Converting baseboard to radiators should not be difficult especially if the house orginally had radiators. Old cast iron radiators can be put back in service even if they have been sitting idle for a long time. I agree radiant hot water heating is the most comfortable. However variable speed furnaces have come a long way in increasing comfort. Since you are already going through the expense of adding duct work for the AC, and you dislike the ugly baseboard, then consider integrating a furnace. You can get an electronic air cleaner if you have allergy problems. There are thermostats which will turn on the furnace blower to circulate and filter the air at very low speeds.

Jenswrens- I noticed that you put a door by the kitchen sink...does this go out to the garden? If you did put a walk-in pantry in the mudroom and expand that area a bit (as mentioned earlier) it might be fun to have a door from the screened porch into the mudroom and one across from it going outside (north side). This would give you the (west?) wall of the mudroom for a whole wall of storage. Have you ever seen those mudrooms with the storage and the high (clerestory?) windows above? Those are so nice, since you get lots of light, but don't lose any wall space :) You would also have the wall opposite (other side of the walk-in pantry for storage. If you took about one foot off the screened porch you could tuck in 10"-12" behind the door from the kitchen into the mudroom and have more storage. Narrow storage is perfect for cans, cookbooks, even pegs for coats, leashes, etc.

Yes - except that paneled wood doors have lots of joints. Wood moves with changes in temp and humidity which can crack the paint at the joints. So doors with little upkeep, become major upkeep, especially if painted white and there are kids running around. Some wood paneled doors of that era were made with MDF rails and stiles with veneer. These would be much more stable as to movement and hold paint better. Often you can tell by looking at the top edge of the door and seeing if the stile cut edge is MDF with veneer or solid wood. Mostly this wood tone is considered "dated" because HGTV says so - a marketing ploy. Just as now many are saying white / black gray is becoming dated - lets get everyone to spend thousands to change out perfectly good because it is "dated" - make people feel badly about their stuff so they will buy new stuff - marketing 101. Many here spent major $ converting to the white / gray kitchen, and I expect they will love their kitchen even when the next generation of House Hunters say, "Oh no, not another white gray kitchen!" My young adult daughters dislike white / gray kitchens because that's been in every Parade Home they've seen for 7 years. If one does not like something and one can afford it and it will not be too wasteful, by all means make changes. My house was originally a tribute to the 70's - harvest gold and all. I painted the dark stained pine trim white, replaced the harvest gold carpet and vinyl with hardwood, and replaced the cracked hollow core doors with new wood paneled doors - and since I did that in the 90's, they are oak - natural oak but would be called "honey oak" by all the viewers of HGTV. (It was actually "golden oak" which was more ubiquitous.) I have lots of friends and relatives with oak trim - none intend to change it out. They are fine with it, but I also live in the midwest, slightly rural and it is just not that big of deal here. These pics may more mimic the OPs wood tone. However, wood tone is hard to capture on a computer monitor and lighting can majorly affect wood tone. If it looks too "honey" and you don't want to spend the money painting, try changing light bulbs out to LED - I believe it is the 4000 range that tones the wood to more brown. Wood trim combined with a white kitchen: Similar to my home. This is very doable - but may not be to the OPs vision: My house - not very posh, more cottage, but we like it:) upstairs hall: https://www.houzz.com/hznb/photos/my-kitchen-in-progress-phvw-vp~45783770 https://www.houzz.com/hznb/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~88642832 some main level doors: https://www.houzz.com/hznb/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~93784236 Lighting effects:

The room is 18’(wall w sofa) x 16’(wall with fireplace). It is our family/den/living room. Just three of us, but we entertain often. (Parents and kids). The wall with the entertainment piece is 8’ and the TV is 65”. I hope that helps.