CamG, I really like he latest rendition with only one gable. I agree with using taller windows. Will you have divided lites? I think this is similar to what virgilcarter is suggesting: We used 8x8 . The columns were slightly off the ground so we put in trim pieces. I would reconsider the stone on the front of the porch. I didn't realize this needed to be specified in advance. We didn't have a brick or stone ledge so it was too late by the time I decided to put stone. Maybe just put in the stone ledge just in case you change your mind.

wow- Sophie. Thank you for that information. I will try to avoid using the term 'farmhouse' if it offends folks but I think you could make a similar argument for almost every post on houzz so it seems to me a bit irrelevant for this type of public forum. I have designers- several of them- with great reputations in their respective fields. Unfortunately, since everyone is so busy, if you want attention to details, I have found it is essential to review all drawings myself (civil, structural, architect, and even the geotech and survey) and look for issues. I have found an overabundance of them- some very serious- that I have personally corrected probably saving about $65,000 at this point with no change in the house design. For this particular design issue (ceiling height), I was not presented with the option of exploring different ceiling heights or given a preference for whether or not I like large crown molding etc. The 10' ceiling was plunked down by an architect on the drawings and now it is near impossible to change as we have our permits and in our city- changes are not only expensive but would mean a return to the planning department and public review. My research and questions and legwork are definitely making my project much better than leaving everything up to designers - nobody cares about 'your' project as much as you do.

nidnay, we LOVE our wood counters. They are milled from a local western maple that came down in a storm, and a local furniture maker laminated the wood up for us into counters. They are finished in Rubio Monocoat, which is a foodsafe "hard oil" product that has bonded with the maple incredibly well. We definitely don't let water drops sit beside the faucets, and it is a worry for me, but so far, no issues. We had a small bottle early on that sat in a little water for several days before we noticed, and it did leave a small stain. But we only have to do a spot sand and re-oil and it will disappear. After a full-house gut and re-build, the counters are one of my very favorite elements in the whole place.

i actually do not as I have not made major changes. We ended up deciding to replace or update issues after prioritizing those that we think annoy us the most. For us, that was the exterior lighting (changed from gold to black), the first floor powder room (changed from a brass shower door to orb) and several of the fixtures. Next, we are going to swap out all of the outlets and covers from almond to white and the door levers from brass to chrome. The brushes nickel chandeliers that we installed made a huge difference. In the spring, we decided to get all new flooring, do something with those columns and paint all trim to white. The reason we held off on painting the trim was because we figured it would be easier and less expensive if we waited until taking the flooring off. Lots of work but we are happy in this house and breaking it down into manageable steps is working for us. Thanks