I'm not really counting the hot tub or mud room porches. The hot tub is for my husband (and he loves it) and the mudroom porch is functional, not really decorative. This means all I'm being held accountable for (so to speak) is the greenhouse/sun porch and the screened porch. Since the screened porch is for eating outside and close to the BBQ (which will be just beyond it) my husband really likes that, too. So, I guess I just had to convince him about the greenhouse/sun porch...and he knows how much I really want that for gardening/winter sunshine :) We really like the changes to the kitchen and no one seems to mind the slightly longer walk to the living room, in exchange for more separation/noise control. Of course, we're not used to the living room and kitchen open to each other, so that might be one reason it won't be missed. We have a 7' wall now, which blocks the view, but not the noise. Just in case Summerfield stops by and decides to update my new kitchen layout, I have a few more changes (small ones) to the rest of the plan. The cool farm sink with drainboards, would be great out in the sun porch, against the wall to the ovens. With the screened porch for entertaining, this can be more of a greenhouse/small seating area...and we're moving the door to be opposite the sink. The lilacs don't go quite that far back and it will be easier access to the vegetable garden. This would also give us space for a small table with two chairs (bistro style) on the sink side and maybe a couple of wicker chairs on the other end. Since we're moving the sink, I'd still like a sink in the utility room, but something a bit smaller with more storage space around it. And, the front door/vestibule, I'd like to change that to a single glass door instead of double doors, since it will usually be kept closed. As for the basement door...anyway to make that a pocket door, but with glass? Thank you all for your suggestions, insight and help! Especially Summerfield, not only for the beautiful plans, but the constant support, great ideas and amazing changes that came up with this final plan! :)

We installed a functional, commercial lean-to greenhouse with plexiglass panels against one ell of our house. Put in a gas fireplace and it is heated in winter and used year round. It is 12 x24 and multifunctional now. We keep it heated in winter, at one time it was used as an office for my business, and forced into use as a place to overwinter nursery stock for propagating. Since my business has been phasing down and is now phased out we simply use it now as a great buffer zone against the elements. My back door and two other household doors remain open to it year round. I have a fountain in there and hang ferns in winter. It has brick floors and is a great transition room from our outdoor activities to inside activities.......home for coat racks, boots and animals who shoot out our back door without leashes, lol. Gets a good amount of solar gain and helps our heat bills too. We have a ventilator fan at its apex to pull out heat, have a shade cloth we can use in summer, and a storm door for the outside entrance, so we can screen in summer. I can't imagine not having it now and it's a lot handier than the creaky old back porch we pulled off. It's like having both functional outdoor and indoor space added.

While I do agree you have to be very careful with mixing materials, I still feel you can combine to get a very nice look. Similar to using trim in a house around windows/doors to highlight certain architectural features. It all depends on your style and the look you wish to achieve. The pavers I had selected did not have a bullnose paver (some lines do) and so we ended up using bricks to define borders and for steps and our seat wall. I am very happy how it turned out. We were in a similar situation where we had poured foundation for our front porch and everything else was dirt. I always knew I wanted a slate porch, but didn't want to put it on a sloping walkway nor did we feel it was the best choice. I've seen slate edging and I hate the look as it's hard to get a smooth edge. I also wanted to cut on the diagonal so that it flowed from my interior travertine entry. The results I think turned out better than I imagined. We get numerous compliments on our front yard from neighbors walking by. In the backyard, we had a retaining wall. We extended the patio to meet the wall and designed a circular area which I call my outdoor dining room. I plan to put a wrought iron patio set there this spring. The material is fullrange Connecticut Bluestone. In addition, my contracor put a concrete mowing edge where the grass meets the retaining wall. He colored the concrete when it was poured to match with the grout. In the past, I've put color on a concrete front porch. Overtime the color would wear off so keep in mind it is different if you mix the color when you set the concrete vs. color after the fact. Another material which I *love* is the Connecticut Blue Stone tiles--purchased in about 4 different sizes and arranged in a pattern. However, I don't see the Bluestone working so well with your pavers so perhaps slate is a better choice. I found most contractors tend to recommend materials they have experience working with--though some, like mine, have experience with all. I would choose what matierals you want to use and interview contractors which have experience in the mediums you wish to use. Going to a good matierals yard can me very educational about all of your options.

Love the pics! Margaret, that virginia creeper looks wonderful and makes the deck area look like a secret hideaway. I just saw some vc at Lowes and was tempted to get a pot. Can it be invasive with too much water? Shirley, love your outdoor areas, too. The stones under the pergola are wonderful and I don't think the plants look like weeds one bit. I love that look - it is so refreshing and organic. We have a covered front porch with a swing and two rockers. DH made the swing for me for mother's day a long time ago. The porch has views of the Antelope and Victor Valleys. It's really nice to sit there and watch the summer thunderstorms light up the desert. My sweet Emma enjoying the swing. We built a pergola and deck onto the back of our home last year. We had a small deck off the kitchen but decided to have it span the entire length. We're glad we did. We have lots of dirt and wind up here so now there is less getting tracked into the house. These pics are from last fall. We are on the northern slopes of the San Gabriel Mtns. so the view is nice out back, as well. We now have beds in front of the deck with hollies and various perennials. And a few roses - gotta have my roses. : ) We've ordered a new 6' slider for the kitchen. It should be here soon. Ah, another project - it never ends! Diana Here is a link that might be useful: more deck/pergola pics