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.

Hi pjfee2...thanks for your ideas. Have to admit I have not given the reno in MT much thought this summer, here!! Actually been finishing our beach house re-build down here and a bit 'reno'd out' to be honest. BUT we head back in just over a month so it’s time I did give it some serious thought, so your comments very much appreciated. Already got builders organized so that’s a start LOL I love the idea of adding stone on the outside to the turret part – but guessing that is as far as the budget would stretch. The siding is in good shape so need to stain it to work. Love the idea of pulling a color from the turret stone to do this. Will get a stone that has some of the log house gingery color in it and then stain the newer part of house a tone of this?? So far I’m sure we will · Rebuild the deck to run across the front of the house and form the roof over the front door entryway · Make the entry way wider and mud room inside bigger · Replace the small window to the bathroom with a door off the deck, matching the French doors. · Replace the tiny window in the turret with a longer one. · Cover turret with schist or stone cladding Not sure about replacing the windows under the deck. Added a picture of them from the inside. This living space is the hardest to figure out how to furnish in this house. It has quite a lot of light from a large window on the left wall - out of this shot - and across the back of the room through a wide door way to the room at the back. Thinking of opening up this wall? And from the inside they seem pretty well balance? Big problem in that room is that there is not a lot of places that we can use to create a sitting area. Need to get a couple of sofas in there and push them around to see what will work. It has 4 doors leading off and as you can see large log posts dotted about!! ANDd a stairwell going down to lower level and garages. Not a lot of space to play with. OK time for another coffee...its 7.30am down here!!

@Tribbletrouble44152k7 Trek, no not necessarily.. it fulfills it's purpose if you buy the one that is correct for what you want it for.. a bit of a catch22 and up to the store to point out that the thin stuff may dent.. in fact any of it can... there are many things that will void warranty of laminate floors.. here is a good website dealing with the cleaning and care .. http://www.baneclene.com/articles/laminate-care-consumer.html Remove shoes with spiked or damaged heels before walking on the floor. Spike or stiletto high-heel shoes may cause denting and related damage to wood floors due to the extremely high compressive force they generate. Such footwear can produce dynamic loads in excess of 1,000 pounds per square inch, even when worn by someone of slight or average build. Worth reading the whole thing.. Just worth reminding people that laminate flooring is mdf with a picture of wood printed on the surface with a couple of protective layers of clear coating over the top..it cannot be wet or steamed.. it will swell. Make sure you ask questions.. Wood vinyl planking is very durable and hardy, and bamboo is considered to be one of the strongest timbers.. if you choose to have floors redone with any of the above products please look them up on google and find out the qualities.. I vote for wood vinyl.. looks brilliant, can float or be glued (recommend glue for wet areas such as bathrooms, laundries) is hard wearing and cost is comparable with mid range wood laminate flooring and hardier. Hope that all helps. If you must have wood laminate then go for 10 - 12 mm.. anything less will flex. Must have underlay and be laid on a level floor.. There are self levelling compounds you can use to make this easier... hope all this helps.

A very simple layout keeping the floor space within the kitchen, the WIP takes up a lot of space with not much gain, The broom cupboard could be moved to the Laundry/entrance, narrow. If the wall has been bumped out to the eaves on the deck side giving an extra 300 depth to the kitchen you could make the island 2700 x 1200 and all drawers. The wall of narrow pantry will hold all pantry needs and more, no deep cupboards to dig into. cheers