Another name for Raised Ranch is Bi-level (like the picture shown above). They are usually built on a concrete slab foundation. I don't know that builders make those anymore (our bi-level was built in 1964). You enter in the middle of the house, and then have to go either half a flight up or down. Upstairs usually has a living, dining, kitchen and three bedrooms. Downstairs has the garage, family room/den and usually a fourth bedroom. There is no "basement" as such. They also tend to be pretty small by modern standards. They were a very popular option from the 60s through the 80s, because they are an efficient use of space in a small floor plan.

OK, here are some options. [Note: Door & stair opening/landing measurements were taken from your older post.] BTW...is the Living Room wall a true, completely enclosed wall or is it partially open (like a pass-through or with spindles interspersed for the entire length of the wall)? I wasn't sure b/c it was not "filled in" like the other walls. On the off chance the wall is not solid, I created solid walls in some of the layouts -- if the wall is already solid, then no need to build one out. ++++++++++ All but two layouts have the refrigerator in the same place -- the bottom right -- to accommodate a table. The only ones that have the refrigerator elsewhere have banquette seating; not my favorite for the only table seating, but it's an option. The banquette is the only way the refrigerator can realistically fit anywhere else than along the far right wall, assuming you want decent aisles, that is! Note that I mixed things up. I did this to show you what options you have. In many cases, you can "mix & match", just be sure you keep decent aisles, a fairly open space around the door, and at least two Prep Zones, preferably with water next to both of them. If you have a question as to whether some options can be mixed, just ask! I'll work it up to show you yes or no. Walls...Note that while I did not modify the 4'5" wall (bottom right), I did modify the left side a bit in most cases, some more than others. Hopefully, you can modify that wall b/c it's one of the biggest reasons you have such a traffic jam -- it forces people to go into the middle of the room to go from the exterior door on the left to the rest of the home. One last thing, the Cooking Zone (with the range) should be the most protected Zone from traffic -- so if traffic is directed away from it or it's in a "dead end" area, it will work better. ++++++++++ Layout #1: Long "L" with China "hutch" for storing your good chin as well as a buffet for staging/serving food. There are three variations; all three share the same Work Zone Map, so only Zone map is included. Layout #1a has a shallow built-in pantry with 12"D shelves floor-to-ceiling. It still has two 24" pantry cabinets. I'm actually not a fan of pantry cabinets this wide and originally put in three 18" wide pullout pantries, but they didn't quite fit b/w the wall and window (you need some filler b/w the wall and the first pantry cabinet). Two didn't provide enough "buffer" to the door. Layout #1b has a tall cabinet with a MW alcove. See a later layout with two 18" pantries & a 12" Utility pullout. What I think is best, is a reach-in pantry (Layout 1a) or shallow pantry cabinets (Layout 3). ++++++++++ Layout #2: Similar to Layout #1 except it has two sinks -- one where the current one is as a prep sink and one in the old Dining Room for Cleanup. This provides two or three very nice Prep Zones -- all with their own counterspace as well as sink access for all three. It also creates a Prep Zone separate from the Cleanup Zone, very helpful if someone is trying to load/unload the DW while someone else is preparing a meal or snack. ++++++++++ Layout #3: Short "L" + small island + Shallow Pantry cabinets and a China cabinet ++++++++++ Layout #4: It has banquette for table seating, a small island, and the refrigerator is on the top wall b/w the windows. The MW is in a tall cabinet to the right of the range. ++++++++++ Layout #5: As with Layout #4, it has banquette for table seating, a small island, and the refrigerator is on the top wall b/w the windows. In this case, there's a prep sink along the right wall creating a Prep Zone separate from the Cleanup Zone, very helpful if someone is trying to load/unload the DW while someone else is preparing a meal or snack.

Check with your local building codes, go to city hall and ask. You probably have enough egress to close off door (ways of exiting house in case of emergencies) which would include windows also, if sized for egress. Explanation, a bedroom requires two ways of exiting, the door to the bedroom, and the window in bedroom must be of a certain size (code will tell you what size opening is required) . When I purchased my home I had a sliding door to where the deck would be (I have a split level entry like you have) but no deck was built, I had it built after purchasing house. It was legal to have door to "nowhere" because there were three 1x4 across the door for a railing of sorts, meant to be temporary. That was legal. I had a apartment once that did not have a deck but had sliding glass door, they had metal wrought iron, I guess you would call railing across the bottom half. That was built that way, all the upper floor apartments (2story) had that in a large apartment complex and it's still like that 40 years later.

Remove the shutters and then explain what you want to update . What is your style? IMO these houses can be many things for style depending on how they are treated. We need some guidance to really help these are 2 very different ways to change the exterior . You mention doing stuff to the interior if that is a plan then IMO you do that work first then tackle the exterior since often interior work affects the exterior. Also if you can post pics of styles you like that helps us .