Thanks to everyone who responded with their pictures and comments. Mavsfan, those ceilings are looking fantastic! I think the different designs you've used throughout your new home give it such character and charm. I really appreciate the pictures. Wonbyherwits, the molding in your room is beautiful. Our builder uses what they refer to as double crown molding because of the "wow" factor and also because he feels with the higher ceilings, a single piece of crown gets lost in the shuffle. After seeing how you added the extra four inches to your molding and the effect you get from it, his opinion is one I would echo and do the same in our home. Worthy, after hearing of your experience, I think we'll go ahead with the crown and have it installed now than adding it later and ending up incurring additional costs (we all know how easily that happens and how quickly those $$$ add up). Speaking of $$$, do you have any idea what it might cost or should cost approximately to add a coffered ceiling to a 14' x 19' dining room. It is rectangular in shape so there are not unusual cuts if that would be a factor. Thanks for any help you can give us. Luckymom, the trim work in the pic you posted is droolworthy and has given me a few more ideas--thanks!

Oh, I see. The uplighting from the knee walls is sounding better now. The previous owners of my house used wall-mounted track lighting in my finished attic, which is all sloping roof surfaces and has no horizontal ceiling on which to mount lights more conventionally. We position the fixtures to bounce light off of nearby wall and roof surfaces, and it's a very nice effect. Most of what I know about lighting design is geared towards kitchens -- I'm out of my depth in rooms like you're describing. One thing I've found very helpful is to get a few of those cheap clip-on utility lights with aluminum reflectors and try out different sorts of bulbs, in different positions and orientations, to see what effects you get. This lets you experiment with many ideas very quickly, and is a lot of fun.

The walk out basement will be darker. A deck that deep will do that. An option would be to incorpoate openings in the deck that line up with the doors/windows underneath. Place structural plastic you can walk on over the areas. Offset them from the lower level so no direct line of site. Watch the contractor roll his eyes when you suggest it. Ron

I agree with Mattypies! I LOVE our 2 story great room, despite having a "small" house (1350 sq. ft.). Ours faces due south with 7' tall (4' wide) windows going up 2 floors and a vaulted ceiling to boot, but with a good supply of mature trees that leaf out beautifully in the early spring, protecting us from the UV and heat. We actually don't even have A/C and even with summer temps in the 104 degree temps in the summer, it's been super cosy. The key for us is that all of our windows open and we have TONS of great cross ventilation. The deciduous trees are leaf-less in the winter, and that means that we don't have to start heating the house until late in the year and get to turn the heat off in the early spring. We of course, went with high efficiency windows that are designed to improve heat penetration during the winter, and reduce it in the summer (sun angles). We don't have children yet, but the noisy even when all the nieces and nephews are over isn't very noticeable. We did Roxul Safe 'n Sound in all of our walls and floors, which I think made a huge difference, along with solid doors with a minimal gap under them. Plus rugs and plush couches. We *love* the way it feels like we're outside even when we're inside. The sun shines in during the winter, the birds sit on our window sills, and the breezes flows through in the summer. It's like being a part of the outdoors, instead of being in this little box of wood and drywall. Ick. Our heating costs have been LESS than our friends who have bungalows of the same size, and I'm certain it is because of the passive solar heating. A big fan in the middle of the vault, and using high quality insulation and proper attic ventilation, we haven't had any issue in the summertime either. We keep the 2nd floor doors closed during the hot days, and that helps keep the heat from entering. Not that it matters because one bedroom is on the north side and is quite cool year round, and the east-side master bedroom has 3 windows and a balcony door, so the evening breezes and a ceiling fan cool it down right quick. I think you REALLY need to think about the placement of all the rooms, and if you can capture the heat/cooling in the house. Go with what you love, not with what "everyone else likes". That's my biggest pet peeve; we build a house for someone else, not us. Why bother?? Just buy a used house and live with what everyone else liked.