I love the brighter paint.

Now breathe. Like you said, you just got married, bought your first house and moved!!! That's a lot to manage in a short time. Construction and renovations are a LOT of stress!

I'm with acm. Live in the house, add furniture as you need it. Use what you have until you know what you want. Most people start with a second hand sofa and a TV on blocks and a board. You don't need a designer house to have a loving home.

Congratulations on your first house! And your marriage!

We didn't have a headboard on our bed until we'd been married 10 years. Our first dresser came from a yard sale. (So did our sofa!) Our first dining set came from Target. Baby steps. Enjoy the process.

This whole process can be a bit overwhelming , my suggestion is live in the house for a year and see how it works then you will have a much better idea of what you want. Save some money during that year and find a designer that can help with the overall plan I have had many clients that have done exactly that with great success.

Congratulation with your new life and new home! As a professional my advice would be to put a plan together am work towards achieving it, this will save you time and money. I would suggest reaching out to a designer in your area and have them help you with planning.

Take a long time to make major floor plan changes. You will probably change your mind several times over the next year or two as to what changes will work best for your lifestyle. Start Ideabooks here of pictures you like, make notes in the comments of what you like about each photo. You can have books for each room and one for odds and ends. Keep a notebook where you can jot down your ideas and draw out floor plans. I'm sure you will find that over time, a theme of what you like will start to emerge very clearly regarding your style. Many of the photos you had saved will get deleted as you narrow down what really works for you. Starting big changes too soon usually ends with regrets about the things you wish you had done differently so take your time. Get settled, get organized, start dreaming, list priorities and then make a plan. Have fun!

Agree with all the suggestions to take your time and really live in the space to see what works and what doesn't for you. And in the meantime, have some honest discussions about budget with your new husband - as newlyweds, combining finances and financial outlooks and expectations can be one of the biggest challenges you will face. Consider a dedicated savings plan toward home improvements/decorations, and contribute a set amount from your paycheck directly into the account (do the same for other important savings, namely retirement) - money you don't see, you won't be tempted to spend. Of course emergencies come up that you might need to raid the fund for, but to the extent you can keep accumulating money, you will soon find that you have the money to do what you need to do!

I love the paint colors you have chosen and your house already does look beautiful. Take it slow and live with the house as it is for a year as others have suggested. I will bet you that in that time frame, you will change your mind several times before you finally realize what changes you do want to make in your house. Keep a folder with ideas and pictures of designs you like. Don't rush, take your time and do this right the first time. Enjoy the process and best of luck on your marriage and your new house!

Hey Rachel! Congratulations on all the recent changes in your life! I am sure they can be a bit overwhelming, as is this possible renovation you are planning. The way I would tackle this renovation is try and focus on the projects that will improve your home's resale value in the long run, for example the Kitchen and Bathrooms, that way you are upgrading your home, and will hopefully the money will be "returned" or pay off in the long run if you ever decide to sale your home in the future. The painting changes you have done are great, buyers are always inclined to purchase more open, bright spaces and you have done just that. Hope this helps!

I moved into my house last year and I did not start painting the rooms or making any changes until after we moved in and lived in this house a while. I'm so glad I did because I changed my mind about a few things I thought I wanted to change before we moved into this house. My advice is what others have said--live in your house awhile before making major changes.

It's really adorable already- blank slate for decorating! I highly recommend hiring a designer. For less than a thousand dollars you can spend some hours bouncing ideas off of a professional. The right designer can clarify the vision. Honestly in the long-run this will save you money. Good luck- congrats, you are in an exciting phase of life :)

I can help you in the art department whether it be prints, originals or something custom. I ship worldwide for free and have won best of houzz three years in a row, so i won't let you down! Maybe cruise through my portfolio for some ideas/inspiration. Color Zen is right in investing in a designer ! http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/holly-anderson.html

Congratulations on your wedding and cute new home! Good idea to paint everything before moving in. I love your color choices. I know its tempting to get to work on making it your style, but you are getting good advice here. Mostly wait to see how you all end up using the space and let things calm down a bit. Only consider minor changes that will not disrupt your life. Things like rearranging furniture, decor, handles and pulls, lights, fans are easy. Don't stress yourselves. Its not a race.

I just want to tell everyone at once - thank you for the comments! You guys are making me feel better already! We are at an exciting point in life, and the house alone is exciting! I think everyone is absolutely right - moving in first and collecting thoughts/ideas for awhile is a good idea. I feel reaffirmed that it is okay to collect lots of ideas I like and then refine/plan later. I appreciate everyone's feedback - for my first post, it was nice to get great advice and encouragement. I hope to help others as I go through the process (need opinions on grey paint - I'm your gal). And I'll be back with specific questions - eventually :)

I find making mood boards helps me focus. Just save jpgs of things you like for each room and throw them on a powerpoint slide. Like pinning... but you only get to pick one couch, one rug, etc.

Congrats on the house...and marriage :)

Your game plan should include the following:

- As noted above, take a breath, enjoy the home and get to live in it for a while

- Get a consumer-grade design program, draw your existing floor plan and, as you are struck with needs and wants, start drawing these in.

- Decide on a budget that makes sense and 'reverse-engineer' the planned project to it

- Work on the financial side of the planned project much like you do on the planning side

- As the stars start to fall in alignment (the time when you can 'pull the trigger' draws near) expand your prep to include identifying competent and recommended contractors / designers / architects for your project (you are already on Houzz, which is the absolutely best place to start)

Best of luck!