Two things really stand out for me: I LOVE the shelving unit in the Venice picture...the arch at the middle top, the little drawers! And I was very impressed with the teddy bear reflection in the mirror! Great photos, great photographic story, and great Houzz idea book!!!

Lovely home. I do agree, however, with the many comments that have been made about the lack of a guest room. It would be too bad if friends would love to visit, but could not comfortably afford a night or two in the "lovely hotel".
Just think of all of those potentially wonderful memories with friends that would never happen because of someone's financial situation.
Hmmmmm....I also wonder if any of those "friends and family" who lived nearby and helped with the initial renovation years before are now directed to the "lovely hotel down the road" when visiting.....

When water gets behind a mirror it wears away the back finish which make a mirror - a mirror.

Really appreciate all the advice.

Following....

It is 100% common when pouring concrete flatwork that you have underflow below the formwork. Typically a 2x4 is used to get around a 3 1/2"-5" thick slab, so you can see there is going to be a small gap and maybe more depending on the base sloping. It is not a big deal, and typically you would just grade your soil up against the slab to cover the underflow. If you cared, you could chisel off some of the edge, it shouldn't affect anything about the slab.

With your design of a grid of slabs, this underflow touching the adjacent slab's underflow will provide no structural capacity to keep them aligned. Only embedded steel (rebar or Welded Wire Mesh) could limit separate slabs from moving horizontally or vertically in relationship to each other.

It is possible a slab is designed to have "insets" where bricks/pavers are inlaid. In that case, the thickness below the "inset" would need to be min 3 1/2" thick. Drainage in the recesses would be a good detail to consider. I don't think this would be a chosen design for grass.

Without pics, it sounds like you can chisel out the underflow. The base under the concrete is going to determine how much each slab moves.

Exactly right. The solution is NOT to pull out the fridge a bit. The designer designs around the fridge.

Horror Tuesday continued.........

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HOW did I/we not notice this?

You have only 2/3 of a fridge cabinet housing! It does not have the right side panel to cover the right side of the fridge. They built a left panel, with two short cupboards above, and it is WHY ( keep staring) we are seeing unfinished right side of the fridge in the picture where you are showing the attempted pull placement

Here.....

left of your hand below and the damn reflection of the pull in the side of the fridge??

I can not believe it

Look at the left side of fridge .....and the upper right of the short cabinets.......

They used the left side panel on the Pantry as the RIGHT SIDE PANEL OF THE FRIDGE

This..........

I don't know how it escaped me or anyone else.

It is the WHY of why you can't get the pull on at all.

AN IT IS A BIG HUGE BS MISTAKE and or cheap out or both.

NOBODY but nobody does this so when it comes back today as this? " We do it this way all the time"!

You say........"I am not an idiot , not a moron, and you are going to fix this at your expense or we will see you in court".

I'll testify face time: ) small claims court.

You should print this entire thread...

Do not let your husband control the conversation! He is not the primary user of the kitchen, I'm guessing? But just wants peace in the house? There won't be peace if you have to face this mistake every day.

Following....

One of my favorite landscape inspirations; mostly stone, pavers and a deck.

A favorite of mine...lots of stone and pavers and some decking...on the left side of your house, connecting to the front door.