I sent off a bunch of window questions last night. We'll see what I get back. Dh is ready to get this thing started and I am well...nervous. gbsim-thank you for speaking to flow and thanks for the info on the sound proofing! We don't watch much TV now but I suppose as they get older they will! Pocket doors - I am hesitant to use them in higher humidity areas - such as bathrooms because I fear they will warp or 'stick' or something. I have heard some bad stories of doors in those areas so I was trying to avoid them. As for the master I stayed away there because I think sliding the door would be significantly louder than swinging and softly latching a swing door. Anyone have any experience with the pockets in bathrooms? Ontario (hello from across the lake, and well head south west a bit, lol)! Thanks for the pics-very cool! I am passing all of these window tidbits on to dh as he is the window decision maker. We have decided to divide and conquer. I have never seen anything like those. First time building so you never really know what's out there besides the 'standard' doublehung/casement/slide by. lyfia-I know - only slideby windows I had experience with were in college and they were cheap junk! So I was really leery of that but I think they have come a long way and I was shocked at how many there are around now that I have actually been paying attention to other houses (new and older builds) around. I'll be honest - I have a hard time visualizing these drawings in 3d. I know the covered porch is gabled and the other small porch is cantilevered but I can't really tell how the dining area roof ties in. I am still teetering on that angled window. I really don't have any place to hang much of anything - even a clock! I'm not a heavy decorator/fashionista so it mostly works in my favor but it would be nice to have a little bit of wall space. Dh is leaving that one up to me. We have a 'bump out' like that in our current house and you are right - they are much colder than the rest of the floor come winter. That is another reason why I am teetering with it. I am thinking about that very thing - adding a window to the north side of the dining room and removing that angled window. :( I need to just make up my mind! Renovator - thanks for the explanation (and for being gentle since we aren't using an architect :) ). I really appreciate your explanation. I have asked for clarification on the basement and boys bedroom windows to be sure we meet code and safety requirements. I will double check the dormer - I think it is that size because it's actually real and not a facade but at the same time we don't need any water or ice melt issues. I think we are close to signing off. I am just waiting for his feedback on the window sizes/adjustments I sent last night. Lisa

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There are several things you could do. Adding the door to the rear of the DR is not a bad idea, and it shouldn't look strange. We have 3 windows and a door in our LR. If you have the space, you could put 1 foot transom windows over each of the windows and the door -- thus "tying" them together. In the LR, if you put a ventless gas FP in (no carrying in wood from the frigid outdoors), you could put a TV nook over the FP. Ours is 14" deep by 55" wide. In that way, you don't take up floorspace with a big-screen TV or TV stand. You can also hide all of your components elsewhere (just make sure you have all the wires run during construction). Depending on your ceiling height, you could put bookcases on either side of the FP with transom windows above for natural light, and, of course, storage in the bookcases. You might consider a closet of some sort in the den/office. That way, if you ever sell, you have a 4 bedroom home. And, if you need to move your bedroom downstairs in the future, you have a place for clothes. Could you move the half bath to the mudroom area since you are expanding it? Perhaps close to the kitchen with another door to hide the "mess" in the mudroom? Consider spray foam insulation as well. It is more expensive, but our research when we were building showed that it would pay for itself if you live in the house at least five years. Our latest electric bill in our new house (3100 sq ft, 3 air conditioners) was $109. I agree with "opening up the stairs" with spindles instead of solid walls. It will feel more open and you might find that moving furniture and such up and down is easier. I also like the idea of moving the master closet into the bonus area in front of the master bath and putting the laundry room where the master closet is now. You could then enter the laundry room from the hallway (for your kids) and from the master closet (for your convenience). It would probably require a door from your bathroom to the closet, but that's easy. You also end up with a second solid wall in the bedroom for furniture placement. Our master closet is connected to our bathroom. Since I have to get up earlier than my wife, it's good because I'm not running from the closet to the bathroom and switching lights on and off. You might also add a small, say 2'x3' window to the WC in your master bath, just to cut down on the feeling of claustrophobia. In the end, though, it's your house and you have to make it work for you! Good luck with your project!

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