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In America, the buyer's agent splits the fee with the seller's agent, unlike in the UK where the seller's agent gets 100% of the fee. So, you agent is working for you, not the seller (they might be working for both and will tell you so, if a house you're interested in is listed by their agency). The multi-listing service means your agent will have access to anything any seller using an agent (ie most sellers) lists. While this may be the norm where you are from, it's very different from the way things were in England when I looked for a house there. So, you want to start by finding a good agent. Take your time to talk to them, ask plenty of questions. Tell them what you want. A good agent will be working for you --- and paid with half of the standard fee.
Then, your agent is probably your best bet for finding helping you with the inspections (the American version tends to be far more thorough than the English version), mortgage (this may be one of the toughest issues), contractors, etc. And most importantly, what upgrades will pay off. Because that really depends on what you are starting from and the market. A shoddy kitchen in an upmarket house is probably worth renovating. Even a few small updates might not pay off in a slightly dated, not-the-best kitchen in a mid-market house.
You probably don't want to try to organize renovations from overseas, unless it's pretty simple. My experience was moving to the UK, not vice versa. But, getting a bank can be pretty hard due to "know-your-customer" laws. I found that you need an address to get a bank account, but it was hard to rent or buy any place to live without it. I suggest you start working on the banking issue, unless you already bank somewhere with a US presence and/or don't need a mortgage.
Lastly, we are in an environment where interest rates are soaring, housing prices are high, and the economy is teetering. You may be looking to buy at a market high. And you have to take into exchange rates. We ended up not buying in the UK and that was so, so, so good because the housing market was at the peak of a bubble and the pound at the peak of it's value compared to the dollar. And, the company my husband worked for went bankrupt. We'd have lost so much money. (We didn't buy because we struggled to understand the real estate market at first and then, when we found a house to buy, it failed inspection and then the company cratered, rather than because we accurately assessed the financial disaster it would have been).
We bought a house in the US while living overseas. Of course, we're Americans, knew the system, but we emailed real estate agents in places we thought we might want to live to ask about things like the schools. You may get answers to questions like this through your company. My husband worked for a company that was really good at helping employees move and one that was clueless.
In America, towns and cities fund the schools, so a better-off community will probably have good public schools, but the houses will cost more. It's usually cheaper to live in a community with good schools than to live in a community with cheaper houses and send your kids to private schools.
But, really, we need some clues about what country you are moving from. From your name, I'd guess UK, Canada, Oz/NZ or South Africa.
Thanks all — this has been really helpful, and we're now leaning toward renting first. One follow-up: my O-1 is temporary, and we plan to file for a green card after we land. How do US lenders treat that during underwriting? While sorting out the paperwork I found this breakdown of the I-485 adjustment-of-status steps: https://www.o1eb1.com/en/eb1/aos-i-485 — has anyone here closed on a house with that application still pending?
Renting is a good idea anyway. Since you are not familiar with the areas in the city you are moving to. If you absolutely hate the area after moving in, at least, in a rental, you can move elsewhere once your lease needs to be removed.
Many people have fridges that provide chilled water. That's the most common way of getting cold water in the US. If you have an ice maker, which the majority of fridges so, it's the same line, which is tapped into your plumbing.
How hot your hot water is often depends on the setting on your hot water tank and how far it is from your kitchen.
There's a company I recommend due to their very helpful humans, iSpring. I've had one of their systems for about 3 years (undersink filter & RO). They make counter top models and have 8 models on the linked page. At a glance, they're more sophisicated than I expected. Starting price is $449 but that one only chills to 50 degrees (some are only room temp but some appear to be programmable). If there's something that interests you, you will likely be able to speak with someone during reg business hours to answer any questions - located in Georgia. If you go this route, check the RO membrame specs. I chose my under sink model based on the lowest waste water made.
We got used to having water and ice in the door in our former home, but not anymore. For cold filtered water we just keep a full Brita pitcher in the fridge now.
You need to simplify and unify your highlights, so they are all the same and go with the wood in your gable. If I did anything, I'd put vertical wood in the red area and horizontal wood in the green area, all to match the gable.
While I don't happen to love your siding on the balcony, your house would look better if you replaced the striped stuff around the window to the left of the door with the same as the balcony and replaced the black marble under it with the same.
All the windows shuold be the same color. If the reats are dark brionze or black, that window should be as well. No teak wood alu profile.
I think your problem is you have too many different feature sidings. You have the beige and reddish striped ones to the left of the door. You have the black marble below that window. You have the brown and beige on the balcony and the wood in the gable. None of the beiges go with your white siding. I'd simplify and unify. Personally, I think your house is elegant enough without any highlighting, but if you want something, pick one that goes with the wood in the gable.
Also, we don't know what you mean by "highlight wall" since the balcony and the first floor window are not the same walls.
You look like you live in place where it's easy to grow a lush garden and you have a lot of paved area. I'd pull up some pavers on the left and plant some lovely flowering shrubs. I might put a kidney-shaped garden island in the middle of your paver ocean, if you have the room.
Wide boards can work really well in a loft bedroom, and they often make a smaller room feel calmer because there are fewer seams to break up the floor. I would run the long boards along the longest wall so the lines draw your eye through the room, rather than chopping it across. Since much of it will be under the bed and furniture, the visible strips near the door and windows will matter most, so check how the boards look there first. Let the boards acclimate in the room for a few days before fitting, and leave a small expansion gap around the edges that the skirting will cover. With a 6mm wear layer you have room for a light sand and refinish down the road if needed, so it is a good choice for a main bedroom.
Most woods go in most rooms. Pick what you love and don't fuss over it.
If you have little space for a door to open and you don't access the water heater often, I'd go with a piece of thin plywood (which you can paint) held in place by magnets. Make it a bit shorter than the opening for a natural vent.
Hi, Just an idea, How about a louvered door? They are liight and easy to install. You may want to frame it out with a 1x4. Good Luck Woodbutcher
Since yours is electric, I would not worry about a vent for combustion, but I would still build it so you can get at everything fast. A light louvered door on a simple 1x4 frame works well, and I would keep it easy to lift off or swing fully open. Just leave clear room for the shutoff, the relief valve pipe, and the drain if you have one, and do not box it in tight. That way a swap later is a lot less painful.
The island is huge and there's little space between the sink and the cabinets is what is a very large kitchen. I'd consider shrinking the island. The kitchen is very white and beige. You could punch is put by painting the walls a bright color r painting the bottom cabs. Or just bringing in color with chairs and other furnishings. I knew someone who had everything red in a rental with a white kitchen --- a red stand mizer, a red toaster, a red coffee maker. It added a pop of color without touching the kitchen.
If the former owners don't take those stupid signs, I'd ditch those, too.
Given that changing the island might be a big investment, I'd live with the kitchen for a while to figure out if the island's size is as awful as it looks. You might find the narrow distance convenient.
I want to warm it up. Replace backsplash and paint island and cabinets and replace hardware just
Love all the suggestions here. Also would like to replace kitchen table, chairs and table in sitting area and portrait
I get why you don't like it, but really, it's fine for your house and not worth bothering with. Focus on what you love about your house, not what you hate.
Wow thank you. Very interesting idea!
Hi everyone - I’m new to Houzz so I’m still learning how to use this. THANK YOU all for your ideas. I could never have made this progress on my own!
When a mansard roof covers half of the house, as yours does, you shouldn't put asphalt shingles on it. None of them are attractive. I'd treat it as siding and put cedar shingles on the vertical part. Around here, there are lots of Italianate houses with mansards that were once decorative slate with patterns made with color or scalloped slate shingles. The ones with the original slate look great. The ones with asphalt shingles look bad. The ones with some form of siding look good.
Here are some options.
Your contractor is right that lighter shingles show dirt, so I'd stay with a medium gray like Pewter. On a steep roof you see the shingles head-on, so the less patterned ones look calmer and closer to slate. Ask your supplier for a few full-size sample shingles and tape them to a wall outside, then look at them in the morning and in late afternoon sun before you order.
I'd do clear. It's a great floor.
@freedomplace1 im referring to the light strip in the border surrounded by the 2 darker strips, its maple and it doesnt take stain well....that why it looks blotchy rest of wood take it fine! and i agree the border too nice to kill it with stain
Thanks for clarifying, Billy. I thought maybe there were some damaged floor areas out of the camera view. As far as I can see, the floor is pristine... looks to be in amazing condition. And the light strip on the border issue you mention is something I would have never noticed, had you not pointed it out; and to tell you the truth, I still don’t see the blotchiness you mention, it must be very minor. In any case, I just see the beautiful border. I’m glad you’re not going to cover it up!
Blue goes well with tan. Charcoal not so much.
I plan on getting an 8 by 10. My room is 10 by 14.
An 8 × 10 can be a sensible starting size in a 10 × 14 room. If the 10-foot side runs with the room’s 14-foot length, it leaves roughly 1 foot of bare floor on the two short sides and about 2 feet at each end before furniture changes that balance. The more important check is the seating footprint: tape out the full 8 × 10 and make sure the sofa and both chair front legs sit comfortably on it without narrowing the main walkway or interfering with the movable poufs. What is the sofa length, and how much clear passage do you need beside the seating group? A straight-on photo of the taped outline with the sample would make the final proportion much easier to judge.
It's very tough to find the closet in that plan. That said, I like the idea of a centered door and clothes racks on either side. That lets you have one half for one spouse and the other half for the other. It saves arguments. My spouse crams his side in what looks to me like an utter mess (although he'd argue it isn't). My side is organized.
It's a major consideration in renting or owning in Ontario where it was legalized under Katy Perry's boyfriend.
We considered buying a condo for our daughter in a university town. One walk down a hall was enough to nix that idea. Barking dawgs--you can't prohibit pets--and pot smoke. Wonderful!
Before legalization, one of our rental properties morphed into a grow op. WE found out when the tenants left--having ruined the basement kitchen with flooding, stuffed the drain lines with cuttings.
I was tempted to call the coppers, til an electrician friend advised the consequences: "So, Mr. Worthy, your deal with your tenants didn't work out so well?" Then an inspection by an electrician and registering the property as a former grow op, damaging resale.
...
Now we only worry about equalizers.
Garrett, if you are still around, I totally disagree with Rachiele custom sinks. Leave the sink where it is to have a large island with no interruptions. Great for parties, a large serving service, craft projects, games, etc. Love my large island work surface.
I am not sure I would spend much time on a patio with a firepit and string lights that are in the front yard facing a busy street. Seems more appropriate to a back yard.
You need to start with measurements. AI is really great at pretty pictures, but it has no sense of proportion and will happily expand a space to get the right look. Can you actually fit something in that space? Particularly, what distance does a firepit have to be from buildings, plants and other flammables?
For privacy, you may want a tree on the other side of the path. We need a picture of the whole house from the road.
I recommended dark navy for the foundation, but you could coordinate it with the door. For example, if you do sage (which another poster suggested, but I don't endorse with your cool, white house) you might go with a dark olive for the foundation. A dark forest green will be most likely to disappear into your landscaping when you have some. That said, a dark navy won't stand out.
Thank you, wonderful ideas! I am saving these!
The panelling is beautiful and with those windows, it doesn't make the room dark. I would not paint it. I might paint the fireplace surround a warm cream instead of that stark white.
You need to start with furniture. I lived in rental homes for years and putting my furniture in them made the place seem like mine. I've lived in my current house for 10 years and we painted only one room when we bought it --- the two-tones of purple plus fuschia tween-dream bedroom. I used to be a fan of warm white walls, but my house's strong colors seem like home, now.
I'd start with the furniture and curtains and leave the wood alone for now. It's in good shape, and once a sofa and rug are in you'll know if it still bothers you. Paint can't be undone on wood, so waiting a few months costs you nothing.
Don't worry about cohesiveness. No one will focus on your floors anyway. So much of this is just terms dreamed up by HGTV because they needed to say something.
I might be inclined to paint the base and door trim white, matching your window trim. If you add a carpet runner down the stairs I don't think you'd think about it being a different wood/stain color than the first level flooring. I'd also probably do something like a stone look for the porcelain downstairs rather than trying to coordinate one with the hickory flooring.
I wouldn't chase an exact match, since near-matches tend to look like mistakes. Let the hickory floor be your main wood, and make the other things clearly different, like painted vanities in white or a soft color. For the lower level, wood-look tile is a good idea. Pick one that's a little lighter or darker than the hickory instead of almost the same.
They don't belong to the same house. The window is much wider in one pic than the other. Further, where is the oven in the pic with the built-in bench. A realistic kitchen layout will have a floor plan with measurements of both your space and the cabinets and appliances. The AI thing you did is absolutely useless for figuring out what you can actually do with the space you have.
" Return to sender, address unknown. No such number, no such zone". Elvis
Option 1 is our selection but as others have said, the option 2 does not match dimensions. A floor plan should be provided to give proper assistance.
That brown doesn't go with the fireplace rocks. I'd keep it all the same color.
Flooring needs to work with the stone
Furnishings need to work with the stone and flooring
Wall color generally serves as the backdrop for the other beautiful elements in the room - fireplace, furnishings, art, decor. Select that color last if it is serving as the backdrop.
Design is design and although most of us know fashion design rules, we fail to recognize how the same rules apply to interior design.
A tall, slender girl can wear a white shirt tucked into a pair of black pants.
A shorter, heavier girl wearing the same outfit will draw the eye sideways making her look shorter and wider.
A sharp two-tone paint split does the exact same thing to a room with eight-foot ceilings. It creates a harsh, disruptive belt right around the middle of the space, cutting the vertical height in half and making the room feel squat and visually chopped up. To make a lower ceiling feel tall and elegant, you want the interior design equivalent of a long, uninterrupted vertical pinstripe or a continuous monochromatic outfit. Painting the entire wall a single, cohesive shade creates a seamless column of color that allows the eye to glide effortlessly from floor to ceiling, instantly lengthening the room's proportions and giving it the breathing room it needs.
^^^ What @Jennifer Hogan said!
You could have poured concrete walls and a stone veneer. That said, most egress windows are barely visible, so it's not a place I'd spend a lot of money.
^^^, or really at the end if the day a design element. You typically do not want to draw any attention to it other than being sure no one falls into it.
I am guessing the curved preformed wells are made so there is no seam for possible leakage...
I've used only the ribbed style, but suggest you do an integrated step ladder style for easier escape when needed.
Gray is dreary. I'd stick with your current wall color.
Did you test any of the suggested colors before choosing Manchester Tan?
I know it is a done deal, but honestly, Manchester Tan would not have been on my list of things to try because the muted green based tan fights with the mauve carpet.
There were a lot of good suggestions provided that would have worked better with the carpet.
Yes- and several didnt work great. To gray or too much contrast- i know my dh wouldnt care for a drastic change.
One thing is for sure, the Houzz community gives direct feedback. lol I appreciate that.
It looks like a milkweed to me. There are lots of them, so you should find a site that IDs them.
There are 3 tuberosa varietes that I know of, tuberosa, interior and rolphsii. There may be more. Flower color ranges from red to yellow with some beautiful 2 toned, colored flowers. Some tuberosa varieties can handle growing in heavy clay
I believe the Dutch were hybridizig Asclepiaa tuberosa in hopes of developing an attractive cut flower.
Asclepias tuberosa subsecies interior
Asclepias tuberosa subspecies rolphsii
There may be more tuberosa entities, but I lost my online flora, I need to reinstall it.
Mine are all orange so likely Asclepias tuberosa subsecies interior (https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/plant-profile/ASTU/subordinate-taxa). They have bloomed for at least 3-4 years but never produced any seed pod heads. Maybe they need just the right temp and rainfall to go to seed. Oddly, none of my common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) flowered or produced seed pods this year.
I know nothing about Texas, except that it is hot.
Sorry about your builder. Since the metal frame is already up, I'd look at fixing slats to it instead of a fully custom screen. Dark stained cedar or powder coated aluminum slats, spaced so you still get light and the downtown view, are much simpler to build than welded panels. A cheaper option in Houston heat is stainless cables on the frame with a fast climbing vine like star jasmine.
Your $50 to 100K number will not change much as honestly the labor and equipment will be the bulk of that. I would go with the original plan with the perf metal and suck it up, that's why planning on the front end is key.
I like white with medium blue trim. It gives the place a pop of color.
Sorry, no longer live there. I can’t remember the color, something like desert sagebrush neutral . I sampled several different colors. My roof was charcoal. Yes, I too wanted a simpler, less “chopped up”look? All of my neighbors had contrasting trim on their homes, similar vintage architecture, I didn’t care for it.
Whatever you do, keep it consistent for all windows. A couple of your renders have different trim colors on different windows and that is all I can see.
Any real life tips for transplanting saplings? I’ve googled but real life tips and tricks can be helpful.
I’m used to clay dirt from up north but the dirt in my new state of AR is clay that is so compacted, plus hasn’t rained in literally months, and it’s rocky. This dirt gets sticky when I add water to it. Planting in this area will be challenging for sure but we’ll prep dirt and do the best we can.
I'm not sure my advice will be worth much. Dry, compacted clay isn't a soil I've ever dealt with and I'm not clear on where you are in fall. In Maine, we've already had our first frost. I've found the local extension to be very helpful, answering emails promptly. You might try them.
My summer place has very rocky soil and I plant small, bareroot trees and plugs. I've transplanted very small saplings successfully. The smaller the transplant, the less digging and the less likely I'll hit a very big rock.
With those low ceilings, I think a color-drenched deep green would be awful. You have no overhead lighting that I can see and not a lot of windows and natural light. I'd go with a warm cream.
Another thought- a kitchen table - rectangular - could double as dining seating and added preparation area. The above proposed floor plan seems to devote a lot of space to a dining area, at the expense of a living area with space for art studio.
I would lean into the color drench, but in a softer mid-tone green rather than the deepest shade, so the small space still feels cozy instead of closed in. Keeping the trim the same color will help the low ceiling feel less choppy, and warm layered lighting will matter even more with only one small window. Since your paintings will be the focal point, a muted green should let them stand out beautifully for Thanksgiving.
I'd move the fridge to the corner. Do you use the table? It looks to me like it is crowded by your hutch. I'd consider that as part of the renovations. If you have plenty of storage space in your cabinets and hutch, I'd consider removing some cabs to put the fridge on the wall with the cabinets. Then, you could put the hutch in the corner and have more room for your table.
Agree with @Diana Bier it is helpful to know the scope -
for me, if i was renoing i would want to address the dishwasher and dryer situation for resale down the road
You might be able to turn the fridge and place on that wall where the bench is and maybe even fit a nice true pullout pantry cabinet beside it.
That's a really big sofa. I like the color, it's the only color in the room. I'd add a red Bukhara carpet.
Yes to changing the color of the sofa. You can always add color back in through accessories
I would have put the bed closer to the street. I like #1 the best, in part because the likelihood that your palms will stay the so neat and the same size, as AI has shown is pretty low. In my experience, palms will lean.
Number 1 - as long as one palm is taller than the other.
#1, hands down. As long as, like shirl said, one palm is larger. That arrangement looks professional and polished.
No photos in evidence
Talk to an architech.
I read this mistaken assumption all the time on Houzz. "Flat" roofs are not perfectly level. They have a pitch and that is given with use of that term. A flat or low slope roof is defined as having a pitch less than 3:12. No roof in the history of roofs has probably been perfectly level.
" This could be a substantial alteration "
Not "could", WILL BE!!
Traditional systems are reliable… but also dumb as hell 😂 mine used to water during thunderstorms like it had a personal vendetta.
How many people will use it? And for what purposes? Are you going to watch TV? I'd be inclined to put in armchairs, not a sofa. I'd make sure at least some of the dining room chairs are upholstered and coordinate, so they can be moved in for a bigger gathering.
I will see if I can get that picture.
the proble is this puts the sofa only about 4' from the fireplace.
We put a click-lock vinyl flooring over decaying linoleum with an unheated and under-insulated crawl space in a summer house. I'm sure there are wood underfloors. It's been fine. The linoleum wasn't a problem, the new flooring isn't, either.
That said, I would do a budget comparison, as I suspect refinishing hardwood floors will not be more expensive then the laminate. The other thing is that if the store doesn't recommend your plan, they won't give you your money back if it fails.
2" xps installed under the joist with taped seams (zip tape and rolled) or encapsulate everything with spray foam. All exposed wood structure needs to be wrapped and sealed to protect from condensation. Wood will act as a wick and wick up moisture. Air will also carry and transfer moisture.
If you have real hardwood flooring currently in your home will suggest that you refinish. True hardwood flooring will almost always beat laminate.
Unless it's an electric fire, it will need a chimney/flue or other exhaust pipe. Where will that go?
French doors into the room would be lovely as well!
Go with Wall #1, but be careful with the furniture layout. If you put the fireplace there, you'll likely need to float the chairs in the middle of the room so you aren't sitting directly in front of the doorway. Wall #2 might be easier for seating, but Wall #1 will look much better from the hallway.
The house looks busy because of the skeletons, not the tree. If you want advice, you need a picture closer up without seasonal decor.
If you mean the added tree (^^), you're right. @mad_gallica. AI showed it as a "teenager" and I didn't "grow" it beyond that. Unless owners spend $$$, it will take a while for a newly-planted tree to reach even this "teenager" status. Trees require patience, but IMO they're worth the wait.
No, the existing tree is too small:-) It is also still just a teenager.
If you get beds without a bottom, you can rototill your soil beneath the beds, so roots can grow into it. Now, the extent to which this will happen depends on your soil. In my sandy soil, it's not a problem. In dense clay, it might be.
I would not take AI's word for the best raised beds. Of the metal beds, NYT's Wirecutter, which is independent, not paid, likes Vego and Birdies. Raised beds aren't cheap. You may be able to find something local and wood. My local, independent hardward store sells wooden raised beds.
Wirecutter also likes Oldcastle planter blocks from Home Depot, which you have to buy wood planks to make your bed. These corners are $4 each, but the wood is going to bring your cost much higher. I have these. They work well, but might be difficult to mow around. I have mine in gravel.
"I'm probably a bit biased since my past experience with container growing has not been very productive."
Container growing isn't the same thing as raised bed growing.
I'll admit I was dubious, but my 4' x 4' x 1' test box overall was a success, and I was able to jam a lot in there. Like I said, I'm varying the heights of my boxes in the new garden.
We all have different experiences. For the life of me, I can't get winter squash to grow well when trellised, and I've tried multiple times, yet others swear this is the way to go {shrug}.
"Container growing isn't the same thing as raised bed growing."
You're right Porkchop, when reading DrCindy's post mentioning rasied metal beds I was wrongly picturing those large metal tubs that a neighbor of mine who uses those extra large metal tubs. Beds are bottomless so that's a more favorable growing situation.
You have good bones to work with, the roofline and the two-story massing are already there, so this is really a color-and-materials project, not a rebuild. A few things I'd do, in order:
Start with the stone, because it dictates everything. If you want the European, traditional look, go with a tumbled limestone or a tight-cut fieldstone in warm creams and soft grays rather than ledgestone, and keep it where it already is (base, entry) instead of running it higher. Stone that climbs the wall is what tips a house into the 70s look people are warning you about.
Then the body color. Your stucco is reading orange-beige, which fights with everything. Pull a warm, slightly gray cream out of the lightest tones in the new stone (Benjamin Moore Pale Oak or Sherwin-Williams Shoji White are in the right family) and the house will immediately feel calmer and more expensive.
Trim and windows: dark brown, not black, is a good instinct for the look you're describing. Something like Sherwin-Williams Urbane Bronze on the garage doors, fascia and window trim gives you the contrast in the inspiration photo without the hard black edge. If you're replacing windows, bronze frames are the match.
Front door: this is where I'd spend. A wood or wood-look door in a warm walnut, with simple lanterns on either side, does more for a traditional European feel than any amount of stone.
Finally, make a physical sample board: a stone sample, a painted stucco panel and the trim color, and look at them together outside in your light. That's the step the AI picture can't do for you.
You need a picture. None of us recognize the brand-name colors.
it is really personal but the sunbathed pecan has a bit of busy-ness to it that I would want to consider with a pine ceiling - here is a pic below -
there is a facebook group that has tons of real life photos and advice, you can search by brand, color etc - we put revwood premier lighthouse oak in a new lake house and this site helped me a ton: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1PTFtCZPbU/?mibextid=wwXIfr
"Busyness" is a valid concern. The pecan sample is gorgeous but hard to translate to a big area. I will look for a large area pic of the chestnut hickory. I think the natural bark oak is too dark- we'd probably have to launch into new lighting sooner than we'd planned.
If you want it to go with your door, pick the one on the right. (#1), with #2 (middle) a close second. Realistically, any will be fine. We'd get a better idea if you showed the whole house.
If you come again with any issue keep the issue to all one post please , duplicate posts do not get better help they just irritate
👍🏻!
One of the most important issues is what direction does the house face and where does the light come from? Do you face south? North? I'd put the rooms you'll use the most in the spots with the most light. I'd think about how you use rooms. Do you eat all meals in the dining room or only dinner? How often do you use the dining room during daylight?
You have a room filled with stairs. Can you put your bathroom under the stairs? I'd put the stairs in the middle, so more rooms have light.
I'd have the kitchen dining at the back with a smaller snug living room at the front. Back for socialising. Front for movie watching. Bathroom and shower in the middle as they dont need the light as much. Love the fact you've used Claude for the 3D floor plan but I'd suggest switching to another tool if you want to edit your design without burning through tokens each time. I work at Arcadium 3D so I'd recommend that but there are others if you google.
I'd put one plant on a stand in the bay window. There isn't room for a chair. I wouldn't put plants on the soffit, they'd be a pain to water and you need something that tolerates very low light. Besides, if the plants thrived (which I kind of doubt) they'll run out of room and if they don't, it will be depressing.
Thanks so much, everyone, for your input. I will continue mulling this and post what I eventually come ip with.
Full length drapes would definitely enhance the space. You would probably need 6 panels for it to look full enough. Angled rods for bay windows are readily available. I like the idea of a narrow console or bench.
Those cabinets are both nice and the latest trend. What's your idea of "lux"? I don't like your floor and I don't think it goes. I might replace it with a black and white checkerboard tile. You could get a fancier light fixture, too.
Thank you! I don’t see a checkerboard floor in my future, but appreciate the thought. Especially with
Sorry but the first thing to do is get proper lighting . I see no improvement in adding molding to that very ugly soffitt which I am sure could be made less obtrusive .The same engineered as the rest of the house but that will require a huge amnount of work since the tile will have to be removed , so maybe in that time also open the soffitt see what can be done to lessen it and raise the upper cabinets 3 " to lessen the bulk above. Then all one color for walls and cabinets and some new pulls if you must. Remove the tile and just keep the counter and the 4" splash
Measure your sofa. Measure the highest big and the longest bit. If your sofa back is rectangular, add 10-15% more for sewing or error. Add more if the measurements are complicated. If you measure in feet, divide by 3 to get yards. If you measure in inches, divide by 36 to get yards.
You also need to pay attention to the direction of the print. With a one directional print, you need to think about how that works. For example, if the print is vertical, you'd need to sew widths together to cover the length of your sofa. If the print is horizontal, you might be able to do one width and many yards.
The impact will depend on whether the back of your sofa will be visible. My sofas are against walls, so no one would know if they were cheapo burlap or expensive tapestry.
Getting your sofa upholstered is not going to be cheap and the upholsterer should tell you how much fabric is needed.
If you are looking at lee this should be something your dealer helps with. they should easily be able to communicate the needed yardage for COM including evaluating with Lee the pattern needs etc., can you search for a different lee dealer in your area. its not difficult and its whats they should be offering you.
once this is determined and lee has the fabric in hand they will send your dealer a cut/layout approval before production.
I've done COM fabrics a few times and the dealer should be working with the manufacturer to get you all the details to place the order.
Just make sure the fabrics you select are appropriate for upholstery use. For seating, I prefer to use indoor/outdoor or Crypton type fabrics with a Wyzenbeek rub rating of at least 75,000 plus.
Re-reading the OP, it stands out that she needed less than half a tank. I’m curious how many gallons were delivered. Looking at my COD suplier, their price differential for less than 100 gallons is almost a dollar higher than the next tier, and the differential is fall smaller between subsequent tiers. With automatic delivery, someone may be subject to that high price, depending on their contract. It sounds like perhaps an early delivery triggered a smaller delivery at a high price. I would definitely balk at that, but even if they adjust it I’d compare their regular rates against others, and consider switching service..
Talk to your local government ombudsman or other such authority. The fastest way to get a refund or credit on your account is to have an authority on your side.