I like the idea of the TV being on the wall opposite the window and the couch up against the window, but I wonder if it will be a problem since that is sort of a hallway area. I guess the other problem I would run into is where to put the cable box etc. I will do a little mock up of it today or do a computer drawing to see how it will all look. Painting the trim around the window can be done, I will have to fight with DH, since he loves it and says that it mirrors the window trim in the kitchen. @loribee and @oceanna I have taken a look at the gallery. Lots of great ideas with colors etc. I just keep thinking 'if only I had an extra 2 feet of living room space . . . ' Of course that would be too easy :-) @loribee, I was able to open the link that you sent me and something along those lines is what I was thinking for the chair. I prefer the ones with arms, though so I was thinking something small like that one, with open arms like the one in @chickadee2's link. I also like these chairs quite a lot. I have also toyed with @luckygal's idea of moving the living room to the office. The office is 9'x11'. I agree with the idea of at the very least painting the trim. I have seen some pics of it done, and it looks great. I was scared about doing it, but now I think I will. I also like the idea of a creamy color that was suggested for the walls and trim. If I work up the courage, I will remove the trim all together. Thanks again for all the wonderful thoughtful suggestions.

Autumn, we investigated in advance of building the walls for our closet, so we knew that 4 of the large units would fit (since you're building, you could do the same). As far as the exact design, we did it at the store with an associate's help. We have 5 short hanging sections, one section with all shelves above a short hanging sections, two sets of 5 drawers each, and some extra shelves where we could fit them. We actually measured what we needed in advance, although I will say I forgot to account for the [very few] long hanging items I have (a few dresses, even though I hardly wear dresses). I'm not going to modify the closet, I'll just hang those elsewhere. One thing you should know is that there is one color that you have to order (we couldn't wait for it - called something like "whitewashed oak" or "driftwood" or "weathered" I can't remember). We just got birch. We paid to have someone else put them together, and the whole thing including delivery and assembly was less than $1500.

In our old house, like nini, everyone we knew well entered the back door that leads into the kitchen and it drove me NUTS! We even had a little space in a tiny "hallway" and inevitably all the coats, shoes, bags, hats, change, wallets, and other junk ended up cluttering up my island. I even had a small desk to the side that couldn't hold it all. It was so frustrating. When we moved that was one of the top criteria for our new house...that there not be a main entrance from outside into my kitchen. That said, if that is all you have and you can't change that, then I would find some way to contain it. If not, you will have to be the crazy woman herding everyone's things into the designated places daily. I have not seen specific "closets" in kitchens but I'm sure they exist. I would look at houzz.com for ideas. I am linking the search on there under "Entry" and I clicked on "popular" at the top. Lots of neat ideas! Good luck containing it all :) Here is a link that might be useful: [Houzz Entryways[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/entryway-ideas-phbr0-bp~t_741)

I know Carol. That is exactly what I said, if we shifted it a closet would lay out perfectly but that is a major load bearing wall with a huge beam that runs the length of the house so dh says no way will he move it. :( I really wish I'd paid more attention at the time but we weren't going to finish it right away and I figured it all could be adjusted. Kicking myself gently. In my simple mind I think hey just move the header down but it's not going to fly. Septic is fine so no worries there. We have 2 tanks. The windows are not for a bedroom at all so it would never be marketed or sold as one. In our last house we had something similar in the basement. We had a bonafide bedroom with window to code including a closet and then another room with a window that was not an escape window and it had a closet also (it was our workout room there too). There was never a problem mentioned when we sold the last one but I haven't checked so maybe I should. Depth would be for hanging so 2- 2 1/2 foot would be all I'd need I think?