Hi everyone. This is all so helpful as it looks like there's a good chance I will not be able to see an actual 36" cooktop before ordering. I might be able to see a 30" though so I can check and see how the top lifts for cleaning, etc. I am still dreaming about the rangetop... but sticking with drop-in for now: kitchenkat, I was thinking of rearranging the burners to suit a griddle. Based on your experience do you think I should get the 22K ones put front to back, or would that be too much power and/or would I miss having the second 22 at the front? I could also use the two 8.5s at the back for a griddle, but wondering if that is enough power and if it would be awkward reaching back. I need to put in a backsplash that can handle heat better--right now I have beadboard that somehow passed inspection, but I'm a little worried about it. It could be that with the cost of redoing that I could instead justify the rangetop with the SS backsplash attached. I haven't actually gotten prices yet and don't know how much it would be to rearrange the burners. But my impression (based on mystery pricing at the AJ Madison website) is that the cooktop is about $1800 and the rangetop 1K more. Does that sound right to those in the know? OH--also--one dealer I spoke with said there would be some slight changes taking effect in middle 2013--he said the SS on the cooktop would be heavier--he didn't know what else would be changing. Now I am sort of nervous about ordering at this point in time--it would be like the time I bought an iPhone and they came out with the next one a week later! Might give BS a call on MOnday and see if they will tell me anything. My current cooktop is down to four burners (with the one I used most out of commission) and I think one more is about to go...we'll see how long I can hold out. thank you again and will keep you posted!

I asked a question about must haves in a basement wet bar/ kitchenette on the kitchen forum a while ago and several posters there recommended having a dishwasher. As a result, I decided to pass on a stove and include a dishwasher instead. It didn't take a lot of convincing. Where ever people congregate in my house dirty dishes follow and I hate carting dirty dishes upstairs. We're still going over a few final details but ours will include a bar sink, microwave, dishwasher and a small wine fridge. We have a full size fridge in the storeroom that is adjacent to area that will be our wet bar.

I have found dogs much more tolerable than kids! Among other benefits, they don't scream in expensive resturants. I happen to have two Pembroke Welsh Corgis, one of which actually says words. Now, my wife's brother and his wife have a 10 year old male warlock boxer named Ceaser. I no sooner walk in the door and sit down than I have a 75# boxer in my lap. They are known to slobber a tad. He and a great dane and a three-legged black lab each have their own leather sofa on which to lounge. Did I mention that they don't scream in expensive resturants.

I'm going to disagree with advice to paint first and hold off on reupholstering the chairs. You say you've been waiting three years to do this. Selecting fabric can take a lot of time--esp. when working with an open floorplan where you want the colors/fabrics to flow from room to room. You have some lovely fabrics to choose from that can be incorporated into your space in a variety of ways--or even into the adjacent rooms. I recovered my DR chairs last year and am so glad that I did. Mine also were hard and uncomfortable--which you said yours are as well. One thing that was important to me was the fabric not only coordinate with my DR, but my LR since I planned to occasionally move the DR chairs into the LR if I needed extra seating for a party. Personally I found a stripe to be the most versatile choice. I do also agree that you are more likely to tire of a floral or find it more limiting as time goes on. To me, your ivory will always read more formal due to the sheen of the present fabric--not so much the color. If you still like the floral, I would again consider using two complimentary fabrics and use the floral in smaller doses. For instance, you could do the host chairs in floral and others in stripe or solid, or do different backs/fronts as I suggested earlier. Or bring in your floral fabric in a less permanent way via a table or buffet runner. Calico Corners is also really good with suggesting complimentary fabrics. It may be worthwhile to bring in a swatch of the valance fabric and ask for advice on complementary fabrics.