I'm in the process of doing this very thing. Doing Bridgewood Skandia (full overlay)cabs in maple with wheat finish...black counter of some nature (granite? Quartz? Still to be determined) and, goddess help me, stainless appliances. The Husband likes the look of ss and he so seldom has an opinion and when he does, I usually let him have his way. (Unless I'm totally opposed.) My sister SWEARS that there's a new stainless finish that isn't a fingerprint nightmare. I hope she's correct. Here are the tiles we are leaning toward for the backsplash...(tiny samples...I've ordered larger ones but they've not arrived yet): From Tile samples So far I'm leaning to the micro-mosaic on the left. Colors are JUST what I'm looking for. I set everything on The Dreaded Black Shelves so that I could get a feel for how the tiles would work with a black counter. Propped my cabinet sample above...and that is what I have for a "style board" to date. Floor will be marmoleum...I've included a link to my pinterest board for my kitchen. I've found pinterest to be a great way to add/edit ideas. Here is a link that might be useful: mjsee's kitchen pinterest board

Where are you located? There are places that are dry enough to make having a gravel yard practical, but if you live somewhere with a more average amount of rainfall, you will need to use an application of weedkiller at least a couple of times a year or get a flame weeder. A flame weeder could be an issue if it is underlain with weed fabric which might melt. The other issue is that gravel + kids can be an problem (so tempting to throw), depending on your kids. I like the gray tones for the house so much more than the current brown. I would remove the shrub at the base of the stairs and replace it with a low-growing flowering plant. I would want to break up the expanse of the side of the stairs with evergreen shrubs and face them with some lower flowering plants. Choose your shrubs so that the ultimate size can be kept below the level of the stairs. I would want something bright to bring attention to your raised front door, either the door color or if there is space, a large, low flower container planted with bright flowers or foliage. Don't do anything to hide that gorgeous railing! Most houses of this time period have walkways are too narrow, so if there are funds and the walkway isn't at least 4'-5' wide, widen it. A lower cost way to widen it is to add a band of a contrasting color pavers that are 8"-12" wide on each side, and a full replacement would be more expensive. The more generous walkway, along with the more visible bottom of the steps from removing the current shrub, and a generous landing at the base of the steps will make the entry more welcoming. I like the way the fence breaks up the expanse of gravel, but the dissonance between the roof line and the line created by the top of the fence is a bit disconcerting.

We have similar windows in the dressing room and master bath off our master bedroom in our MCM house. We have short pleated curtains for those windows. Although seeing your room in your profile pic, I don't think that'd work for you. Perhaps floor to ceiling for the entire wall might look best.

Landscaping for a ranch is mostly low shrubs or perennials punctuated with taller shrubs to break the long bland sameness. However, your home's style is anything but bland. Below is a mockup of this basic landscaping style. I've placed 2 sets of tall narrow broadleaf evergreens to flank windows. These happen to be Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil', but they may not work for you. Between them is a medium sized flowering shrub. In front of these is a perennial edging or groundcover. Yellow flowering shrubs or perennials fill in on the corners and flank the entry. I don't know how wide your flower beds are between the house and the walkway, so I don't know how much room you have to layer plants. The point of my mockup is to show how plant types and color are repeated. Consider measuring the length and depth of beds and drawing out plans where 1' equals 1" on paper. You can use this to get an idea of how many plants you need to fill the spaces. Visit your local nursery for recommendations of plants that will work in your climate and soil. Pay attention to the expected mature size of plants. If a plant will eventually be 5' wide plant it 3' from a wall or walkway. This could mean that instead of the one medium sized shrub you have to use 3 smaller shrubs that won't crowd your walkway. Remember that "dwarf" only means smaller than the species, so make sure the mature size will fit. New plants will not fill the space for several years, so fill in around them with annuals and biennials. I have not covered the water meter, but it shouldn't be noticed among the plantings. Use taller annuals or biennials in front of and around it so the eye is drawn to them. As shrubs mature the water meter will be less and less conspicuous.