Sorry I am so late coming to your site - you are an inspiration to all, homeowners and advisers alike. For your planting advice, I suggest you call Merrifield Garden Center to see if they will come out your way. They currently have wonderful garden centers in Merrifield and Fairfax (both in Fairfax County) and a new one in Gainesville, but they may come further south to wherever you reside. (www.MerrifieldGardenCenter.com) Even if they don't send designers to your area, they are worth a trip to see their huge selection for a day of pleasure and inspiration, or to pick up some plants. Most of my clients are in the Fairfax and greater Washington area, but I am currently living out west below Front Royal, VA on the Shenandoah mountainside - wonderful views. cascio.offsite@gmail.com

Thanks for the replies! My wife suggested we talk to a local real estate agent, so i think that is a good idea... just that Im not sure how helpful they are likely to be if we arent selling yet :) As for saving for our dream house, I dont disagree, however if doing this up nicely over the next ~5 years or so while we live here nets us some extra in the eventual sale, then that of course will help us as well. Interesting thing happened today actually. I got a knock on the door and one of the older neighbours asked if he could take some lemons from the tree. I of course said yes. Anyway he was telling me he had lived in the street for 40 years. I asked him if the house had always looked like this, and he said no that ~30 years ago the old old owner did a massive renovation and pulled off the timber and put up the bricks and gutted the inside of the house. Interesting stuff!

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As you rethink adding a fixed window, consider either a fixed window that is the long horizontal kind over the shower/tub surround and/or an octagon one with stained glass for the dressing room. https://www.google.com/search?q=images+for++octagon+windows&biw=1366&bih=673&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CCIQsARqFQoTCOaJ69fb28gCFcYVPgodogsLDw You could add a couple of pairs of shutters to create a pair of faux windows that look as if the shutters are closed. If you don't want a window that opens on that wall, you might consider having a fixed window and shutters that are louvered to let in some light while protecting your privacy. You might also consider a faux gable with a faux window, perhaps functional as part of the venting system for the bath.