Since many of you asked for more detail about the layout changes and paint colors we’re considering, we wanted to share a full update on the ideas floating around right now. These plans will certainly evolve, but here’s a clear look at what we’re imagining so far—lots of descriptions, diagrams, and photos to help explain our thinking. Ready? Here we go.
This is what the first floor looked like when we bought the house (we’ve since removed the three sets of double doors off the kitchen).
And here’s the direction we’d like to move the first floor over time.
- Widen the doorway between the kitchen and dining room to improve flow and sightlines.
- Create a wide, centered opening between the kitchen and living room with built-ins flanking it—similar to the style we used in our previous house.
- Reconfigure the kitchen from a U-shape with a peninsula to an L-shape with an island, and add French doors from the eat-in area to the deck.
- Convert the sunroom into an open covered porch with new columns and replace the sliding doors, since many sliders are failing and some posts are rotten—we’re picturing a cleaner, more porch-like feel.
This is what the second floor looks like today.
And these are the second-floor changes we’re considering.
- Open the sink nook and the adjacent bathroom area in our bedroom to create a single, larger bathroom instead of two separated sinks divided by a wall.
- Replace a double-doored linen closet in the hallway between the nursery and our bedroom with a built-in nook—concealed cabinetry at the bottom with open shelving above for a tidy, built-in look.
- We considered adding a door at the end of the hallway to enclose the laundry nook, but that would likely make circulation awkward and close off the flow to the unfinished storage area, so we’re leaning toward keeping it open.
- Eventually drywall the unfinished storage space to create a bunkroom or cozy TV room—something useful for older kids and their friends down the line.
For paint, we’ve been swatching a few Benjamin Moore colors we love. These aren’t final wall colors for every room—some swatches might become a vanity color, an accent wall, the back of a play-closet, or a painted piece of furniture. This is a first-pass palette that will evolve as we add fabrics, art, and accessories.
We can see Knoxville Gray or Black Pepper creating a dramatic dining room with crisp white trim and built-ins. Lighter neutrals will likely be used in living areas and bathrooms, while deeper mid-tones could suit bedrooms—Sea Star or Sparrow feel like strong contenders for our bedroom, balanced with white furniture and linens. Brighter colors such as Moroccan Spice, Milano Red, and Spotswood Teal are intended as accents—on a piece of furniture, a vanity, or a frame—rather than full-room treatments.
It’s helpful to compare this palette to our earlier homes: our first house relied heavily on tan, cream, and soft blue-gray tones…
…and our second house introduced bolder hues like deep teal alongside softer gray, pink, and taupe choices.
We’re aiming for a palette that blends those two directions: more traditional and warm than our most recent house, with the neutral, classic feeling of our first home, plus occasional joyful color pops. The mix of warm tones (tan, coral, red, brown) with cool favorites (blue, green, gray) should create balance. Classic white trim and doors, mocha hardwoods, and gray slate flooring will help anchor the look and keep it feeling timeless.
Below are inspiration images and ideas that reflect the overall “vibe” we’re pinning for this house:
- A dark, tailored bedroom with moody walls and crisp trim.
- Whitewashed living room brick to brighten the fireplace wall and add texture.
- An airy, open kitchen with clean lines, built-ins, and French doors to the outdoors.
- A dramatic dining room with deep-painted walls and bright white built-ins—possibly leaning toward navy.
- A small room or half bath with chic wallpaper for a focused pop of pattern.
- An office with a wall of built-ins and a floating table for a clean, functional workspace.
- A cozy TV room and bunk-room created from the currently unfinished storage space for future family needs.
- An organized closet with built-ins that makes daily routines easier and more streamlined.
- A foyer or upstairs hallway with wallpaper and wainscoting for a stylish transitional space.
We’re still focused on basic fixes—removing dated blue trim and too much wallpaper—so the larger transformations will probably happen incrementally as we save and plan each project. Big builds and furniture purchases will be spaced out over time, mixed in with smaller, quicker updates so the house improves steadily without overwhelming our budget.
These are early thoughts, and many details remain undecided. If you have specific questions about particular projects, layout choices, or finishes, we probably haven’t nailed every detail yet—but we’ll share updates as ideas become more concrete and the work progresses.