As far as a choosing a pump, A 1/2 HP pump is fine for a 10K gallon pool. Variable speed pumps are nice and we do use them, but for this application the smaller pump will do the trick. The variable speed pumps carry an expensive up front cost. Sometimes systems are "over pumped" and on sand filters, the sand bed can get channeled prohibiting the filter's performance. We ran across a lot of pools built in the 60's whereas a sand filter(steel tanks) was either on ground or partially buried with a small pump mounted directly on top. The pump was a small horsepower and filtered at a slower rate, but enough to keep the pool's clarity-great concept. That slower concept though was pushed out in the 80's when manufacturers said bigger was better on pumps, when in fact it wasn't. The pool industry has come back full circle and sees the benefit of smaller pumps and lower flow rates with the ability to keep pools clean.

It looks like you've already improved the design by reorienting the entry door, which is great. :-) What kind of advice are you looking for, exactly? Exterior cladding material? To shutter or not to shutter? (Don't shutter; your windows can't support it, especially the window to the left of the front door.) Colors? Porch design (I'd probably go without railing)? Landscaping ideas? Which architectural style are you aiming for?

@Aussie Bae we purchased the GE Cafe Matte White appliances. Our kitchen cabinets will be installed in the next few weeks, so I can show you how they look then. The appliances are gorgeous. I was drooling over that gas range in person, but ultimately we choose the Cafe induction cooktop and the double oven. There are definitely posts on here about the matching cabinet pulls to the appliance hardware and matching the cabinet white paint color to the appliances. Our perimeter cabinets will be white and I choose to have them pained by my cabinet maker in a cooler white called Wedding Veil by Benjamin Moore. I think where people get into trouble with the white appliances is when they have creamy or warmer white kitchen cabinets and that is why they don't like the look. I actually brought a piece of my vent hood to Benjamin Moore and attempted to have them color match it. The GE Cafe Matte White tends to lean a little blue and the color that it "matched" with was actually a blue white (I can't remember the name unfortunately).

Hi there, I remember you! My name is the same, but I hardly ever come here anymore. Are you still in Nodak? My brother and his wife have lived in Hettinger for about 30 years now, so we go to visit every once in awhile.