Hi, Thanks in advance for any ideas, photos etc you can offer. I've attached the first floor plan of the house - it's a 1970's expanded cape. With 2 active young children and 2 dogs, we are considering opening walls, removing the pantry, possibly moving the dining room and incorporating the family room into where the dining room is now. The living room has beamed cathedral ceilings. Built-in ideas for storage and furniture arrangement would be great but we are looking to open up the area and remodel the kitchen. We are looking for casual, family friendly ideas although an area for adults would be nice. We don't use the front door near the stairs very often, tend to walk in through the garage, back porch or front porch door. A transitional style but with some traditional country style incorporated (not too confusing hmm?) is probably the look we are trying to achieve. Medium brown Pergo-type flooring is in the current dining room. The rest of the house needs new flooring. The windows aren't large and the porches tend to block the sun. The bay window in the living room brings in the most light as well as the current dining room window.