil for the paint!). Being the good sport that he is, he got it all done and it was beautiful. BTW -- don't expect that just because your 2 yo is an easy child as an ONLY child s/he'll stay that way when there's another one there taking away your attention. That's a whole different ball of wax. Good luck!

Yes, Palimpsest, that beam drove me mad until I stopped seeing it after the first year...! We removed two other beams toward the ends of the room, but that one had steel in it and was holding up the second floor, so we thought we ought to let it be! Painting everything, including the ceiling, the same ivory was necessary in this case, as you might imagine. Which is what I wanted to do anyway. It wasn't the only challenge in that house, but the lovely neighborhood and the long 9-over-9 true divided light windows and the correct diminution of fenestration on the front facade seduced me...happily, as it turned out! (For those of you who aren't architects/designers, that just means that the upstairs windows are shorter (6-over-9) than the first floor.) I shut up now...

Hi Homebound, your home is similar to a relative's home in Michigan. I am no expert, just a homeowner having some time to browse this morning. A patio over the enclave would look nice especially if it can have an A-shape roof with exposed beams and extends at an angle not parallel to either side of the L shape walls. Level the entire enclave step with stones or stamped concrete with steps leading up to it. It would make an inviting entry. With flowers and landscaping on both side and a winding path leading to it, add lighting, whewww! A larger bedroom window would be nice, better proportion to the wall. Some sort of frame color (other than white) that you like or something that matches the house color would be nice. Forest green? Add a nice long flower boxes under or better yet, add a planted bed of flowers along the wall and it is curb appeal galore! May be nice to spruce up the wall with good quality black coach lamps of some sort, it makes for nice lighting at night and nice visual appeal in the day. Sorry, I am just day dreaming :-). Have fun fixing it all up!

I like the idea of a couch and two accent chairs. With a sectional, your room would barely have room for one accent chair and it would feel very cramped. I like the arrangement in your second photo best. Do you need the ottoman? The ottoman seems to be taking up space perfect for a small coffee table.