Lovely house ... very Prairie School and serene. Given the colors in the stone, how about two shades of grey or grey-brown taken from the stone. One on the prominent banding, one on the rest of the walls. If they are pale grey and a slightly darker grey you would enhance the horizontals subtly, and have the pillar of yellow and grey stone standing out. Using the paler color on the walls would make them move forward, using the darker color would make them look set deeper and look more shadowed.

Not certain if you are speaking about painting for the exterior or interior. Hardi Plank is, I believe, a concrete product. Therefore pretty unafffected by mositure and a quality latex paint should be fine. For the interior, I always provide rather contrary advise for new construction. That is to select a neutral paint which will please you for the first year. During that time you can get a feel for the lighting, furnishings and personal preferences for your new home to repaint - which will then be necessary. Reason it will be necessary is that during the first year your home will settle and the materials will dry. Accordingly you will begin to see nail pops and taping seam splits. These are inevitable and is why your builder will provide a 1-year follow-up inspection to repair these issues. But they won't repaint - that's your job! That's when a quality paint will be your best investment because better paints generally cover more area per gallon, cover in fewer coats, clean better and maintain their appearance for more years. Truly a $40 per gallon paint is worth the difference (and quite possibly less costly) unless you're planning to move shortly after completing the paint job. Personally I like SW Duration but many here like BM Aura - both top-of-the-line products. I'm not a fan of Behr, though I used it in our basement. I felt is was unusually thick and applied differently, and after about 5 years I notice it getting a chalky surface. Where in Iowa? I grew up on a farm near Newton and went to college in Iowa City. Know the climate well! Enjoy your new home.

Thanks everyone! Sena01, thank you, I am trying the cabinets in front of the duct wall also. Pulling out the Fridge wall would give me issues with the ceiling grid area though. damiarain, thanks so much, we think its pretty cool too :) You have a really nice plan and what you and cpartist have made looks like a good workspace. PirateFoxy, thanks, I have the same thoughts about the fridge placement. Ok here are my issues. I would prefer to vent outside, keeping the cooktop on the outside wall. Everyone seems to agree I should lose that doorway from elevator and I get it, I just would prefer to find another way around that. This plan pulls everything to the dining room/entry area and my goal was to expand into the family area and pull the work areas that way a bit. Perhaps moving the ovens, move the fridge to the left and make a 28" counter there? Make a peninsula off the exterior wall on the other side of the cooktop? The family room space I really want to become part of the kitchen, with a desk and an eat in area. When you walk up onto this main floor you walk into the dining area looking right at where the fridge is placed in this plan. This counter area, left of the sink, I am imagining open with maybe shelves, no uppers. Keeping the counters open near the sink and window. So when you look at it like this, I think you will agree that it should be open with no appliances there. I really appreciate as much input as I can get, thanks so much!

Sara Skiz, that's a beautiful rug and while the room does feel a bit heavy, I think that can be alleviated by spreading the furniture out a bit more and choosing some lighter art and accessories. As for the bar stools, can you give us a shot that shows how this area relates to the counter? That is, a photo that has the seating area and counter in the same shot?