Great project. A lot of work for something you're giving away. I'm impressed with your project. The mention if this forum in your blog was nice, even if we don't know everything: If you want to know more about the culture of succulents, check out the Cacti and Succulent Forum on the Garden Web. Those folks know EVERYTHING!:

I love plantation shutters (softened with curtains, not standing alone, please!) and intend to install them in our new house -- we don't have the right windows for them in our current house. Yes to white shutters and white trim. These things aren't cheap, and white will see you through any changes in color scheme you may make later. Also, most people go with wooden floors -- your room can only take so much wood tone. Break it up with white. I'm confused about details though: - Wood, vinyl, or composite -- which will last and be the best value? - Is a plantation shutter in the bathroom (obviously not in the stream of the water) doomed to water damage? - I'm assuming it's cheaper to install the shutters AFTER the build is over -- not the builder himself?

Stick with a bright white shutter, it works with every color. Your louver size should be 3 1/2 and you will need a cut out for the door handle. As for the frame, stick with an inside mount frame that will overlap the edges (typically called a Z frame) unless you have tilt in windows. You can give up the tilt in feature if you want an inside mount frame but make sure you can remove your screens without having to tilt the window in. You can get an ebook that talks about all aspects of shutters in this blog post Beauty of Shutters. You can also enter to win a free shutter on this facebook page at free shutter. Personally I would prefer a white trim in the home but even with the monochrome look I would go with a bright white shutter. From what I can tell from your picture it looks like the house has a very clean look which would make me recommend a hidden tilt, that is what is on these shutters. You don't see the traditional tilt rod on the front. You will notice the shutter by the bed is closed on the bottom and open on the top. This is what is called a split tilt. It will allow you to open the top for light but leave the bottom closed for privacy while maintaining a uniform look on the shutter panels. This can also be done with a divider rail but it will divide the top and bottom like in the picture below and you see the rail in the middle. It looks like you have a very nice home and I am sure it will all look great! Good luck!

Random thoughts: - The outside looks neat as a pin. Clearly this house has been well cared-for, though I agree with the above poster that the landscaping is kinda dull. - The wall paper may or may not be a problem. When I moved into my current house, I immediately renovated the two bathrooms ... I pulled down the wallpaper from the large master bath in about 15 minutes, but I spent three days of misery in the similar-sized hall bath. Why? The walls in the master bath were "primed" before the wallpaper went up. ALWAYS prime your walls before painting or wallpapering. ALWAYS. More to the point: I hope your walls were primed. - I do like plantation shutters (and intend to have them in my new house), but they don't seem right for your 1970s ranch, and I don't think I'd like them in beige. I agree you should take them out ... but sell them on eBay or Craigslist. They're worth money. Don't bother painting them ... if I were buying, I wouldn't mind painting them. - As for the beige trim, it will be a monster to paint (or a monster-sized bill, if you pay someone to do it), but it's not hard work ... just tedious work. Since you're talking about color preferences, not functional needs, you don't have to do it all at once. - While you're painting things, I'd look at those dark brown gutter spouts. They seem to stand out in a bad way. - I like white-painted brick, and I think this house would look lovely if the wood trim above the windows were a light-to-midtone blue. - I'd think lose that wrought iron railing on the front ... maybe. I don't particularly like it, but it does fit with the house.