Wow! Thanks houseful! That was one option I did not consider. I really like that layout. My biggest hesitation is losing the one window. We wanted to keep the exterior design unchanged. Nonetheless, we could still make these changes- the plumbing and floors have not been installed. The framing is complete and has been insulated with rigid foam, which would make it messy to clear out the electrical already installed, but not a huge deal. Hmmmmmmmm...

Lovely sense of style! Bravo! We investigated porcelain marble look-alike tile but we decided on real marble which we will have to care for without any acidic products. Beware that there is a repeating pattern in marble look-alike porcelain tile like (on wall paper which will give away the secret.) We found great deals on Amazon and at Lowes for Bianco Carrara subways, pencils, chair rails and floor and shower floor hexes (1/3 the price of tile stores). We found a gorgeous remnant for our shower bench at a marble and stone shop at an amazing price. I can't wait until it's done to post photos! But back to your house... it's gorgeous!

I don't consider anything after 1940'ish to qualify as an old house. And a house built after 1940 is 75 years old and a house built in 1965 is 50 years old. Not considering something of this age worth discussing, or thinking that something 50-75 years old is open game for gut renovation every time because it's not old is exactly the mentality that ruined so many Victorian and Edwardian houses in the 1950s. I don't believe every house has to be maintained as a time capsule. I dont believe any house really is ever a complete time capsule unless it's a museum. But there has to be a point when one asks oneself why XYZ is not worth saving and needs to be replaced with whatever is current no matter how bad it looks in the house. (And people don't think it's bad until later and its not the latest thing any more). There are enough options out there that a new kitchen or bath could look completely compatible with almost any age of house, without necessarily trying to be a period recreation, and without breaking the bank. Daltile ceramic or porcelain tiles in basic sizes cover the bases for practically any period of bathroom from after about 1920 and if you are okay with non rectified subway, you can do a compatible bath from before 1920. The Old House forum should at the very least support those who want to restore and renovate compatibly with their older houses instead of leaving them to the vagaries of fashion in the general Kitchen and Bath forums. I don't think this necessarily has to be a forum for complete purists--I don't think it is now, but apparently some people do (?). Many people may beg to differ but I don't think there is anything wrong with trying to maintain or recreate something from as recently as the 1980s. There is really nothing "wrong" with some of it, Late- and Post-Modernism can be kind of interesting. It's just that most people hate with with the same knee jerk reaction that they hate anything that they think is too old Not to hate and too new to not look back on as just another period in design history.

Hi again -- Lucky you, that's so easy to work around! With your shade of blush, I love the type of muted colors that Terrilyn posted above in her florals example. Obviously test away, but for me B&W and navy work better with brighter pinks. Since you like the idea of deep blue, I'd consider testing a rich indigo, dark slate blue, or, if you want to go brighter, what I think of as "Southwestern sky" along the lines of this: Here are a few more ideas, but they might be too muted for you. Some other deep blues/ purple-blues (and a soft vintage yellow) Pewter and cloud grey Muted red-violet/plum (see bottom right) or milk chocolate