Thank you all for the great thoughts! It really helps to hear others' opinions. I do agree that I need something to hold the plants. I've been dragging my feet on this because I didn't know how I wanted the rest of the room to look, so I wasn't sure what kind of stand to buy. I also like the idea of the indoor/outdoor rug. I think that will bring color into the space and keep the floor a bit warmer (tile gets cold here in New England!). This is a high traffic room (since it's where we enter the house, as well as where guests enter), so I want it to look put together. I am thinking a sitting room is the way to go. I may consider moving some of my current living room furniture there and buying something new for the living room itself. I need to figure out the paint for this room also. I am thinking of a sunny cream (something like BM Windham cream) or perhaps a blue-green shade akin to BM Palladian Blue (have this in the dining room and it looks nice with the dark wood molding). Any thoughts on this?

Hi weedyacres-- I enjoyed your kitchen reno and now am watching this with interest. I don't have a solution for your roof pitch problem but what you are doing to the back of your house is exactly where I started in planning a reno to the front of mine. One thing I notice is that the only access (unless there is side access) to the back yard is through the sunroom. If you ever plan to grill or entertain in the back yard, might you want easy access from the kitchen through the nook and out? I can imagine carrying everything (raw meat, dishes, utensils, etc) from the kitchen all the way through the sunroom and back again. I wish I could scan my plans, but I will try to explain. My nook will be about 8' deep but about 12' wide with a shared wall with what is your sunroom ( my new living room) which will be 16' deep. Then I put french doors in the nook for access (these will also be my new front door leading in from a porch or deck). I too originally had a wall that faced the staircase as you do in your plans, but thought the "bowling alley" that was created would end up as "weird space" I can't tell from your drawing how wide that is but it looks about 4'? It would be shaded by buildings on both sides and I was afraid nothing would grow. Also--my present only eating area in the house is a 9 foot wide by 10 foot deep space, and it is seems really tight whenever I have my parents over for a meal. (I'm single). Not much space for a decent size table.--just a thought. As for the roof line over the sunroom, a pair of square windows flanking the chimney might look kinda cool, and as long as you have egress windows elsewhere in the bedroom, you should be okay. I just gave up a window in a a smaller bedroom for the roofline of a new mudroom added to the back of my house, and, at first it was kind of weird, but the mudroom definitely makes up for the lack of a window and I don't even notice it much any more. (I still have to paint the new drywall.) and not expensive to get rid of the window. As you would be replacing existing windows (the openings are all ready there) with slightly smaller windows, I can't imagine it would be much more. Best of luck on this project. Holly

Four - thanks for your comments - KD is hiding from me today - guess I will have to make a cameo at the store tomorrow.... LocalEater - those are cute - but probably too small for this space - but good ideas! I have lots of bears and lots of ceramic pots - but I think I need some height. We have these great whimsical characters in our bathroom but I like them there - I also have a sculptured tree over the fire place. Deedles- The ceiling is ceiling white - believe it or not, I never had ceiling white in my houses - so this is a first. eBay would be a good choice - I think it would be a great idea - I think I will return the copper tub - it shines so nicely - I was thinking of adding seasonal items in it. I looked it up and no red squiggles! Here is the spelling per Webster mascarpone Springroz - The tub is from Williams Sonoma - cost about 200 - but I can just return it. Can you use copper on induction? I know copper by itself won't work - but wonder if they ever bond it to other materials.

I go with the sunroom, too, and here's why. You can build a shed for cheap at some point, and until then you'll probably keep one car inthe driveway, and all the bikes and basketballs in the garage along with the yard and snow tools. The sunroom will make a great playroom while the little ones are little. I've seen that sunroom with nothing in it but a low-pile play rug and Lego. Or balls. Or plastic hockey sticks. Or those big Little Tykes (slide, trikes, trains) Or Hot Wheels. Or dollhouses. Or art projects (easy-to-clean tile floor). Usually just one or two of those. But a great playspace, near you but not, outdoors but not. After they are done with those types of toys, it can be dining space and added living space. You don't need the shed until Boy #1 gets a car. Oops, didn't mean to scare ya lol! Upstairs, I wonder if you can steal some space from the game room to make a reach-in closet for Bedroom 2, and use its walk-in closet to expand the bathroom. 5 boys will need more counterspace, more drawer storage, and (I can't believe I'm saying this, I'm usually a 1-sink gal) 2 sinks. Downstairs, consider eliminating the study closet and adding a shower to the powder room.