The house looks very livable. I love that you have concentrated on creating one nice bath with separate walk in shower and a windowed tub! Since you have already thought of it, I'm going to assume that the attic is for future expansion and cannot be adapted for use as the current "away room." We are also in the process of designing a small house, and we've designated our study as the "away room." Ours will open off the dining room. If you switched the locations of the Study and Bed 1 on the same side, you could put french doors or an extra wide door with etched or decorative glass from the hallway into the right hand corner of the study. This would give you a really long diagonal view through the lounge and out the french doors, and from the lounge through the study to the window at the far end... The study window should be increased in width to match the neighboring window in Bed 1, and it then becomes ripe for a small window seat, either a clip on bay bumping out, or a "built-in" bay using narrow built ins on either side. Or both: build "in" for now, putting file cabinet drawers under the window seat, and angled corner units in for storage, and add the bump out bay later when you know whether your offspring would prefer a really cute desk, or a window seat, or a bed nook. You would, alas, lose the door from Bed 1 into the bath.... but honestly, there are lot of doors into that bathroom already, and that one has substantial collision potential. It might be best to make the single access point that door from the laundry. Either a glass panel set high in the bath room doors or a transome would make it easy to tell when someone is in the loo. Other ideas would be to split the nook under the stairs, so that half the depth opens to the lounge, and the other half to Bed2... with the wall thickness, you probably get close to 600mm or 2' on each side. Add a deep bookcase or other built in, and you're easily at a depth that makes both spaces very tucked in. Lastly, if funds allow a shallow bay window over the kitchen sink would visually expand the kitchen, particularly if you could arrange it so that the counter runs right into the bay.

This is a really awkward space! What about trying to build a unit into the corner which seems to be dead space. This could house the television and other bits like dvr,amp etc. The unit could then extend out towards the door in length and in height either up to the start of the window or up to the start of the blinds. I would suggest drawers for toy storage and books above. In this way you leave the windows clear for light plus it looks like you have a pull down screen so the tv would be out of the way of that. This arrangement would also hide all those wires and cables! Ikea have some good examples of storage which you could adapt or copy, such as Besta which illustrates the extended toy storage. http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S39927155/

Bought an old home...I loving refer to as my retirement bank..124 years old. If your husband or you have any carpenter skills or a family member who loves you a lot...look for old doors that includes barn doors that are too large...cut them down or refigure to size...its custom. You did it...wood is thicker and better....paint them all the same color....instant character. Or start with the one that is the worse problem...see how it goes...mine are beautiful...add something different and built to last. Most were $25.00 to $50.00 except the front door..but new doors they are thin...not real wood and to me cheap . its work to sand strip and measure ....make sure to measure about five times...keep in mind old homes are not square...but for us it worked...old doors you pick up for almost nothing aren't either. I made paper doors to take with me to lay on top of old doors to see how it would be...that wasn't easy but used old cardboard first and butcher paper taped together I could fold and take. You can check the height of the door knob which is important I found out..we have a door that we mismeasured and it like a dutch door I think they call them top opens and bottom opens or together..it goes from kitchen to dinning room so like a pass through. Which worked out to look good but what a headache..so the butcher paper template is a must. You are in for a lot of work and fun...as long as you know. Just about anything can be changed someway to work...diy magazines and web sites are educational...good tools...borrowed or hope for as a gift a blessing...renting if your sure you can get it done in a day is an option. Lots of info...custom doors start at least at 200 where I live uninstalled not real wood...for us this made sense...not for everyone...we love our house or recycled doors.good luck...doing it make you love it more.

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