Do you have the list now from the builder of ALL the things they want to approve at the meeting? If not, get it - take a week off work, delay your meeting and research like mad! You need to see everything in real life, not a picture, if possible - so go to the company's stockists - and see what other options are available. (Your builder won't accept too many ideas from stockists that aren't his own. I held out for a bath with an armrests and a headrest - but pick your own battles!) Look at every room on Houzz - laundries, lounges, mudrooms (especially since you're in the country), kitchens, bedrooms, study/home office - and check it against your list. You will be asked to decide on things you never knew existed - bullnose (rounded) or flat edges on your kitchen benches, for example? Cornices, architraves, doorstops for goodness stake (for some reason, our builder went with silver doorstops - we went with gold). My experience is that just about every default option a builder puts in for you is wrong . . . go armed with your own pictures, brand names and numbers. (Yes, I want the IZ450, not IJ320.) If the builder has some display homes, make sure you look at all of them (top of the range to bottom of the range) for ideas. For a country house, maybe consider half-panelling on the walls in the kitchen and maybe dining and lounge rooms, or some ceiling roses (yes, you can still get them) to give an old-style feel to the room (and you'll need rounded cornices if you go for the ceiling rose). Honestly, this is the most exhausting, draining and stressful part (well, apart from signing the cheques). But the effort you put in now will be well rewarded. And I think Hamptons and French Provincial style are mostly white or white-ish? So Barbara's colour recommendations are spot on. PS Have you asked for hidden drawers behind the kickbacks in the kitchen?

Please post a photo.

The whole thing is very 'beige'. If you're planning on renting it, that's fine. if you're living there, you need to give it some personality. It reminds me of going to look at rental units when I was young. And personally, I hate the picture you found for the wall - too busy and just looks like you're trying too hard to add a 'pop' of colour so I hope you haven't bought that! I'd pick out some cushions in the same colours as the rug - so orange, red, black - and you could throw some green in there too as it looks like the plants you have are close to that room - put a couple of plants in there as well to liven things up. (Just noticed you do have a couple that I didn't even notice!) The long wall, that seems to run right through your apartment, I would paint a different colour so it's not all beige. A less expensive thing to do if it is where you are living - is to get some family photos up - lots in small frames work together, or photos of any travels you may have done - places you love. You can paint the outline of a large frame on your wall, and then put smaller framed photos inside which you can contniue to update as you life changes. Lay it out on the floor first to make sure it looks good together.

Thanks for all your comments. I agree Retro and Genki and have done just that. He will come to me first with his design however I think like some of the other Houzzers this is a passion of mine that I wish I had have pursued as a career but unfortunately did not and am unsure whether I will go back to study now with young kids. I have worked with my building designer on 2 other projects and we nailed the layout of both. I enjoy reading everyone’s opinions and think that considering all options rather than the first presented is not a bad idea. We have had the master of our previous houses downstairs and my preference is to keep it that way although maybe being back up with the kids for the next 12months may change our mind but I doubt it. I definitely want knock down the current garage and laundry and ideally want an open plan kitchen/living dining with butlers pantry/laundry although it’s a little awkward as we don’t have the hallway to allow a transition point from traditional to modern. That’s why I think the transition will be as you walk through into the current dining room and I would love to be able to see through to the backyard from that front entry. Oklouise, I initially drew up nearly exactly your upstairs option but as dreamer mentioned we are mostly solid brick walls upstairs and my favourite spot upstairs is that front enclosed balcony. Unfortunately the front room upstairs doesn’t get any direct sunlight. I would consider losing the upstairs living as suggested as that downstairs living room could definitely be used for that purpose. The block is approx 14m wide by 39m long. The front yard is 9.2m to the porch and the current backyard is approx 15.5m long. Thanks again for your suggestions!