Craftsman style house goes with my cottage style of gardening. One of the two blue spruce in the pictures, the one on the right, came down in a big rain and windstorm early this spring. So there is a lot more light in the front. That side is now in full sun. As to lots of land, I don't have it. I have a typical suburban size lot. What makes it all work here as far as everything I have planted is that the yard is all multilevel. Harder to deal with but more things can be squeeezed in. It would never all work if it was just level. The parking lot you can see across the street is to a 16 acre park and beach so its really very nice here in the summer. Its for our City residents but never crowded just afew people arounhd weekdays and not that much more on weekends. Next to it immediately adjoining so you can walk from one into the other is a large county nature preserve, this time all wooded. Also with shoreline accress. I remember going fishing there with my dad when I was a young child. Well, I went with him. He fished, I played around.

@GreenDesigns This house had gone through a remodel with a previous owner (who in my opinion always went with the cheapest possible solution, and also didn't seem to think things through too much). I can post some pictures and describe the whole house, but let's just say unless we're gonna rebuild the whole thing, we have have to kind of live within certain limitations. The original house is on the higher foundation, when they added this huge room / extension they didn't keep it at level. Currently the big room has two smaller rooms attached that are now at least at the same level as the large room itself (we raised the floor on that one). Before there was an additional 7 inch step down into one of the smaller rooms. For both of the smaller adjoining rooms, the ceiling height is at a lower limit, so we can't raise the floor anymore to keep everything else level. I may post a few more images so you can see what I'm talking about.

I am so sorry! Your last sentence breaks my heart for you. :( I just wrote a detailed reply - just to have it deleted. Grr. I have looked into this a little (I am not a builder or anything - just through Google) and it seems that many houses have a small step up (2-4 inches) into their house. Apparently it is to help keep weather from entering when the door is open. You have a porch, so this wouldn't be much of an issue BUT the point is: there can be a "mini" step up without it being a tripping hazard. Our home ( we rent ) has this and I have never even thought about it! The fact that there is a door frame, and usually different flooring, gives our brain the info it needs to understand. Does that make sense? Someone suggested something similar earlier in this conversation: build a step that is the same rise as the others you have (are there others? I can't tell from your photo). Make it wider than your front door (it will look better this way). Then the last inch or so will just be part of the natural step into your home. If you are skeptical, you could build a temporary one out of wood (a couple 2x6s would work), and try it. :) Anyway, I am praying (hope that is okay!) that you will see one thing every day (even if it is little) that you love about living in your new home - to help offset your frustration. Sincerely, C.

We make the top riser 5"-6". Since you have an auto cover going in, the rise from the top step to the patio will be an additional 3"-4" because of coping thickness (generally 2") and cover track (1 1/4" generally) We always make the top step a minimum of 2'x2' for a large landing and ease of getting in and out.. The remainder of the treads are always 14" for a sure footing. If you change the top riser, you will also have to change the remaining risers. There are actually should be 4 steps anyway. That's what we do based on a 39" height from top rough beam to the floor. Lose the 3" to factor a 3' water depth. You may want to speak with the building inspector about code requirements for the steps. But 14" is way too tall especially on the entry rise.