We have a dedicated office and dining room already so no need for another one. We are a family of 3 (2 adults and 1 child) and this room will get the most use as we are not the type to hang out in our bedrooms. This room will also have the only TV in the house as well (60"). We want to put an 'L' shaped couch or a sofa and a side chair of some type so when we have guests over we are not all sitting on one couch. I just noticed in my earlier post there was an error, my budget for this room is $5,000. I love the idea of doing two separate areas and maybe the nook as a library...what's the best way to position the rugs to make this look cohesive..and should the rugs match or is that weird?

If possible, paint it the same as the wall color. Then put a console table under it and either a mirror on the door or artwork....taking into consideration of the latch....with something hung within the frame, you probably won't notice the latch. If you have a plug in, put a lamp on the right side of the console and something low in front so that the door can be opened fast! If no plug in then put some pretty candle sticks on the right side and something low in front. Judging from the door knob on your door, this opening is quite high....maybe a taller chest of drawers would be better, but am thinking a console table would be best. Or you could go lower and put a pretty bench in front of the opening after you have painted the opening the same color as the wall.

@Anna & @NHBabs- I was trying to say add an above window pergola...not add a window =) We definitely don't have the room for that inside. I think with Dougs design a pergola would be too much though. We can definitely do a smaller, more affordable version of that gorgeous front deck. We are experienced DIYers and can do much or all of the work ourselves and with a few changes its completely affordable. I actually have more of the pavers from our walkway that can be added to the front area to widen that landing out some, though we won't go as wide on the left side as is shown because our yard gets narrower there against the neighbors yard. We can do stone that matches our existing stone out back on the steps and instead of stone columns we can do thick wood posts with black metal caps, and the affordable black aluminum railings that we had planned anyway, which would match our new back deck perfectly. We have considered stone in the chimney at some point in the future, though it won't be next year. It won't be quite as grand as Dougs design but gives a very similar look for alot less $$. I think to the left of the door we can add a long, covered, decorative bench box for wood storage in that space. That way we have wood for a week in the winter without trudging to the fire wood shelters out back every day or so. (We have 2 wood stoves that get used alot in the winters here.) We never use our entrance unless we are going out the front door for mail, and all our friends use the back entrance as there is ample parking out there. I can see us sitting out there on the deck with a glass of wine in the shade though. Since the only visitors we get out front are deliveries and people selling stuff, we probably don't need to add anything for sheltering them lol. Still struggling with house color. Currently its a pale yellowish color my husband hates (ditto for me) and it clashes with our new stone. We were thinking maybe something more earthy in a brown/gray...meaning not just brown or gray, something with a mix of both. Or maybe a darker beige. We'd like to darken it up a bit. The shingles are a dark gray but do have a little brown/tan in them along with the black and gray. Its called Canadian Driftwood.

Hi Erica, Can you post a picture looking back at the front door? I’m having a hard time getting context for this space - are we decorating the wall under the doorbell box on the wall there? Is the little console table with vase on it the room that the entryway leads into? Any additional pictures would be helpful, thanks!