[Zeke]

For what you aim to do I wouldn't engage a design/build contractor. Just go through a ton of magazines and real estate brochures/ads and pick you what you like. The roof project needs an engineer more than a designer.

Windows are pretty straight forward. Grids or no grids. Interior, well there are so called design people at HD and Lowes so utilize them but don't buy.

A guy I built a lot for told me one day that in order to be successful just find someone who is successful in whatever area of interest and copy that person. There is a reason some things always look good.

Keep it simple and clean and you won't regret it.

There seems to be a trend now to hang surface mounted sliding doors in the interior. IOW, a pocket door that doesn't go into a pocket. Often times they use rustic, like some kind of barn door theme.

That fad will blow over fast.

I once was going to write a book about home fads from the wine barrel Jacuzzi's of the 70's to various window treatments to deck design, etc. It's amazing just looking at all the different shutters that have come out. Wallpaper and tile change or go away.

It's crazy. Keep in simple.