Hi---I suggest finding a fun, colorful palette-for boys and girls, (I like orange and turquoise together). Select furnishings that have tone on tone color, patterns, and lots of texture. Keep bedding neutral and identical but add something such as a butterfly or doll on the bed for your daughter and an animal or monster on your son's bed. If you can purchase beds with drawers underneath, that would be excellent. Pics for colors and inspiration... Good Luck! [houzz=][houzz=][houzz=][houzz=]

Tsilanko, I would always recommend professional installation where needed. But what I am doing here is suggesting that WHEN you are planning to build or renovate, to consider how your plans will affect you in 20 or 30 years time. Split levels are very hep when you are young. A kitchen 3 steps down at 30 is rarely a problem, but might be a hazard at 60, or, as Marjie1059 suggested, if you break a leg. ... All my parents' homes were terrible for old people. They were forced to move to a bungalow in extreme old sge because the location and design of their home was more suitable for an active young couple with a large family than for an elderly couple with stroke disabilities. I would not want to move again, so my present home has features built in that make ageing in place simpler. Mostly small changes, like grab rails, and lever handles on doors and faucets. A major disability suddenly suffered requires major changes if permanent. I did look at this because it came up in the discussion, but if you look at the heading, Planning for Disability, it means just that. Plan ahead so you don't have to make expensive changes later on. But thank you for your advice, yes, major changes are not in the DIY domain.

Following will be costly and my mobile editing is not so good(bear with me Main door, change to double panel. Opening inside(current left side opening from outside is no good). Kitchen door... to open outside. Single/double panel?(your choice as per ground reality) Move sofa+tv accordingly. You see ppl outside your main door. Anyone walking outside dont see your TV Demolish full wall separating dining/kitchen. Demolish half wall separating drawing room/kitchen. Move fridge to that half wall(its marked €). TV side of wall can be made a feature wall with differentiating painting or wallpaper that may carry on to TV.. upto main door. Move stove(NW kitchen, so cook facing west, vastu). Small stove area, but functional. If there is money, design n replace the dining table to serve dual purpose.. a kitchen island++dining table and lit up with nice dropping lighting.

First of all a very happy and prosperous DIWALI to you and ur members.. DIWALI, popularly called Deepavali in some parts of India, is a festival which I long for every year. The preparations for Deepavali start long before the festival date. First, the excitement for me would be the new dresses that are bought to be worn for Deepavali. Apart from this all elders visiting us buy us sweets and dresses also. Jeans, T shirts, Trousers and shirts were all bought for me by my parents. The other major excitement for Deepavali is the bursting of crackers and fireworks.This year I will burst lot of crackers but only eco-friendly. Earlier I used to be afraid of crackers. Now I have got over the fear of bursting crackers. My parents tell me that I have to be very careful while bursting. I followed their advice and there was no fire accident also. The third rejoicing aspect of Deepavali for me is the eating of sweets.We visit relatives and friends with sweets and snacks. They also visit us with sweets and snacks. We seek their blessings on the festival day. Gulab jamun, Laddoos, Halwas and Kaju cakes were my favorites. My grandmother tells me that the victory of Good over Evil is the reason for this celebration. She also says that the festival is to mark the return of Rama to Ayodhya after his defeat of Ravana. In all, I can say that Deepavali is the brightest festival to be celebrated in India.According to me,the delicious food associated with the feast makes us feel that this festival must come more often in a year.