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@Patricia Colwell I would like to think so. We would have, too. Problem is that the floor was tiled around the bar vs. underneath which is concrete..
There'd be a bar-shaped opening in the approx 14'x28' tile floor. It's a solid bar, and quite common in homes this age in this area.
I also scouted for rolled cork, vinyl fabric and carpet. I suspect it'll be quickest to replace the face boards and paint. I like the texture of the OSB but read it has a wax coating. A handyman will be here Monday afternoon. We'll see . . .
The OSB isn't bad. I'd paint the bottom and be done with it. It's not attractive and there isn't much you can do to make it attractive without spending way more money than you'll get back. Paint the bottom and be done. I don't think that cork, vinyl or carpet is going to make a difference. If you do a great installation, the improvement will be marginal. If your DIY job is mediocre, you'll have made things either worse or no better.
You could get another storm door. You would be advised to put pavers in front of the door, so you don't have the wood in contact with dirt and rotting.
At Patricia Colwell Consulting: Ouch. That's blunt. Yes, this is a cabin that was abandoned for 10+ years before we purchased it this spring. It is worth salvaging in our minds, for both it's historic value and because it is incredibly beautiful despite its current rough shape.
It looks like a good solid project. Will it be a full time residence or an occasional use place? Is there any historical background that you've discovered?
Another option to consider is a two-part Dutch door if you decide not to replicate the original or move the original to another location.
I'd go with something in the Downing Earth family, except much lighter. SW Minimalist, perhaps
We recently had our screened porch painted in SW Safari. It is lighter than the options you have shown, but it seems like it would work with your stone. I am not at that home currently so I have no pictures.
The garage doors and the stonework both have warm colors. For that reason, I’d nix anything grayish or blue-ish (for example, the Downing Earth looks much too gray to me).
Go warmer with beige, tan, rust etc colors.
Terraces stepped down the hill makes sense to catch and direct runoff as long as there is somewhere for the water from the lowest pool to flow to. It brings to mind rice paddies you see in mountainous regions.
You can connect them with a swale or just use a curved swale to move all the water. That said, a picture is worth a thousand words.
You could put a paver path to the door and grass growing through pavers to the left of the path. That will make it greener, but still allow you to back out of the garage.
With all that red brick, I'd have white or yellow-flowering shrubs. But, again, Maine or Texas or Sweden or India matters.
Another option:
Wow!
I agree with others that you should simplify your color scheme. I'd start by removing the shutters. Most are undersized for the windows. Then, I'd have two siding colors. If your wood shingles are natural, I'd keep them and do one green. I like a darker green on the garage doors. I don't think the red door goes with the green siding.
I'd downplay the detail...it's still there, just more subtle. Remove the shutters. A warm off-white paint for siding. Keep the white trim and white garage doors.
^The all white with wood shingles is a bit distracting for me. It pulls my focus to the shingles. IDK, would all white be better, or just something darker with the shingles for more balance (such as other examples here)?
Air mattresses are more comfortable than most sofa beds and a lot cheaper. A futon couch tends to be more comfortable than a fold-out couch. The thing about air mattresses is that they tend to spring leaks over time. We were staying at our son's on an old air mattress and it sprung a slow leak. But we went out and bought a new one, which was cheaper than a hotel room.
I am in my 60’s I could probably get down on the floor to sleep. But I am not sure I could get back up.
Thank you @freedomplace1 I like the screens idea!
If you hang them higher, you won't be able to reach most of the shelves. I have cabinets hung high and I can't reach the top shelves and barely reach the second shelf. I think you'll be far happier with the arrangement you have --- how often are you going to look at the top of your cabs anyway --- than always needing a step-stool or losing most of your cabinet space.
One really high cabinet over the fridge is fine, because you'll probably want to store little-used holiday stuff, but you'll want to reach the shelves in the bulk of your cabinets.
It looks fine to me. Once it is done and you live there for a month, you won’t even notice!
id ditch all the crown moulding along ceilings and extend cabinets to ceiling by boxing in open space and adding simple, narrow 90degree moulding where cabs meet ceiling. this type of moulding matches the shaker cabinets much better than the large curved moulding which imo is passe.
I use a big canvas bag with handles from LLBean as a laundry bag. I holds a lot, including neatly folded sheets or towels and can be easily held in one hand. They are open, so easy to rummage through.
Laundry: when my mom had a caregiver, she may have found it a break to walk the laundry to the laundry, but couldn’t leave my mom. I wish we had added a stackable in the closet by the bathroom.
69 here. I most certainly am aware of things that would make my house easier these days, but it's things like self-washing floors and casement windows with rollascreens and no fake dividers, for easy washing, replacing the triple-track self-storing storms/screen on the double-hung true divided-light 8-over-8 windows. Come to think of it, I wanted that 25 years ago when we moved in.
Do you have a lake to do a cold dip? At any rate, you will almost certainly be barefoot at the sauna and you won't want to step on rock when you walk out of the door. Are you going to roll in snow in the winter? Where will the snow be? Lastly, do you have the privacy to be naked? Or will you be sauna-ing in a bathing suit?
A simple outdoor shower spigot to rinse off chlorine or sweat. As mentioned could be unheated water to cool off and one can certainly shower in a swim suit.
My brother in law built a wooden privacy fence from the calves to the neck to shower and change.
Here’s an idea working off of your rendering.
You've got a great start --- I like your colors. The first thing is to tidy up. You appear to have a lot of space on your upper closet shelf, so I'd get some clear bins and put stuff there.
Can you turn the bed so the foot of the bed faces the dark wall? If so, take down the items pinned to the dark wall and wall mount a TV there. Get some help with friends to organize and contain items on the wall, only essential items should be visible. folders or notebooks for the other items. I would recommend a larger, better quality full-length mirror, you want to see your whole fabulous look.
great project!
Lamps are way cozier than overhead light - hit facebook marketplace, target etc for some larger lamps you like - will make a huge difference
be ruthless re: what you need vs what you dont - aka do you need a desk?
You need a picture.
What color is the roof and do you see a lot of it?
Would you like to continue with your dilemma, or not?
You can lighten a color by adding more white. All paints are pigments added to a white. Our house is painted 75% pigment (SW Juniper Blue) and 25% white. I did the same with a interior room, 50% Pigment, 50% white. Sometimes, the paints have different undertones. By diluting a paint with the white that is the base, you are sure to have a paint that has the same undertones. And, when you do this, you get to claim it's a custom color!
@freedomplace just set the bar higher. That is a fabulous, elegant color. Do you know the name of it?
Thank you so much, Red Ryder.
And your question is a very good one... I wish I had an exact paint color name. I created this visual with AI, and did not specify a specific paint color. I wanted to see what AI would come up with. I ‘did’ specify that I wanted a deep reddish-brown - that would complement the brick and wood garage doors. I love what AI chose... It looked perfect to me- right out of the gate! I really did not have to do any edits, on anything I had requested. The walkway and garden pavers would of course need to be adjusted a bit... so that the walkway veers more toward the steps - with clear access.
Paint colors can be matched from pictures. PPG Paints has a paint visualizer that I use. I uploaded the AI pic, and did a color match. I got PPG “Cherokee Red”.
Then, I found some Benjamin Moore matches to PPG Cherokee Red here:
https://www.matchmypaintcolor.com/hex/824e4a/benjamin-moore-matches
I also found these BM color matches to Farrow & Ball’s “Deep Reddish Brown”:
https://www.matchmypaintcolor.com/farrow-ball/deep-reddish-brown-w101/benjamin-moore-matches
Paint store/Company people should be able to do better than me. :) They should be able to zero in on it.
Ultimately, any color(s), in any color way that the OP chooses, will need to be tested on the actual house- in real time.
Numbers one and three seem to be the same with different color palettes. I like the lighter one a lot better. Number 2 is a poor design. One the first floor, none of the windows are aligned. The arched window's crossbar at the bottom of the arch is not aligned with the top of the window to the right of the door. The bigger window on the second floor is not centered in the wall it is in and the shutters emphasize that fact. Nor is it aligned in any way with the window below it. I'm not convinced the rightmost windows are centered in their mass, but can't tell from the angle. Further, it has the fewest and smallest windows on the second floor, meaning your rooms will probably not get a lot of natural light.
With #1&3, you want to ensure that the leftmost windows on both the first and second floor are centered and aligned.
The windows still aren't centered or aligned. I would align the middle of the biggest window to the middle of the one below it. You've made the garage very prominent, and you have a tiny dead space to the left of the garage and right of the house.
Also, I don't like the curved roof on the left. They can be cool Tudor details, but because the back is not curved and higher, you just get an odd shape.
I would go with the simplest style you can (tends to age well) and then add drama and interest with fabulous landscaping — the current trend is homes with lots of different materials, shapes and “details” tacked on the front and then really anemic landscaping (looking at you boxwoods) - flipping this script will yield something with staying power imo
Thank y’all for the added input!
The solid stain on my house lasted a good 15 years. Never had termites. I would not call it high maintenance. If anything, wood is better. If you have some other siding, if something needs to be replaced, you'll have to find the same thing, but products change. Wood shingles that match our 100 year old shingles are still easy to find.
Agree with Paul F & also Lyn Nielson’s suggestion. You have beautiful trees btw. I agree with Paul F re the blue. For some reason, idk why, blue ”cheapens” the look ( for me ) , perhaps because I associate it with manufactured ( aka mobile ) homes. Seems to be a popular choice.
If you want to avoid the swelling, contracting, and potentially uneven fading common to traditional charred Sugi, acetylated Shou Sugi Ban is your solution. The advanced acetylation process alters the wood at a molecular level, preventing the natural warping that can loosen nails over time. By eliminating wood movement, it ensures the charred finish fades much more uniformly while freeing you from the occasional structural maintenance required by standard softwoods.
But to be honest with you, traditional Sugi is a very specific, high-contrast look that isn't for everyone. In my opinion, plain gray acetylated wood beats it entirely. Products like Accoya Color Grey are pigmented all the way to the core, giving you a gorgeous, sleek, modern look from day one without any of the soot, heavy textures, or char-related headaches.
Clethra. It comes in white, too
Do you have a deer problem?
See above about the myth that pine needles acidify soil. And we don't know that your native soil is not already sufficiently acidic. What grows naturally in your area? Blueberries? Kalmia? Regarding the growth habit of azaleas many are broad and short. Unless you have researched the cultivar you have bought it's not safe to assume it'll be tall and narrow. Also I would plant that azalea further forward.
Given the above info, maybe you can use pine needles for everything instead of buying shredded mulch? How fortunate to have such an abundance of pines! Where do you live?
you need pictures
You love the neighborhood, you lucked out. why move into an unknown situation? The grass is always greener. How much time do you really spend looking at the house from the curb anyway?
Btw I love the house and yard. I would paint the brick as suggested, use Romabio made for brick and masonry.
It's the metal bedframe that damaged the wall. You can put some cardboard or styrofoam on it to prevent that from happening again.
Can you swap the table and the dresser? Do you have the width? Because the dresser looks deeper. Another option is a drop-front dresser or gateleg desk, where you can put the extra table space out when needed and drop it back when not needed. These can often be found in vintage or antique furniture stores.
Gateleg table
Dropfront furniture
I'll add that they have runners in their hallways, and they wash those frequently, too. These rugs have shown no wear. btw--Your reasoning is the same as the Pro to whom I referred. I just don't remember which one.
Good luck!
I‘m going to be ordering a headboard and furniture this week. I might choose one of the options already posted here, but I wanted to see if anyone had other ideas for a slim profile desk/eating area with storage drawers that will be quickly deliverable from places like Ikea/Wayfair/Amazon.
I plan to go to the local Ikea warehouse tomorrow to look at options in person.
I am leaning towards Sherman Williams Alabaster paint colors with eggshell for the walls and ceiling and satin for the baseboards.
Should the window trim around the plantation shutters be painted to match the new baseboards color or left white matching the shutters?
As the previous poster pointed out there's very little room around your garage for any stone veneer. The other thing is that your entryway is fairly narrow, meaning that you could not add the stone bases to your columns without making the entry and stairs too narrow. The result is that very little of the stone veneer will be visible on the outside of your house. Further, the colors there work with the roof, which is not the same color as your roof. Not to mention that
AI has changed the proportions of your house. They always make things look nice, but often at the expense of reality. The right gable is smaller, the area around the garage door are larger, the eaves are longer, etc.
In short, your results are not going to look like the AI rendering. Before you invest the money, you should try to get a realistic rendering.
In my post i suggested (james) Hardie board, which comes in vertical formats and is available in canada
I swapped out wood siding for the more durable Hardie Board, on my 2nd floor. Looks great and holds the paint well. The exterior on the main floor is stucco (I'm in So Calif).
On the front of my house, the installer chose the less expensive Azek trim, which looks like plastic to me. A few years later, I extended Hardie Board around the side and back of my house -- and chose the matching Hardie trim.
Hardie Board offers several styles, including board & batten.
I had the siding painted a custom color after installation. There is an option to have the siding pre-painted (in one of their available colors) -- this requires purchasing extra material to avoid running out. Also, there will still be some touch-up paint after installation; e.g., to cover nail holes.
I clad the bottom third of my front columns with bluestone, which I used as a veneer on my front sidewalk as well.
I like the current color. In general, I'm not a fan of beige, but that's very neutral. If it's a rental, you want neutral. When I was looking to rent a house, I remember seeing one with a very nice blue living room --- except all my living room furniture was green with some yellow accents.
Thanks for the clarification, @Oreo Kolthoff. If you are going to rent it out, focus on the furniture colors, patterns and layout. As everyone says, the wall color is nice and will probably work with a lot of different styles and colors.
Thanks!
Interesting that so many have art behind the desk. A Zoom backdrop?
As promised at the beginning of the article, we see lots of storage ideas here. Storage is key to a home office. Even today, a small table with a laptop in a room without other storage is not sufficient. As for desks, computers have not eliminated paper and desks need to be large enough to hold plenty of such, even if only when working. Finally, laptops have become very powerful, but their typically smallish screens are not ideal for extended office-type work. So pretty little laptops on small Parsons tables may look very cool but their functionality is probably minimal. And, oh yes, the most important piece of furniture in an office is the office chair. The true Aeron is expensive but unbelievably comfortable for long periods and worth every penny. Substitutes look similar but are not the same.
Matching is helpful so you don't have different lightbulbs and 10 years down the road, if some are failing, you can cannibalize them to repair the others.
Well, matching in terms of style, but you may want differing sizes, depending upon placement. I live on the coast of Maine, and the copper onion lights have survived nicely. The first is at least 20 years old. The second two are 8. We are half a mile from the open ocean, on a tidal estuary. We also have various floodlights on the house and they have relatively short lifespans.
I think a medium blue with white or cream trim along the roofline would look good. Right now, your house is a very dreary color.
And a couple more…
I love the greens like Evergreen Fog where you live it makes the home seem right at home in the woods
I'd remove the shutters. I might do a medium blue with your stone.
Sherwin Williams Alabaster may be a nice choice to for the siding and trim.
Here is a bolder look to consider:
This house has the same stone as yours + SW Iron Ore for main body + SW Pure White for trim + charcoal black architectural shingles. Also, this shows a white oak stained front door. I think a wood stained door would look nice.
I would think about removing the shutters. They are not sized appropriately for the windows. If you want to keep the shutters, please install ones that look like real functioning shutters that are sized correctly for the windows.
I looked at the calendar, because this has to be an AI April Fool's Day prank!
Really, you expect help from that rendering?
" is it still the same that the wood needs to be replaced and painted? "
You can replace it now or within the next year or so. Needs paint now so I would fix it properly before the water damage and potential rot spreads further.
If you can scratch the wood with a stick, it's probably rotting. Usually wood goes soft before it rots. If it was a very sharp stick, maybe it's okay, but an ordinary stick scratching wood is not good. When the wood goes soft, paint doesn't stick. If the wood was soft enough to poke a hole through, you're chinney would be sagging.
I'd plant a small, flowering tree in your front yard. Dogwoods and redbuds are good choices, but a birch would do well, too. I'd plant the big tree in a corner, probably by the neighbor's playhouse.
Think about views you want to block and preserve, when thinking about spacing. Do you want more privacy? If so, three river birch or clumps of river birch blocking views from your neighbor's house might be good.
Some smaller trees you might like - Kousa dogwood or serviceberry. Kousa dogwood can get pretty big, so best used in a corner, and out from the fence. I l
Sorry, this app no longer lets me see the text as it wraps! (And apparently I’m not the only one with that issue!). I like the serviceberry trees because they don’t get too large and have multiple stems that give lower branching. They have white flowers in May (don’t last long, though), followed by nice green foliage all summer and turn a burnt orange in the fall.
They do produce berries, but the birds seem to do the cleanup.
I'd do a sofa and chairs. Given that you seem to need more storage space, I'd get some tall shelving.
One possible arrangement:
This envisions an entertainment center with a back (something like below), holding a TV and serving as a room divider, with the sideboard placed against its back on the dining side. I've used a 7'x3' sofa and a 3'x3' chair, plus the existing black leather chair. Four ottomans pushed together serve as a coffee table (with a tray), or kids' play surface, or extra seating for a crowd, as well as a way to put your feet up. The rug shown is an 8x10. I've also used all the other furniture pieces I see in the photos except the light wood ladder shelf, which could perhaps go in the dining area corner instead of a plant if needed--or it could hold plants. (The piece currently in that corner I moved near the door.) The two black shelf units in the corner near the bathroom hold kids' toys. (The three-light floor lamp would probably be better behind the black chair than where shown. It would provide reading light for the chair, wouldn't block access to the entertainment center's storage, and I think would be out of the traffic lane enough that people wouldn't bump into it.)
A few deas, anyway. Here's the concept of the entertainment center:
A blue would play well with the backsplash and marble
There could be real design options. Not going to know until you post a scale floorplan.
"Open to ideas! Budget is variable!"
That doesn't really answer the question as to the scope of your project. Your answer could mean anything from just surface/cosmetic changes to a full-gut remodel with all new cabinets, counters, flooring, appliances, etc.
So, could you please clarify your project scope?
If more than surface/cosmetic, please see the Featured Answer of the "New to Kitchens? Read Me First!" thread. It discusses the information we need to help you.
Do you have deer? You'll need fencing. Raised beds might keep the Woodchucks away and might not. I've seen Chucky (or was it Woody) sitting on my stone wall. What critters you have is going to make a big difference.
Here's one that might have high enough walls that the deer can't jump them. If you have deer and tasty veggies, they will jump any fence they can.
Looks much too shady for most veggies unless that shade is only in early morning.
If you each have your own bathroom, why the need to enclose the toilet and waste space on walls?
I never use a bathtub, so I would get rid of one of the tubs and do a larger shower with a bench (freestanding or built-in).
Drama
More serene
glam
drama with color
If it’s not important to be the same, try looking on Marketplace. Consider getting a matching set, given the length of summer left you may find a good bargain. I found these in less than 2 minutes.
I have those type of chairs, and it isn't necessary to sit in them. They're all the same--not super comfy but definitely practical by a pool because they dry quickly.
I'm pretty sure you can find a king-sized bed that is differentially adjustable on either side --- as in one side can be flat and the other in sit-up position. That might be your best bet, as I doubt you'll be able to have room for a walker between the beds.
^^^^
No contributor knows a single thing beyond what you inform
Don't bite off the heads of those who are simply trying to help. The post above may have been verbose, but many of the tips were valid.
Fact is......most assisted living in tiered facilities, over time and due to longer lives, became filled with residents far more suited to a dedicated Memory Care facility. Many times , these are separated from assisted living/independent on the same campus,, or just totally a new build dedicated to this all too common condition. Particularly true in Florida is just this category, free standing business.
As I said earlier? Good luck to you, the parents, and feel fortunate they have the resources for good care and comfort. You are in a SMALL group of "very fortunate". .
We'd be curious as to WHY when they have "had separate bedrooms for over a decade".......you even posted the original question: )
I’ve mostly just been lurking here Shady and first wanna say that I’m learning and or trying to learn for when the day comes that I need to give such care as you are to my parents. I think I’ve read most of the post and had a thought for you. I did read that they have been in separate bedrooms for a long time and actually that really works for a lot of couples regardless of the reason. But perhaps you could put one in the bedroom there on the right like you were proposing and one in the living room? I know that leaves an entire bedroom on the left, but perhaps that could be their TV room and or just relaxation, or room for extra things that they’re going to bring with them that won’t fit in their bedrooms. Having a twin bed in the living room, might not be too bad and they would be closer together, but not in the same room. I’m not sure how much dining area they need outside of that Kitchen, but perhaps that could work? As long as there’s a pass-through, substantial, for their wheelchairs or whatever they need through there. That would most likely get perhaps your dad, if he’s in the living room closer to the bathroom in your mom’s room.
It's pretty dramatic. I might pick a dark gray for the walls, one that goes with one of the grays in your stone.
The blue paint color is way too light for the look you're going for. There is also a lot of warm tones in your chosen stone that isn't in the inspo, which may be part of the issue. I think more gold or copper metals might be able to tie it together. https://seremodeling.com/how-to-design-a-luxury-bathroom
Very 1976 Caesar's Palace.
Seriously, though, maybe it's just so far removed from my taste that I can't see -- but I completely understand your mid-project misgivings. Note, too, that your inspiration picture shows one image of a very symmetrical room /the vanity straight-on. And the room is laid out to give you a view of yourself in the mirror while you're on the toilet.
Things I'd reconsider:
60-30-10
The inspiration picture "works" in large part because the colors are balanced. Do you know the 60-30-10 rule? It says (and you can google for examples) that you should let your #1 color take up 60% of the room -- in the inspiration picture this is black /dark blue that's almost black. 30% should be a secondary color -- in the inspiration picture, that's white. And 10% accent color -- in the inspiration picture, that's gold /brass /warm toned flowers. This rule is particularly important in small rooms.
In contrast, your black and white are about 50-50, so they're competing with one another. When you walk in, the black wall-with-large gold veining draws in your eye. THAT wall is the beginning of your 60%. The blue on the walls is going, right? So the real question is, what's going in? Not stark black -- that'd be too much. Work on color balance. Not color equity.
Other thoughts:
- Walking in to the side of the vanity is odd /looks like you're going to bang into it frequently. It does "throw things off".
- The toilet in your inspiration picture is fancy /sleek /modern /Japanese (?) and meshes with the upscale materials. In contrast, yours is a simple, basic American toilet.
- The window is adding a lot of white /light, whereas your inspiration picture emphasizes dark and moody. Beyond that, it's hard to say why the window is throwing things off, but it's a problem.
- Your veining is a step "more bold" than the inspiration picture's. This extreme veining makes the wall behind the toilet look like it's cracked. And the large-scale tile behind the sink exaggerates the tile-line that doesn't match up; this could be improved with a large mirror to hide that "doesn't match".
- You really want your room to look like this inspiration picture? Note how much the small details create this vibe: The custom-cut mirror that touches both the ceiling and the countertop -- the inspiration vanity emphasizes vertical, whereas your tiles are cut horizontal. The sleek wall-mounted faucet. Cut out these details, and you lose the inspiration's vibe.
- The inspiration picture "works" because of the multiple, small soft light sources. You don't (yet) have any of these -- just a window. This is a huge vibe-change between the picture and your reality. The only thing I really like in the inspiration picture is that unusual "hanging bead" light fixture -- do you have a stand-out light fixture in the works?
- Think ahead to your practical needs: bath mat, trash can, towel bars. They will play into finishing the room well.
Alchemillia Mollis self-seeds like crazy and is hard to dig up.
Nepeta ”chartreuse on the loose” with a height of 8-10”?
This is the first full year of having CotL in our garden. They have all expanded significantly and extrapolating, with flowers, it will get to that 10" mark.
Here they are today:
(PW "Lemon Purrfection" nepeta is a more recent introduction and is advertised as slightly taller than CotL)
Spirea 'Magic Carpet'?
You do not want chocolate brown curtains with muted gray cabinetry.
You could add some forest theme with wallpaper or curtains. A little wallpaper goes a long way, so you could put it on a smaller wall.
You'll want some plants.
Awesome. I can’t change the builders color cabinetry. It’s too far along. I have decided on teal curtains and this rug in the living room and the round under the round glass table.
Is your daughter paying the mortgage ? Do her room any way she wants but no way wold I change what I like for any of my kids .
If you want the place to feel homey, paint those dreary gray walls. I've gotten great furniture from antique stores (which is often a fancy name for used stuff stores). Getting a comfortable couch is not as easy, but other furniture is certainly available.
I'd put some seating in the room with all the windows and use it as my main living room. If you love the room, you'll spend more time there is there's a comfortable chair.
You know what you want. More "substantial" bulk does not add to the comfort of a chair, as in "Memphis.
You keep posting what you want. so DO what you want. Get a local interior designer, to hand hold and help you make. up. your. mind.
You are seeing what you want.......creating it , just not moving forward. Asking a hundred people will not get you a single definitive answer to any selection.
You like brown you like green you like trees. so DO IT!
None of it will go with you to your graves
Some cushion cover options for chairs:
I would do it in early fall, you want the tree to settle in before winter. Ideally, you would cut the roots in half of the circle that is the extent of the canopy. That helps the plant make new roots inside that line. Then, in the spring you could dig it up. You could cut the roots now, if you keep it well watered. I've had good success transplanting birch by just digging them up and moving them in the fall or spring, without any special effort.
Thank you for your helpful suggestions, Sigrid. I am not sure yet if I will try the root cutting. I have a lot of distractions and might not be able to keep them watered. I intended to separate or thin them a year or so ago, but now some of the 4 ft ones are too close together. I have to thin out that area soon, so may just end up having to forget about transplanting. Even though we’ve had some decent rains, we are still in a bit of a drought.
Sure, it's weird, but if you go to the showroom, you might see other projects that are pretty close to your idea or nowhere near. That would give you a start.
It sounds like you are forming a good plan! The fact that he was listening to your wants/needs is huge! Good luck, fingers crossed!
Yay for forward progress!
I'd do a warm cream.
Can we see a photo of the kitchen as a whole? Floor, counter, cabinets - with the sample of the backsplash where it will be installed?
Do you already have a white in the kitchen (trim, doors)? What color is that white?
What colors are in the rooms near this room that may relate to the kitchen? Is it closed or open concept?
Are you painting the ceiling? What white is currently on the ceiling?
Whites have to work together and although I love Alabaster and it would go well with your cabinets and countertop, will it work with the other whites and all the colors? The backsplash and the flooring seem to have more pink undertones that may not be great with Alabaster.
Mother nature loves green and it is often the right answer when we have several neutrals together.
This kitchen has a color named Moss from Devine Color. (No longer made, but can be color matched at any Benjamin Moore Store). Very similar to https://c2paint.com/products/quahog-c2-908?srsltid=AfmBOorVhmFSijdvFYLa4DS8K3LyK3jC0u90tEdGvhlNk8NfGHuYJGJx) .
It pulled the kitchen together much better than another white or neutral could have. It looks a bit gray in the listing photo, but it is the same color as used in the bath where it shows more green.
This home had enough natural daylight to pull off a darker wall color. You will need to test colors in your own home to see what works best in your home.
Ben Moore Linen White is a lovely warm white that could work.
Yikes! A return of faux paint treatments ... say it ain't so!
"Could any one make a suggestion for how to keep the arched French door."
At the risk of sounding repetitious, engage a competent local residential architect to design a home with you that meets your needs and fits your site.
The thing that would really make me nervous about self-designing a home like this— besides the fact that you will clearly be spending a significant sum: you are putting a LOT of trust into both AI renderings AND your contractor’s (or their drafter’s?) ability to interpret and execute them.
Good modern home design relies heavily on the ability of a skilled architect to both (a) manage the big picture alongside all of the details/ minutiae that undergird it, while (b) monitoring and holding the contractor accountable to not taking shortcuts in the build process. You’re going to leave a lot of things to chance and risk the build looking like a very dumbed-down version of the general concepts you asked for by not having an architect on board.
Again, why a three story townhouse on a broad suburban lot? Why not a two story if there's room to build out?