somehow, the idea got started, when conversation was about exchanging things...then, as I remember it..one person took on the responsibility of gathering names, addresses and I think it was as simple as that..in the beginning, there was no 'wish list'..so, what was sent was both a surprise of what the contents were and also a surprise of who was receiving it next...I think we got an email of who we would send it to..but didn't know who it was coming from, till the day it arrived...it made for some crazy anticipation..sometimes hints were dropped..sometimes nothing...lol everyone waited with high anxiety...lol it would cross the states sometimes and other times, it would go to a town close by... I kinda think that these days, it'd be a good idea to map out an plan of travel... that way, it could travel along a general line..but then again..it would also give more of an idea of who could be next, by locations..so, that would have to be decided, cuz shipping costs could be potentially a bit.. I think that Jean and I paid somewhere around $25 or so..we split it, I remember that...it went a state away..that was the first of 2004..we loaded that puppy with fun junk...I remember trying to get Jean to let me keep one lamp she put in it...she wouldn't let me have it, for nuttin'...lol we were paired up to receive a box, cuz we lived so close as neighbors, at that time....it sat in the back seat of her car, till we could get it open and that was the funniest time...we were total idiots, laughing and giggling, waiting for that box to be opened and see what treasures were in it..then, we had to be civilized and decide who got what, out of it...since it was to both of us..can you imagine two adults, trying to be adult, with all the anticipation of two kids, getting this huge present??....it took all we had, to not have a knock down, drag out...to claim some of those things...lol I still wish I had one book she got from it...lol the destinations were chosen by drawing names from a hat, I think I remember... then, a mascot was chosen to ride along for every stop along the train path.. some held on to the box for only a day or so..others got derailed and kept it for long enough that there were posts about what happened to it... it could even be that it got lost along the way and eventually a new train was sent out...that seems to ring a bell, somehow... I think the Disneyland thing was that a person was blocked from access to the forums..gardenweb itself, if something had been done to pi$$ off the moderator... I remember that I got a warning one time, when I posted some pictures that I had taken at a garden that had a copyright...but I didn't think it would be a problem, cuz they were from my camera and I had asked for permission from the owners of the garden... the pictures were taken off but I only got a warning.. the box varied in weight, from person to person..that would totally be determined by what was in it... I'll see if I can get a couple more of the pictures, from when Jean and I had it, to send out... Dudley fell off the bed, from new grandbaby's birth, at the hospital...

Here is a possible layout for you. It will mean eliminating the window that was above the sink and changing the SW window to a walk-out. I left the DR as eat-in for the kitchen, but also added 2 stools at the island. I tried to keep it so you didn't have to travel the whole kitchen width, so the "galley" set-up kept your work triangle. The island has - cookbook shelf (far left facing the table) - 18" 4-drawer base - 24" DW - 36" sink cabinet with 30" sink - 18" trash pull-out - 42"L seating area/2 stools I don't know why, but the Ikea planner wouldn't let me show a sink or a cooktop, but the sink goes in that empty hole in the island and of course, the cooktop goes below the hood. I didn't show the "bump-out", and widened the openings from the LR to the kitchen and the eat-in area. The cabinets at the bottom (which would be beside the bump-out) could be a beverage center, with only lower cabinets so above is open to the LR. Your @38' wide LR, should be wide enough to put a dining table in there if you feel you need another. This post was edited by canuckplayer on Mon, Mar 24, 14 at 23:49

I had my sister sit in some of those wicker chairs and she nearly rebelled and denounced me as her sister. Apparently they're not the most comfortable thing in the world! It's too bad because Ikea is one of our only affordable furniture sources but I've looked through their chair selection and I don't think I see anything that would work for my purposes. I am bilingual, wish I could come along and translate for you! I work with Acadians every day for my job.

This is a close up of a tweedy type rug that might work for you - I just think a darker rug will cozy up the area and complement the ottoman so much better.... This rug has been discontinued and the remaining sizes are probably too big for your space, but it might be a direction to be looking, if it appeals to you: Something like this might work, too. I can't tell for sure about the colors but Pottery Barn has samples available in store if there is one near you, refundable deposit when returned: