that entry allocation of space makes much more sense to me with all your storage by the family entrance and less clutter at the public entrance. the half bath right at the garage entrance makes a lot of sense too! now i'm wondering about the fireplace placement, the crazy shape walk-in closet in your bedroom, and window placement in your bedroom. you've only got one possible place for the bed and it's not the wall i would have chosen based on where you enter the room. why are you choosing that wall for the fireplace? how do you envision arranging furniture in the great room? also, the roofline just got more complex by moving the den out to accomodate the fireplace there. it's not symmetrical on that wall because of the door to the den, and even though you created walking space it doesn't seem like a logical place for it to be in a walkway. not sure what type of fireplace you're doing, but have you thought about putting it on the master bedroom wall and having a fireplace in the bedroom as well so they can share a flue? you'd sacrifice the wacky length of the closet but if you're putting a reading chair in the bedroom, it'd be nice right by a fireplace. :) and if you're at all concerned about resale value, 12.5' width seems a little small for the master bedroom as that would be a tight squeeze to fit a king size bed and two 30" nightstands. that may not be important to you but just wanted to point it out. i'll also point out the proportions of your bathroom seem off to me now. the master shower seems awfully large, and it's forcing you into an extra long second bathroom.

Thanks everyone! We are installing hardwood throughout the entire downstairs.The revere pewter is actually through french doors off of both rooms but you can't really see itwell from either room so I am not so worried about that going with the other rooms as much. It is mainly this view I want to flow well. I considered van cortland blue for the formal living room but it might be too dark/bold for me. I tend to be more neutral/conservative when decorating. And yes I love the yarmouth blue but don't think I want it everywhere. It looks perfect in the dining room.

Agree with MG, beautiful drawings Sena! Very creative and a lot of very thoughtful details. I do think a dining table works better with this layout and it's nice to see that getting ride of the pony wall behind the sink helps a bit with the narrowness of Morning Room. I actually already have a bench with the farmhouse table:) It lives slid under the table on the side closest to the kitchen unless in use. I also like the efficiency of this layout. With all of the options that have been discussed and drawn it's become clear that I need to prioritize my wants to help me choose. I've since found a few pictures with kitchen cabinets extending into rooms with different ceiling heights and I'm surprised I'm OK with the look. So, any thoughts on my variations above of MG's plan with either an extended or second island? This plan seems to get me the most elements I want with the sacrifice of countertop space. I was inspired by drjay71's kitchen from the Finished Kitchens Blog:http://finishedkitchens.blogspot.com/2010/06/drjay71s-kitchen.html

I rarely say this, and hate to criticize the beautiful rug, but it is too big for your space. It looks like it butts up to the hearth and possibly to the column wall. You need anywhere from 12-18" of floor exposed at the hearth side, and the same on entry side for a bit of a breather before stepping onto the rug. The sofa and chairs look like they're testing the water with their toes before getting in. If you can't exchange the rug for the next smaller size down, you might check into having the length reduced and re-binding it. If that's not possible, you should at least take advantage of it to anchor the seating. Center a coffee table with the firebox opening. Pull the sofa to within 18" or less of the table and bring the chairs up to it as well. Their placement will depend on the door swing from the French doors. This will also open a larger passage to get around the sofa into the dining room. I'm guessing you've centered the sofa with the French doors, and that's OK. I do advise drapes for the dining room with matching roman shades on the French doors. Add art you love at the mantel (no larger than the firebox opening) and try your mirror in the dining room or in your entry/foyer. Bay window drapes can close or be stationary