From what you've said, I'm guessing the best solution for you is to figure out what is really bugging you, and address that with the least possible work for the short term. Either match the grubby patches with the creamy colour, or paint it all so it matches the addition. You are in the busiest years of your life! You'll have more time later. Later, figure out what you want to do in the long term. Do it later. The only thing you want to avoid now is doing anything irreversible - like removing and discarding all the old moulding. Remove by all means, if that's what it takes to keep you sane, but don't discard! If your moulding has a nice profile, it is worth stripping even if you are going to repaint. Even if it is flat board, it's probably lovely old-growth wood, so give a future owner a chance even if you don't want to see it. You cannot strip "some" of the paint - it's pretty much all or nothing. But there is nothing forcing you to accept wood frames if you strip. Just clear-coat or shellac before you put more paint on, so a future owner can go that direction if desired. I have been living for 20 years with just the kind of paint you describe. Globby, put over unsanded filler, and drippy. Unbelievable that anyone could paint like this! It's on doors, moulding, and wainscoting. Actually we removed a lot of the moulding, but not all, and have done a lot of stripping. So I had some un-framed doors and windows for a long time, but they are almost all done. We will eventually strip more (kids are now grown), and probably repaint some of it. There is so much to do if you have an old house while the kids are small, we have always done whatever bugs us the most, and the rest, you just promise yourself you'll do it someday. What I have found the worst is living with half finished jobs - finished or unfinished is almost easier, though of course you have to get through the transition. And you know, someday comes before you know it. Enjoy the kids, put the time into them! One thing I have discovered is that painting over the drips and globs and ridges softens the old paint, so for about a day or two after your paint dries, you can relatively easily cut, with a utility knife, the worst offenders. That's been a lifesaver upstairs, where the attic is all beadboard that I am NEVER going to strip. I'm assuming I'm dealing with both latex and oil layers when this happens, so I hope it works for you. Karin L

Your kitchen looks like it may have the same origins as the kitchen in my first home -- and I LOVED that house. And between that kitchen and this kitchen before I redid it, I totally get the need and support the frameless cabinets. Four kitchens later, I have three different door styles in my current kitchen. It was intentional -- to go with three different finishes. One of them is like the San Antonio, one like the San Francisco and the third is similar to the Oregon raised panel. See how each one builds on the one before? I would take a similar approach for your kitchen, but I don't know whether it makes sense to count the swing door as one of those door styles. It would make more sense if you could switch out the louvered door to the dining room and make it like the swing door you are talking about. I think I like the Philadelphia or New York better. The Philadelphia takes an inner line similar to the Hoosier and adds the routing on the outer edge. The New York would be taking the swing door into account and then adding the outer edge. I think I favor the Philadelphia from what we are seeing. Something I would consider -- leave the window width, but replace the window with one large window and lose the inner divide that blocks light. You would get more light and preserve the option of having open shelves or a side cabinet on either side. Put glass in the door and side of those cabinets and let light shine through but still have a place for glassware and dishes. I don't know what your view is like, what kind of siding you have (I had brick), but I like both the possibility of display storage and dish and glass storage near the DW. DH has been rewinding and fast forwarding TV shows behind me -- I hope this makes sense. I get your vision though. I changed to frameless to squeak out every inch of function and I think you'll be happy with that decision.

It would be nice to have accurate measurements, especially for that stairway entry/landing area and just outside it. Until we know more accurately, I just offer a small riff on Lisa's great plan. A 33" fridge allows the Hoosier cabinet to be enjoyed from the dining room. I really like the idea of a door from the office. One can work in the office and keep an eye on items cooking If kids are in the future, the office can become a playroom and one can cook and keep an eye on the kids. A 12" deep pantry cab next to the DW with the one Lisa put across the aisle will be more than enough storage for everyday dishes and glasses. I would install a drawer in the middle of each for utensils. I think I'd do glass doors on top with solid on the bottom. About the two tall dish pantries, something like this for the drawer placement. And the pink represents where I would consider putting windows on the sides instead of a solid panel. You could do it just on the one side facing the kitchen. Or on both sides. If done on both sides, the light from the window on the stair landing would filter through contributing to keeping the kitchen light and airy. Not knowing what they intend to use the basement for, I've wondered about the wisdom of closing off that exterior door. It seems like there would be times when it would be so convenient to have it like if something big needs to be hauled to or from the basement. It gives a nice straight shot instead of having to somehow squeeze it around tight corners. And safety issues. Also, what if you're cooking and burn something? Even with a good hood, the more windows and doors you can open to eliminate the smoke, the better. I simply wouldn't want to lose the close exterior access point just so I could have a table and chairs right outside that door to enjoy my coffee on a summer morning, eat lunch or dinner, or sit outside with a book while waiting for dinner to be ready, whatever. Or what about when you want to BBQ? Nice to have outside access right next to the kitchen for that. I just like outside! And I don't see any reason to lose that access point. Also, if there is an emergency, like a fire or an intruder, the more you have outside access locations, the better. That's another reason why I would also like to see the pocket door for the office on that landing. No, I don't live in Paranoia Land but, rather, by the Scout motto. I think when you're remodeling it's good to consider these kinds of issues and plan for escape routes for worst case scenario situations if it can be done at reasonable cost and effort.

We have a four-square house built in 1920 and have been researching how to improve curb appeal also! Glad I found this thread. My thoughts regarding the house you're considering would be to extend the roof of the front right sunroom to a full front porch. That would present a symmetrical appearance on the street side. We actually have a defined side entrance and a front porch with the main entrance, but the driveway goes to the side door. The builder of the home was a doctor, and he used the side entrance for patients. There was also a back door to the house, and an exterior door to the kitchen (the kitchen was built as a separate building that abuts the back of the house).