Summerfield- I really like Laura Calder's kitchen (don't know if you watch the cooking channel) but I wanted to get your opinion. What do you think of doing something similar, but with my plan (which is perfect for me so I don't want to change anything in the layout) and using the white perimeter cabinets with ceramic tiles for the backsplash and countertop? Then a big work table (no prep sink) with a butcher block top...and maybe a marble inset? The table would be big enough to have room for a few stools on the side facing the living room. To pick up the brick fireplace in the living room, I'm thinking about a vinyl 'brick' floor, for the kitchen and utility room. Here's a picture and a link to her kitchen. Thanks and I really value your opinion! :) Here's a pretty 'brick' floor Backsplash would be something like this, with a vine or branch design...bunnies optional (LOL) The tile countertops would still be blue, but not as bright as Laura's kitchen, more of a french blue, like the little flowers in the backsplash, or the pot on her countertop...very pretty :) Oh, and I love all her plants and those windows! Here is a link that might be useful: Laura Calder's kitchen on YouTube

Thanks, all! I just love my kitchen, even still. The only thing I'd change about it (besides what I wrote about today!) would be adding granite instead of laminate. But the entire kitchen was done on a budget ($10,000, Kraftmaid cabs), and I paid for it all myself. I had a really good job at the time and didn't want to go into debt, and this was the absolute best I could do. I actually did think of putting up a triangular wall shelf; in fact, we tried to install one last year. But on the right-hand side of that corner, there's a pipe coming down from the bathroom, which is directly above the kitchen. So where the shelf hit on the right side, we couldn't drill into it, obviously. So that idea was lost. Now I have two Ansel Adams prints framed in black with white mats in the space. Looks great, but like I said, I need more space. We have two small kids since the remodel, meaning more food, more everything! I just hate to remove that light fixture, but it might be necessary. I got it from Rejuvenation, and just love it. Wouldn't glass shelves be dangerous? As in, if I put my china there, wouldn't it have a good chance of sliding off? Is that a stupid question? LOL! My son is two and runs through my house like an elephant, causing lots of vibrations. (We have all hardwood floors). So, I need to make an appointment at Home Depot to see what options are even available in my cabinet style. I did call, and they told me a hinged corner cabinet would be $291. Thank you for suggesting maybe a shorter cabinet...that way, I could do the crown molding and it wouldn't interfere with the light. My cabinets are tall (42" I think), and if I got the smaller option (30", right?) that would solve it! I had not thought of that and it's a great idea! All your ideas are great! Thank you for them. I have some thinking, planning, and saving of money to do. :) Please don't look too closely at my tile work. I did it all by myself, and probably should have used white grout. It's so uneven in many spots and my biggest pet peeve about the kitchen. I've thought about scraping it out and starting over, but heard it's very hard to do! BTW, my tile is just regular Daltile, Rittenhouse Square, I believe. It was the cheapest option at the time for the look I wanted. Beth

Thank you all for weighing in. Circuspeanut, I love the Samba, just not in my pipes... CEF, I'm not touching the plumbing myself. Those are copper pipes. I doubt I could lift the pieces let alone cut and join them. Here's the thing... Everyone on GW says, move the plumbing. No biggie. I know the slope matters and my plumbing works flawlessly. I don't want to screw it up. But when this house was built soffits were standard, so I don't know whether they laid the pipe this way out of necessity, or whether it was done for convenience. it is indeed a load bearing wall, otherwise I wouldn't need to replace the beam, I'd just remove it. I've also scooted vertical beams before - after a while you learn to cut the nails, not the wood. Thanks for the compliment, but brave and stupid are two sides of the same coin my friend :) Detroit, if you're telling me not to do it myself, I hear you. I can try to get a quote I guess. The plumber will charge me for the trip, but I can do a lot of the electrical myself - no wiring needed, just untacking and re-tacking conduit to eliminate slack. I want to be done already. I want to cook. I want the snow to stop and winter to end. I want to go on a date with a nice guy. I want chocolate and a good night's sleep. I want a bubble bath. Better enjoy one before I un-samba the pipes.

Personally, I like just the bump out below the vanity. A bump out the entire height of the wall makes the whole thing so much more obvious. You're taking something that will not be noticeable once you stop fixating on it and making it a blatant feature. What's the area to the left of the vanity? Could you build out the ENTIRE wall so that there is no bump out?