Debrak and Robotropolis: You’ve given me a lot to think about, I feel like we’re almost there. A few comments if I can take some more of your time… Debrak: 1. The problem with swapping the sink and range is that the sink sits under a window, probably not a good place for a range, right? There’s already venting above the current stovetop, does that help? Also, a sink on the “L” would be in full sight of our DR and LR, whereas in its current location we can hide some dirty dishes in the corner. 2. The idea of FDs is to let in as much cool air as possible when we return on a warm evening and are trying to find the energy to cook in our hot kitchen. Also, we had a sliding door in our last house and I found it a pain to open and close. Would it save space to have FDs open out? 3. (and Robotropolis) Not sure if we need an eating nook in the back. We use DR all the time and may have a small table on deck right outside back door. The house is quite small and can feel maze-like. What we need is additional storage and areas that don’t feel obstructed. So having an area with some open space feels good. Robotropolis: 1. I love the clean look of the galley kitchen in your last layout. If we didn’t need a table in nook, but wanted to maximize storage, what would you suggest there? Would you consider keeping W/D? 2. I feel like the most complicated and significant part of this remodel is the access to the MBR and what to do with that corner of the kitchen. I would give up some usable space (and locate W/D elsewhere) if we resolved how best to access MBR and even maybe MB. Could you see a way to make MB accessible to guests without going through MBR, perhaps by using a pocket door that could close off that area? Otherwise guests coming in from backyard would need to enter MBR or go almost to front door then turn around to use other bath. Debrak and Robotropolis: I’m wondering what you think about a galley vs. L shape, considering the rest of our floor plan. Currently, you can see the entire back of the house as soon as you open front door. I’m attaching some photos. Would a galley or an L shape work better, both aesthetically and in terms of flow? Would you suggest creating a partial wall, feature wall, etc. to block off some of the kitchen/laundry area? One other thing: We live in a very warm, inland area of Los Angeles. One of the reasons we chose our house was because it was on a big lot (10,000 sf) and we love to garden, grill, sit outside, etc. A key goal has been to better connect the back of the house with the outside. View from front door thru LR to DR, kitchen: View of corner of kitchen where access would be to MRB (wall behind toaster oven): View to outside. This is where we’d lik FDs leading to deck: Turning around, this is view from kitchen to DR, LR, front door: View of DR to LR and front door:

Goodness, Suddenly old threads are reborn! Thank you all so much. As many of us here know, these big projects take so much time and effort and resources that you can really sour on them by the end. So it really, truly, makes you day when someone likes what you've done. Thanks. Andi K, The link below is for the lights. I really love them. I wanted two lights because i wanted them over a rectangular entry table. But when you enter, the hall goes straight through to the back patio and the pond, and i didnt want the lights to obscure the pond view. These are so airy! (BTW I would imagine they can be found in less costly versions, although at the time I could not find the size I wanted anywhere else and I caved for these. I can't say they are great value, though they are great quality) Lake Girl - my kitchen is STILL not totally finished, and I am waiting for that before I post. Let's just say it now involves courts, sigh. Someday I will give in and post it anyway. Polly, thank you! I am very proud of them because from the time we started our 2+year whole house project I felt the choice of front door was important. In then end I overruled all sorts of fussy ideas from the professionals and chose these doors. I think they fit my vision for the style of the house, which I call "farmhouse, after a particularly good crop" and DH calls "Shaker, but without all the frills". Funny though, I guess we don't have too many farmer friends or equestrians. When confronted with our front door, they never seem to know how to unlatch it. They just slide the whole thing over ... Here is a link that might be useful: my entry hall lights

Thanks, marthavila, I sometimes have to look at it through someone else's eyes to appreciate it. We bought our house 11 years ago and it was badly in need of renovation THEN. Well, time went by, we had 4 kids, dh went through 3 internet start-ups, and the renovations never got done. Lauraella, there were times when I begged dh to sell our house and move us into a 1980's tract house - anything that was functional , warm in the winter and cool in the summer (lack of AC has been one of our biggest issues; we are taking care of that with the renovation as well.) Now, we are finally doing the renovation, but living through it (we can't afford to rent) has proved to be the biggest challenge yet. The GC had to build us a temporary kitchen and a new bathroom in the basement because they tore off our kitchen and 1 1/2 baths during the gut. The only way to access the basement is to go out onto the framing and down a set of temporary stairs. For about a week, the only way down was to go out the front door, around the back of the house and down the outside cellar stairs. IT WILL ALL BE WORTH IT. That is my mantra.

Well! If you have another room for the TV than that is your answer. Then, you can move the sofa to that wall and add two small club chairs across from it. If you go the chair route, get ones that swivel as you have the window seat in one direction and the dining table in the other. Easy to swivel and converse! I am not a fan of the TV being in the living room if there is another place that it can go. I wouldn't rush to take down the half wall. You will need someone competent to match your existing hardwood. Your kitchen looks like a nice size. Is there a table in there? Or can bar stool be put on that side if you replace the counter? It looks like it is a different material than your counters anyway so you can find a material similar to what is now there. ETA: When you do look to buy furniture, look that furniture scaled for small spaces/apartments. It's sometimes hard to judge in the store so take a tape measure with you.