After forced to sell our home due to job change and relocating to a different state, my husband and I are building a new (and final) home. We have chosen a floor plan (some modifications) considering our likes, potential resell value, and smaller size since we are empty nesters. The problem-I have no DESIGN skills for kitchen/dining room layout, master bath layout, and paint selection-interior and exterior. I don't know of designers in this area & I'm unable to figure this out! In past, we bought finished homes,based upon liking what I saw. This time though, we really want to love what we have...

On the attached plan (sorry about quality), we added 2 ft to extend the left edge of house to widen the kitchen area and office (not a dining room as listed on plan) and now need to figure out an awesome kitchen/dining area layout. There won't be a wall between great room and kitchen/dining area as we like the open concept. We really want an island, design style is French Country, love white/offwhite cabinets, and floors are wood (haven't decided what kind yet-thinking dark but we loved our teak wood floors in last home.) Any ideas?

Since we don't want a tub in the master bath, and do want a LARGE walk-in shower, I need to change that layout. I'm considering moving the door to the master bedroom, and extending the wall of master bath clear across, so not to waste floor space. Bathroom door is a pocket door. Any ideas?

Can't decide on exterior house color. The home will be about 150 feet from street, faces north and surrounded by trees on each side but the front (front completely cleared except for 1 large white pine). Our lot is 40 acres & completely covered with trees-all types including pines, maples, ash, etc. & yes it really is 40 acres and the last property in city limits. We are in Northern Wisconsin, so the landscape can be covered with snow for half of the year. Also the pole on porch on floor plan will not be there. Any ideas for a breathtaking paint color and shingle color that will fit well with rural setting?

The house is 1 1/2 story, with cathedral ceilings in great room and office, 9 ft ceilings elsewhere. The basement will be unfinished for now, but also will have 9 ft FINISHED ceiling height. There's a 2 car garage, with another single car garage with steps that will lead down to basement from it. My hubby loves the outdoors and is an avid hunter. I am down to earth and tend to like most colors except for purple.

OMG... I apologize for rambling, but I am so overwhelmed and have spent 2 weeks staying up to 2 and 3 in the morning searching the internet to find answers and no luck-LOTS OF GREAT IDEAS HERE but can't seem to figure out how to pull them all together... I'm really getting too old for this...Any ideas or a decorator that would love the challenge of pulling this together - I would (and my hubby) be sincerely be grateful....