I think the consensus is to choose the curved canopy over the range. I wrote an email to my KD today about my concerns. She wrote back and reassured me. She advised that my finishes -- hardware, paint and stain selection, granite and marble choices and lighting can set the tone of what kind of style is expressed. She even photographed a couple of design boards to show what she meant. Unfortunately, my husband preferred the traditional option and I chose the classic option... Florantha - coincidentally, I was looking at chinkle's kitchen the other day on this site. I can't remember how I ended up looking at it. It is pretty. Lavender floss - thanks for your vote and your vote of confidence. How do you know about Candice Olson, are you Canadian? Sometimes I love how she's transformed rooms, sometimes I think yikes. I agree, those tiles are busy but everything else is tasteful. The little nook is actually meant to fulfill many functions. I'm hoping the "baking area" function of it is functional, as you noted. I love to bake -- when I have time. Another purpose for that area is to be a small prep area for the kids if they want to make a snack. Since the area is close to the fridge, pantry and has its own sink, they won't be underfoot when I'm preparing a meal -- at least, that's the plan... It'll also function as the area guests can use if they want to help. I'm like still_lynnski, I like to have my kitchen space to myself when I'm cooking. In the past, in my small kitchen, I allowed people in the kitchen because the're just trying to be helpful, but it drove me a bit batty. Also, that's where I'm planning to tell my husband to use as a meal prep area. I'm blessed to have a husband who enjoys cooking and he does it often. Unfortunately, he makes a huge mess while he's doing so (and doesn't clean it up) . Unless you're sitting at the far end of the island, you'll barely be able to see the mess in the nook. It's a bit of a concern since the kitchen is visible from the family room and partially from the dining room. As you can see the kitchen layout was thought out ad nauseum. This small nook was actually quite the headache for me. At various points it was going to be another walk-in pantry, a built-in breakfast seating area, and some other silly ideas. I'm so glad that I nixed these ideas. I think the way it is now will be much more practical for my family. Please keep your comments coming. I'd like your opinions on how to finish the area above my fridge. Again, I'm thinking that it's too traditional. Should I keep it as is or should I do something else?

Your unusually severe headroom problem is due to two mistakes that can be easily fixed. 1) For the depth of the house, the main roof rafters are not steep enough to allow adequate headroom at the front bedrooms but fortunately those rafters only occur between and at the sides of the dormers. That's about a dozen rafters that would need to be be raised or made steeper. Ask the builder which solution would be cheaper. 2) The big front "gable" is a low triangle form called a "pediment" and has no side walls like a dormer or cross gable. The slope of the pediment rakes is too low to provide adequate head room. It can be made taller or modified to be a cross gable/dormer with side walls. Raising the main rafters might be enough to fix it too. To reduce cost and complexity the face of all dormers should rest on the lower wall rather than be set back and rest on the existing floor joists. If no one has checked the size of the existing attic joists, you should do it yourself immediately. It might be necessary to sister all of them. I doubt a cross section drawing with notes and no engineer's stamp will be adequate for a building permit so additional drawings will probably be necessary anyway, but that will depend on your local building official. I understand that the architect was following your instructions but IMO you are owed something for the architect's failure to alert you to the unusually low ceilings and window heads. Send me a message or turn on the message feature in your profile.

I know you didn't ask and I'm the least knowledgeable in this aspect, but I think the light color of the upholstered chairs is what makes them seem so large and imposing. I definitely prefer them at the ends of the table, both size-wise and because the hosts are important. It's true. :) But they seem much larger in their whiteness.

You have a year from purchase to decide on the extended warranties with Miele. It depends on how much a $500 plus repair would hurt you. My combi steam stopped working in any of the steam modes 5 days after I started using it. The oven only modes worked fine. Miele replaced the entire steam unit which would have been in the $500 range if it were not covered under warranty. I bought 4 Miele appliances (the 3 ovens and a DW). The extended warranties are $250 (you can get a 10% discount code from Miele but then you also pay sales tax) for each of my appliances. I bought the extended warranty for the steam oven as I use it the most and it has IMHO the most "moving" parts and with my initial problem felt it was the most likely to fail. We decided not to spend an additional $750 on the other warranties as that amount would cover 1-2 repairs. I have had no issues with any of my other appliances in the first year so we decided to "roll the dice". Sounds like you have made a good decision on your selections. Enjoy!!!