[Villages Kahuna]

Knowing what’s available now, I’d hang the big screen TV on the wall with no surrounding cabinetry. Then below the TV I’d place one of the new electric fireplaces. They are wall-mounted, various lengths, extending 5-inches from the wall. They have fake “logs” and look extremely realistic. The light from a LED’s reflect off of a spinning light refractors made up of three-dimensional patterns. This reflection creates the realistic illusion of flickering flames and the glow of fire within the fireplace. In some models, the sound of crackling accompanies the glowing flames. The option of heat is created by a fan that blows heat from a heating coil out into the room. Beautiful, not expensive. Research them. Then I might have cabinets or bookcases surround the “fireplace”, for books, storage or audio components.

You have some really good suggestions above. One other thing—definitely opt for a tankless water heater (if you have natural gas, Not certain about how good the electric models are). Also, Perry’s Decorative Glass for upgraded or simply different front door/sidelights. Also consider having them replace the shower doors with 3/8 or 1/2-inch frameless glass doors with their uneven chipped top-edge design. Go to their showroom in Spanish Springs to get ideas and discuss alternatives. And Creative Finish Carpentry is the best for crown moldings. I also had them design/install wider headers above front door and rear slider using nicer millwork , also wider window casings than offered by shutter installers and wood cornices above the plantation shutters we chose. (You just tell the shutter installer to do the shutter only, then Creative comes and installs and paints the header, cornices, and window casings.)