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.

A few suggestions based upon your lower photo, the fourth I guess. a. If you had the wall built, ask the guys that built it to perform your wishes. If it came with the house, call the former owner, whose name is on your deed. b. If the former suggestion is a dead end, let's analyze before we plan. You want to have a space for cooking and dining outdoors. This is such a beautiful yard, it does not deserve a portable BBQ unit exposed when not on fire, so put it in the garage as soon as it is cool. If you are going full hog for a builtin BBQ facility, perhaps it can be built against an existing wall, and just the dining area then needs the increased space. A 6' wide round table, requires about 12-14' for itself and the surrounding chairs and service area. Will you be happy with only a 15' or even a 20' section of wall moved? c. Remove the plants from the area that you plan to usurp, and about 5' beyond, and rent a sod cutter to remove all of the lawn from the vehicle entry point to the lower curved wall, by the palm, and stockpile it in shade, if possible. d. Have the contractor saw a vertical cut in the wall at the points of removal. Measure the distance of the plant bed to back wall. Cut the front bed wall that is to be removed with two sections of that overall bed dimention, so they can be placed as end walls for the two sections of bed that are no longer continuous. e. Have the contractor dig up the wall, and cut the two pieces to remain so they are free of the wall to be dumped. He will remove the existing soil from the bed. Modify any irrigation that exists, and then install the two wall slabs to their new duty locations, attach them to the remaining walls, backfill and replant as required.. f. The next step is to cultivate the compaced earth in the lawn area, rake it and resod. If the dining/BBQ areas are to be a dining terrace, you might wait until the sod is reestablished, say another month, before initiating that construction, as you don't want the sod to remain in a pile for long, or you will have to buy new. If it is to be a flagstone terrace, you can have that material delivered and stockpiled where the bed used to be, while the wall crew is just leaving. Will that fill your need. Give this post to the contractor so he can take measurements, and provide you an estimate overnight. Summer cookouts have already begun. Looks like we will miss the 4th of July bash.

I have purchased an indigo color 3 seater sofa. See attached pic. I am confused whether i should pair it with a yellow color wing back chair or a printed wing back chair. My living room dinining area is highlighted with a yellow wall. Rest of the furniture in my room is dark tan

Hi Ben, There are many ways in which you may achieve this. Here are some options you may consider : 1. Use the existing chairs as head chairs (chairs along the shorter end of the table as suggested above)You may keep the new chairs in solid colours and upholster the existing ones in prints. 2. Since you have a tight space you may make use of a bench. This works just fine and consumes lesser space. Plus it can be tucked under the table when not in use. In this case, you can make two high back head chairs with fancy upholstery which you can repeat on the bench as shown below, keeping the existing chairs as they are. Hope these ideas help. All the best! Regards, RnD Atelier, Nagpur