Thank you, everyone. It's such a modest amount of space, but it really makes a difference to have my own little area. And as a former California girl, I really treasure the light in that room, particularly in winter. shades_of_idaho -- we did have our old, scary futon in here for a while, but I banished it to the basement after I found a sofa bed that would fit. We tried to get rid of it a few years ago by putting it out on the front sidewalk (usually a surefire method), and no one took it! A free futon! In a college town! And no takers! desertsteph -- I told myself I would relearn crewel embroidery after the room was finished, but I still haven't gotten around to it. My grandmother taught me many years ago, and I have several half-completed projects. As for the fans in my room, they're made in a little shop about an hour north of me in Illinois. I negotiated a discount by buying two and driving out to the workroom to pick them up. I love their unique look. yogastef -- You're right, it does bring in nature. Makes it more peaceful. I sometimes think it was an incredible folly to spend so much on a sliver of a room, but your comments make me feel better about it, and I really do love it.

if you're not in love-don't buy it gut remodel -I don't know whether you're going to gut but you're also working on exterior-sounds like very extensive changes even without full gut-means tons of money, easily half a million in your case, and can take many months -we spent 27 months paying two mortgages, since one can't live in a house during gut remodel, and at some point also paying rent for MIL-because it all took so long due to hard-to get-labour. It's a boom now in construction, especially in HCOLA you'll wait and wait and wait. I don't see anything particularly dated in the house but then I'm not there and not a buyer, so.. The exterior is not my thing, but I don't find it particularly bad either. It all depends on what's around. I'm just saying I wouldn't be falling in love with it. No falling in love=clearer vision. Clearer vision=you won't save on buying and major remodeling. Either buy and reduce your scope of projects drastically(it might be still much bigger than you planned-does it have asbestos that has to be remediated if you disturb the house? does it have proper insulation? what about HVAC's condition? lots of unknowns here)-or buy some more expensive property that you like pretty much as is. Maybe it'll lack pool but you'd be able to add one. 50 K instead of 500 K. Two months instead of two years. Depends on your circumstances of course-right now I'm so tired after our remodel can't bring myself to get to finish the hardscaping. It's been more a year since we've moved in. Energy gone. I hope you're more energetic than me.

Think about these interesting possibilities. How often does your family use the living room? Looks like the front of it might make a good study away from all the hubbub. Then move that wall with the pocket door so as to increase the size of the part of the family room that links to the screened porch. That way you'll have room for a dining section nearer the kitchen. Change the dining room to a master; you'll be glad you did as you get older and the stairs become an issue, or if someone has illness or surgery and needs to be on the ground floor. This also isolates the kids upstairs where you'll be happier as they grow into teens. Turn one of the two larger upstairs bedrooms into a bonus/play/gaming room for them. Flip the laundry around and use that closet and the back hall for a small powder room and a stacking WD close to the new master. See if setback rules allow you to add a closet bump-out in the front where that window is right of the porch.

Your architect should take a holistic attitude towards the project and deal with the issue of the big blank garage in front of the house. This will not be a cheap project. Several hundred thousand. Be sure to verify that your architect is actually an architect. It’s a state regulated term, and most states have a professional lookup online for architects and contractors both. A software manipulator isn’t an architect.