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 responding. We're in Auckland, New Zealand and close to the sea. Outdoor living is quite important but it does get chilly in winter so it's a balance. There are three adults and two young children in the household (one of the adults is an Au Pair who likes to spend time in her own room in the evenings). The kids will watch their cartoons generally in the morning and a bit before dinner. Then in the evening my husband and I will relax and watch TV. Right now the kids' toys are in the family room downstairs. We are foodies and like cooking. Generally when guests come over we all hang out in our small kitchen at the moment. The dining table we use for every meal time. We also like the idea of being able to get to the deck from the kitchen, rather than having to carry food in summer through the lounge/dining. The entry way is that big in order to reduce on the structural work but also in order to ensure that the door to the staircase is not in the lounge.

Sweeping steps could work, because this will make the sweep of the driveway work as part of the visual welcome to your home. It will also give them a bit more presence. The current steps look quite small and abrupt, so do not invite you in. The fence creates quite a barrier there. It shuts off the access to your home visually, and is very harsh. If you really need a fence there, can you make it at least partly permeable to at least have some sense of there being somewhere to go? A front entrance needs to lead you in and it presently leads to the drive then stops very suddenly. A horizontally slatted fence could work with the current balcony balustrade and help to update it while keeping its character. If the fence could be behind the steps and the front door, as well as being semi permeable, it would be even more welcoming. Some plantings will also help to soften all the hard surfacing.

Oh my gosh!!!