I sent the link to some fellow Arizona gardeners and one replied that it isn't as important here to have mature compost... supposedly the desert makes things different? Here is what he said exactly: eh, i disagree, if you are putting the right things into your compost, ie, not cistrus in this climate, you can use non mature compost no problem in az, if you burry it under your soil, it will decompose quickly and helps growth! this is supposing of course you are not box gardening, which is less than ideal here anyway, ive also heard this can be good way to revitalize "bad soil" in less than a year.

Most heat loss is thru the attic -address that first - once you stop the updraft effect, cold air is no longer pulled in via the windows/side openings. Much warmer house. A good top of the line storm window with good sealing is going to give you the air-tightness and benefit of new window but without the cost, and you can still enjoy the beauty of the original wood window (if thats what youve got.) Skip the laminate - find some good vintage salvage wood flooring. As someone who LOVES the old house esthetic - isnt that the whole point to having an actual old house vs a new one? - I would not be happy with the fake wood - If I couldnt afford real wood right now Id much rather paint the subfloor with epoxy porch floor paint or something for now, and then come back to it later... sometimes with vintage old house parts you have to wait for the right thing to come along - and then eventually it does.

Try a post on here for recommendations for KD, Cabinetmaker, Dealer in San Francisco. Make up a budget number- simply how much your comfortable with. You will be get better results if you walk in and say "I want to spend xyz" than simply "I don't want to spend a lot". In any case they have to figure out if they can help you get what you want and meet your budget. Make it clear that the budget is a priority. It is assumed that people hold back 10%. When I shop I don't, and assume that clients don't, but I'm a little different. IF they think what you want is a priority over budget they are likely to come back with a quote that is over budget. Why? Because everyone that walks through the door want more stuff than they want to spend for. So your leaving them with the choice of either not giving you what you want or not meeting your budget. The trick is to get as much of what you want for what you comfortably want to spend. Decide what is important- my favorite is 3 things you need and 3 things you want. It's a great exercise because you have to figure out the difference between the two. Have a target date for when you want to be done. Preferably a few months. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanza, Groundhog day as deadlines are not the best idea. Then find 3 places to try. Call ahead and make an appointment, you will be taken more seriously. Appointments do NOT carry any obligation with them. Bring a dimensioned floor plan with you- it can be crude, the numbers are what matter. You do not need them to do floor plans yet. You may decide to avail yourself of the help here even if your not DIY. See what they offer, let THEM tell you what and how they do this. What can they offer to meet your budget. Try to look at it as fun, makes it easier. You are just shopping- NO commitment until you are comfortable. Concentrate on gauging who you are working with- what brand is secondary. It's kind of like dating- it can be fun, awful, tedious, absolutely hysterical, eventually you find someone to spend some time with and have a few laughs. The bad news is you don't get a free dinner, the good news ...your not going to marry any of them.

I think you've got some good ideas. I've seen some nice rooms with wallpaper behind the bed. As long as the wall is correctly prepped and it's in your budget - go for it. When/if you want to change, it should be easy to remove. If you're going to do that, I'd choose bedding with little to no design. Clean and serene. I like your tulip table and also the acrylic piece - if it's the correct height. It may not be in your budget, but I love the floating shelves that decoenthusiaste posted. We can't see your window coverings, but I really like having room darkening treatments in my bedrooms. I used to frequently visit family in Texas and my room was east facing with shutters. The morning light was terrible.