Believe it or not, decent looking ceiling fans exist. On every design show I've ever seen they're the first things to be thrown out, but I have them in every bedroom. Mmm slight draft at night without the sound of floor fan... I pspent no fewer than 18 weeks looking (off and on) for a "pretty" one to go in my master. I have lived with a 4 poster bed. My experience - unless you have really high ceilings, and I'm talking like 10 ft, and a sizeable room, it will turn your space into... tiny. Once upon a time in a previous life I thought I had a big bedroom until I put a poster bed in there. I like your computer nook. I always wanted a space like that, which I could separate from the rest of the room with some romantic drapery tied back. I might force that idea on my formal dining room. :) beds/headboards coverin ga window do bother me. I don't like anything to cover a window (couch, table, or otherwise) -- but that's just me. And if it came down to a queen bed, or covering that window, sure - the window would get covered! We have single panels on our two bedroom windows, mostly because they're skinny and it looked silly to me to have two panels. If you need to cover the window, something that seems to help (at least when I've seen it done) is to pull the bed away from the wall a foot or so. Then you can go with two panels, and it looks kind of intentional instead of "didn't have space." Something else to keep in mind with blocking windows -- does the sun come directly in such that it would fade your bedding over time?

1) Although ours was more standard, when growing up we had 3 bedrooms with 1 full bath (mind you it was large because my Dad was like, hey, I live with 3 girls lol!) and the "ensuite" was attached to the main but had just a toilet, vanity/sink and closets. It worked. I don't think they roughed in for a bathroom in the basement when building but there was definitely tons of room downstairs for an additional bedroom and bathroom. 2) Agree with others that it depends on comps in your area. We built 3 bedrooms upstairs but always had it in the future plans to build another room in the basement which we are currently working on. It gives people the option to move in with more children and/or use it as guest room (or convert it to something else entirely) and it doesn't take away from the space either. Upstairs we have 2 full baths (one being an ensuite), 3 bedrooms, mudroom, fairly large foyer, kitchen, small dining and a living room (which isn't overly large and once we finish the basement will just be more of a sitting/entertaining space) Downstairs we (will) have a large family room, bar, storage, full bath, laundry room, utility room which also doubles as storage, 1 bedroom (complete with egress window and a decent closet) and an office. And all that in a combined 2832 sq.ft (main floor 1416sq ft) It doesn't feel cramped either. (Ask me again when I start to have kids lol which is the importance of getting the basement finished) I live in the country and combined there's probably about 12 homes on our street with most of it being farm homes/land. My sisters old house built on the lot beside ours was also 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths with room in the basement for addition. The house across from ours is ranch style which I presume, based on others in the nearby towns, has 3 bedrooms and 1 full bath on the main floor and probably another bedroom and bathroom in the basement. Most of the houses on my street are around the same size as ours. All that said I guess my advice would be, build for 3 with the intention that some other space could potentially be converted. If you go up to 4 though, as a buyer, I would probably prefer 2 full and 1 half bath. I think it's great that you are considering future sale in your plans. We just built our first home and while ideally I would like to live in it forever, I know I won't. While I wanted my house to be specific to me, I still made sure that nothing was too over the top or too personalized that it would turn buyers away. I not only looked at what would function for me, but what was the norm and would flow well for really any type of family/buyer.

"A two story home should have 2 separate systems. " This is a townhouse, likely 1500 sq feet +/- from looking at the floorplans. I've never heard of one with two systems. Have you, Austin? Elmer, not all townhouses are 1500 sq feet. So when I say what I say you are taking it out of context for what I mean by it. Meaning you are going to have problems controlling comfortable temps in a 2 story structure with one thermostat. This is regardless as to the size of the structure. Townhomes come in all different sizes. If I don't describe the situation as I have described it the home owner or townhome owner is under the illusion something is wrong with the system when it is really a 'system design' limitation. I don't build townhomes, nor do I build homes. While the structure often limits what I can do to correct foolishness of what architects design this doesn't change the control options of the system does it? At the end of the day, heat still rises and cooling still falls... the thermostat reads in an area of 10 or so square feet around it. If you have a thermostat on upper level it's warmer up there. If you have the thermostat on lower level it's cooler down there. If you want the upper level cooler, the system runs more and the lower level will be colder. This scenario does not change if you move the thermostat, except for the setting in which it's placed at. A structure does not defeat me and what I do, it only limits the options I can present as solutions.

You might also consider hardwood for the hallways and stairs, or even just the upper hallways, with carpet in the bedrooms. That way, the wood matches your lower level and you don't get traffic patterns on the heavy usage areas, but still have carpet for warmth and softness in the bedrooms. Not everyone likes wood stairs, but I've never had a safety issue with them and like how easy they are to keep clean. For your question about painting after the floors, a good painter will cover the floors entirely, so they should be protected. You really need to see the floors, whether wood or carpet, to make sure your paint sample works.