chachasea-Sorry to be a pain, but do you know where to find pics of bluekitchenobsessed's kitchen? I did a search that wasn't helpful, and didn't see the name on the finished kitchen list. I was thinking creamy white island to keep thing light, but on the FK, I wasn't seeing ANY that mixed a lightish maple with a creamy white cabinet so I was worried there was a reason for that! rhome-thanks for the encouragement. I hope to post the hand drawn sketch I made for the KD but I can't get the scanner to work...thinking about just trying to take a picture of the paper! I would love for you guys to take a look.

Thank you very much...some pretty colors to think about! I'm also really hoping someone with remodeling knowledge has some ideas for changing the look of the house itself a little. I just keep looking at it and can't seem to think of what could be done. Anyway, thanks again! Really appreciated.

Like the concrete bird bath. Birds will like it more in the middle of your front yard. Like the windmill, too. Perhaps you could level up spots for each of them. On the side of the house, you could extend the existing roof with the same slope enough to cover the side stoop and create a smaller side facing gable over the side door. Add to your front porch (treated 1"x6" rounded edged deck board floor), extending it from the current stoop all the way to the right end of the house plus the additional width of your side deck. Use a shed roof with a small forward facing gable over the front door. By connecting the two porches, you end up with a wrap around porch. Add a treated wood railing, leaving an opening directly across from the front door; also, leave an opening in the railing of the side part of the porch facing the back yard. You've now defined which is your front door and which is your back door. Front porch should be at least 6' deep to allow chairs to be set against the exterior wall of the home and still have room to walk by the rail in front of the chairs. Now do your landscaping to direct visitors from the driveway to your front entrance. By creating a sidewalk that begins with a short straight walk toward the road at the front of the house before curving it toward the driveway, you'll create a planting area between your porch and the walk. If you're in pn planting Zone 7, I'd suggest aucuba bushes -- they keep their leaves and are attractive all year. There are plastic elbows you can attach to the end of your downspout and flexible pipe you can connect to that and bury in the ground -- or at least lay a length of it on the ground beneath your newporch to have the water run out beyond your porch to get the rainwater farther away from your house,

You have good bones to play with. The kitchen is nice! Looks well-preserved and well laid out--lucky you! I'd love to see it with a turquoise floor. Bathroom could use a colored floor as well. I'm not sure what your budget is...but Marmoleum would be super nice in both rooms, and comes in fun colors. I'd replace all the replacement hardware with original style hardware.I see one boomerang in all that. You need ALL boomerangs! Or at least something a tad more MCMy, preferably in chrome and/or brass.