I love the style of shutters on Housson's pic. They look so tropical and Key West! I would definitely add those for some added character for your house.

This would beusable space and a great look.

Thanks for all your comments, we want to paint the siding in light blue color, trim in white with hardie plank shingle in the front, ground floor with hardie plank horizontal siding. Windows size and position couldn't be changed and no space for shuttle, how about plants or flower tanks under the window?

Photos of inside, need your suggestion, which style for this house?

I don't like this kitchen, how can I make it nicer and functional?

More photos inside

I really don't like the stairs inside, but the space for stair is really small, how can I make it nicer?

If possible expand the kitchen area and add an island. Put the sink and dishwasher in the island which will allow the stove to be moved away from the corner.

This is just me being a chicken but the area under the house is partially enclosed as you know but I'd be scared of someone/something (cat) jumping out and me jumping out of my skin! I'd either securely enclose it for storage or open it up and make sure it's well lit. Judyg I really like you attaching pictures of your ideas. It's so helpful because I sometimes can't make the leap!

Lisa, it's not just you being chicken! Eeew! When we had our house inspected prior to buying they told me there was a dead critter underneath. Dead is good, in this case.

When I think Florida, I think of sun/beach/tropics/lush gardens. Glad you are going to paint the house blue, but I would choose a blue with a greyish tinge to keep the beach feel and a white trim would add to that. I love lattice which also enhances the beach feel, I wouldn't change a thing there or with your railing but I would add some planter troughs in front of the lattice with bright flowering plants. I have also seen planters that hang over railings for more colour.

Hi, My name is Delphine.
I think your home has great potential. A new home means a chance to have fun. Don't be discouraged.
I love the idea from judyg, framing the lattice. you can even paint the lattice a fun color and keep the framing in white.
groovygranny has a point with the first things that come to mind with "Florida". However, I believe in individuality and this is your chance to define your space. If you like blue, go blue! I think that cobalt and navy blues are super popular right now. Maybe, if you would rather keep it light, you can use a periwinkle blue or a peacock.
Inside, if you are trying to save money and not move too many things around, you may consider doing something fun. since your ceilings are high but your wall space is short (horizontally that is) you may consider some horizontal stripes. Maybe not on every wall. Pick 2 or 3 walls and put the stripes there. And with one of the colors, paint the rest of the walls. This will create an illusion of a larger space and allow the eye to focus on something it likes without being allowed to focus on any negative aspects of the space.
I personally don't like your flooring. It's not hard to take up. Have you ever heard of the tile shop? I think they are only in the midwest. But if you are up to it, that would be a super good investment. Take a trip or order online. Check into getting a new floor, or at least think about it. That will make a huge difference. You could even get a tile that looks like wood, that way, it will be water resistant, cool in the summer, and easy to maintain.
In the Kitchen, a fresh coat of paint and a new countertop may do the trick if you don't want to add an island. I do think that the island idea from Monterey Services is genius. You could have your breakfast seating, or bar seating,there as well.
Hope that I could be encouraging and helpful.
Good Luck.

Thanks delphineacosta - periwinkle blue was the colour I was trying to think of. Navy could look great too but to me it isn't what I would consider a 'tropical' colour. Definitely do as Carolina Photo to Go suggests and check out that website. I know paints have improved a lot over the years, but blues have always had a reputation for being the worst at fading so do be sure to invest in a good paint with a guarantee against this.

The house has interesting geometry. It looks like the kitchen walls are sloped inwards, matching the outside lines. That means the cabinets have to be carefully mounted; they can't just be butted up to the outside walls. And that is probably why the upper cabinets don't go all the way to the ceiling.
Some questions to help establish how much budget has to go to structural matters:

1) Is the narrow wall on the right of the dishwasher a bearing wall?
2) Why is the dishwasher far from the sink, that is, where and how does it drain? Are there hoses behind the range snaking over to the sink?
3) Is the range hood vented to the outside?
4) How many linear feet of space to the right of the rightmost cabinets can you add?
5) Do you have a single ceiling light fixture? The photos show things on the ceiling - are they lighting fixtures, a/c vents or perhaps fire sprinklers?

I really like your beach cottage and I think that your idea of the pale blue and white is spot on. Replacing the lattice is also a great idea and would give the feeling of a more substantial and solid look . I would do the siding vertically however as the rest of the house is done vertically and I think that it would look more as it has been there all along. I would make 3 gigantic white rectangular planters on the ground in front of it and plant green very tall spiral junipers in them reaching at list 2/3 of the wall .
As for the interior, I would take the staircase wall out and replace it with the same railing as the one upstairs, lift the carpet of the stairs and replace the threads with wood replacement threads that you can get at big box store ,stain them a light rich wood tone that will go with your tiles from downstairs.
Sorry to say that I would gut the kitchen entirely. It is impractical and dowdy looking. You need a kitchen designer which, any and all kitchen maker provide (Ikea, big box stores and custom cabinet maker )as a service. However , if you plan on keeping this one for a while, I would switch the fridge and dishwasher and their top cabinet around to their logical position. Get rid of the separate unit on the other side of that small wall and replace it with a floating island with storage underneath,and have it face the kitchen preferably with stool also facing the kitchen. A good coat of paint on all the walls will refresh the look. .Also, If you can, replace the white with stainless steel appliances.
I think that if you get modern big pieces for a start, sofa and chairs, then I suggest you get shopping at garage sales and flea markets for interesting pieces for dresser and end tables to keep the cottage look alive in the whole cottage. Paint them white or a light pastel color, As for art on the slanted walls,if there is room I would build shelves that are wide enough to put the pictures on and lean them on the wall.
I envy you immensely , I think you are extremely lucky to have such a unique place. Good luck

cable railings on the inside would look good, and give the house a modern vibe. If the horizontal slats outside isn't your thing, just putting different colors of blue pots on the ground and letting morning glories, honeysuckle or any kind of flower or ivy grow up the lattice to attract butterflies and hummingbirds would be great, with clay tile #s for the house. Resurfacing the driveway with a stone stamp concrete would also look good, and you could put leaf, flower or animal track impressions in the concrete as well. On the inside, cable railings again and a peninsula out from the wall with the return air could be a good bar area since it would have to stay partially open, but hopefully you could move the stove or sink to the peninsula to unclog that corner in the kitchen. I'd get rid of that wall to the right of the dishwasher, or at least put glassed in cabinets or open shelving starting on the upper wall at that point. And definitely replace the flooring with something cool and relaxing for Florida instead of the red/orange/yellow. Color blocking the cabinet doors and drawers in there in tropical colors might be fun.

Instead of 3 seperate windows, make a wall of windows, building a window seat out of a few extra wall cabinets on the inside for a cute attention grabber.

so many great ideas already. fun light beachy colors! lose lattice or put some vine like plants in front of. Window boxes on the the three windows would look great. Island in the kitchen and again color...but go with what you are comfortable with after all you have to live there.

I'd keep it white, but pick up a very soft tropical color for the trim work. Add some plantation hurricane shutters for that tropical feel. Not big on the lattice. Horizontal slats could update the look. If code allows I would go with a more open horizontal slat or cable for the railings to open the view. If you stick with colors that are light and neutral you can really pop colors in accessories for a tropical look. Avoid theme looks and use instead the color of the islands. Nothing worse then a house full of shell art and pink flamingos. Sorry if that offends anyone, just my opinion.

As much as I would ever hate to admit judyg is right, I like her idea the best. Oh, that hurt.

Super cute house. Definitely ditch the lattice ASAP! It takes away from the character of the house That in itself will freshen-up the exterior look of the house. If the lattice is concealing a storage area, maybe you could do 3-5 large, all the same fun color, planters with tall tropical plants to create a visual barrier to what is beyond? And add narrow profile window boxes under the upper windows? enjoy your new house!

I think it would look cute and cottagy with a nice bright tropical Carribean color on the body of the house--yellow, green and turqoise type colors seem popular in Florida. I don't think the lattice is that horrible, but it lattice looks unfinished--perhaps adding some trim to break it up would look nice, and even some planters put in front of the lattice would help. A more substantial post would help, and it could even include some trim or detailing to make it look more finished and provide a portal to the stairwell. Some landscaping would help in the transition area..

As for the interior, I think painting some of the walls and the backsplash would help a lot, and the kitchen is crying out for a breakfast bar or island of some type. A moveable one in a cottage style might be nice, if you like that sort of thing. The colors could be bold on just the tallest walls, or it could be a subtle range of tones to give the space dimension. Love the red tile floors--thank goodness you don't have white tile--that is such a nightmare to keep looking nice. Some scatter rugs, perhaps cotton rag rug types that can be washed, could warm it up a bit and catch the sand.

I guess what you do depends on your budget and what you like--could go cottage quaint or modern beachy. Either could be really nice.

Wow, all your comments and ideas about the house are very helpful, made my mind opened up. I will post more pictures of this house and welcome your great ideas!

Wow! That view there looks way nicer!

The sun deck as the living room

There are 2 bathroom on the 2nd floor and 3rd floor, but they are very small and low ceiling with slant wall on the side, I just think to make the window at the slant roof/wall if it is possible.

The back of this house, it looks very terrible now, I like to change the shower place as open, with stone wall, like rain shower, some trees to keep private.....

I would add three really large columns with a trellis in front to bring all the parts together
hang geraniums and potted ferns from it - maybe a vine. update the window trim,screens to look antique for a bit more style. add trim to trellis to make it feel more architectural. really cute house with lots of potential. here is a sketch.

Wow, looks real nice with these plants and flowers!

The windows change make a big differents!

I also want to have a window at kitchen area, but if is it possible?

I would paint the decks rather than staining since they are such an integral part of the house and it will make them last longer. I really think that hurricane shutters (said it before) as a couple of people have suggested will sooo make the house look better and attach from the top. Could be protective too.

The space of front entrance is very small, what should I put?

Yes, hurricane shutters look good probably with some highlight color!

The living room is nice but some many windows, but it is difficult to decorate foe me

Your home is so very nice :o)

1. For the windows on the inside, definitely get some nice sheers. I would use white. You can get a nice long curtain rod, wall to wall, and bring it to the ceiling. Then get solid drapes to hang straight up and down between windows and on outer extremities. Then, get white sheers between drape and window. That will total about six sheer and four solid. At the end, to finish it off, you can add a decorative treatment to cover the wall at the top. This look with make your windows look larger and the vertical lines will make that wall look taller.
2. And if you touch up your ceiling, you can paint your beams in a fun color or in a dark wood tone ( some color that can match your furniture, whatever it looks like). This will bring out the architectural characteristic that was intended when they decided to add the beams as part of the design of the house.
3. Personally, I love white. It's so crisp and fresh and bright. You can get away with painting everything white and using white window treatments and add some bright tropical colors in your furniture, area rug, and decorativce accents. This makes it easy to replace, or change with the seasons.

Just think on it.

Forgive my rough sketches as I have limited materials on hand. Your home has amazing potential.
For the front exterior I would love to go with a colorful blue (Behr Ocean Blue for the greener tones or Cobalt Gaze, Liberty for the purple undertones, just as easy reference examples). Take the lattice down and add a railing to create an inviting front porch and usable space with open lighting. Replace the lattice in the background with horizontal wood paneling to visually enlarge your space. I would keep it natural (like your upstairs entry porch). Leave space in between the slats as this will be your lattice replacement. Use decorative pots in front of the railing, add vines that will grow upwards to unite the two levels and frame your windows. An orange flowering wine would add color and flow with the tropical feel. This creates a welcoming entry way.
I would take advantage of the interesting geometrics of your home. Put down wooden flooring in the sun room that echoes the beams in the ceiling. A mirror outside the french doorway fills an otherwise awkward space and makes the space feel lighter and more open. Colors and decor of course your personal preference, but I would go bold, as the pastel tones give the architecture of your home a dated look. Just my two cents!

Bobbi P, I think you finally are catching on.

Well judyg you know us old folk. Oh, that's right? You DO know us old folk, you being one of us!

In my opinion, your new home lends itself more to a modern design interpretation; think Venice Beach funky or Miami modern. Therefore, I like the suggested idea of replacing all of your wood railings with steel cable as a start.

I would next remove the lattice and replace it with a solid wall recessed about 18 inches behind the front second story wall. You could make the wall loadbearing and remove the center and right columns. Install a contemporary wall mounted light fixture and modern house numbers on the new wall. Choose two or three modern planters of different sizes as an additional accent placed in front of the wall. To the left of the new wall, install a glass paneled garage door if dimensions allow.

Frame a “doorway” at the driveway edge leading to the deck stairs. Make the scale substantial enough to allow for wall sconces mounted on either side of the doorway frame. Finish the path to the stairs with smooth concrete pavers and landscaping.

From your photos, it appears that you will eventually need to replace most of your exterior finishes. I would use very durable fiber cement siding for the walls. Choose lap-style siding for the portion of your house that has the sloped walls and for the ground level new wall and doorway, and shingle-style siding for the second story projection. Paint the two types of siding in contrasting colors.

As for the roofing shingles, I would eventually replace that with standing seam or corrugated metal roofing. While you are re-roofing you could also add a couple operable roof windows in those sloped walls to bring more light into the interior space.

You have many great suggestions for the interior but I would second replacing the Saltillo tile as well as the front door with something more contemporary.

Of course, all these suggestions come with a price tag but all could be accomplished over an extended period of time as your budget allows.

And where is Carolyn in this mix, missy?

I think you should pave the driveway in a nice stone!

was looking just for fun and ran acrosss some photos from Greece...totally changed my mind on your home.

1.Stucco
2. Main color white and trim royal blue or bold teal blue including stairs...white stairs blue handrails
accent with bold pink or red (I perfer the pink)
3. add loads of potted plants potts same blue color...one sm on each step and clusters around poles with a few larger
4.loose lattice...replace with shutter doors, even if you make stationary. painted the same blue color

.my idea still originates around having a pation in that area.

carry the Greek through a hacienda vibe for interior.

1. darken wood in ceiling, all trim work, and stairs. Maybe evn redo stair rails with woodn handrails and irons sides title fronts or kick plates
2. cream to light brown...creamy tan...hot coco for walls

http://voices.yahoo.com/how-faux-terra-cotta-paint-4092501.html

Your kicthen really could use a major reinvations. I would move sink and or stove, but moving eletricity and plumbing is complicated and costly . As far as decor...I say old looking butcher block island big and tall enough to use one side as breakfast island. Carry tilte from stairs in small amount to the back splash. and use iron chandeliers or your favorite lighting fixture to connect island, dinning room/table, and entryway.

The bathroom looks like could just a your personal touch great way to add little color; hand and bath towels, rugs, ect. maybe fresh coat of paint and new vanity. put two of my fav ideas...but I'd want the wood portion to be white unless it was brand new..give it old world look

The interior geometry looks very complex like the house has grown over a period of time. You might want to live with it awhile before doing anything too costly or structural. Keep the furniture to the minimum until you have a plan and the job will be much easier.

I helped my father downsize recently and was just amazed by the quality and quantity of stuff at yard sales, estate sales, flea markets, Craig's List and resale stores down there. Reasonably priced and every style you can imagine. If you don't mind taking your time to find the bargains, Florida is a great place to do it!

I love the floors by the way. Would totally work if you went Carribean or Mediterranean. Whatever you do, don't get white ones and make sure anything you get is high anti-slip. My Dad's whole house was slippery white tile and it was a total pain to keep clean and a health hazard as they became older and more unsteady on their feet. Who needs that?

Cork or Bamboo might be options eventually--softer, mold resistant and eco-friendly and fairly economical.

Thanks Lee for spending your time for great ideas! My husband insist on the bold teal blue color for outside but with white trim, this will bring the Greek island house style which I like... We will not be hurry to remodel the whole house now except change the siding with hardie plank first, we will have 2 or 3 years to plan this project, I am now just look and think which style is good for this house, according to all these suggestions, I probably think about tropic and cottage will be good. We live in overseas different countries for almost 10 years and have collected different stuff from different countries, south Asia, middle east, south pacific.....I want to put them together, but need a theme, I am still looking for, open my mind, I appreciate all your great ideas.

I just saw a photo, the room has a round window, give me a inspiration that I can use for my bathroom, it will be very cute from inside and outside!