I'm sorry if I didn't explain well. I'm in an online contest to win $500 to buy EVEN MORE plants! Oh, the possibilities! So, if you already have a facebook account and don't mind voting for me to win, I would love the assistance. If not, no worries and enjoy the photos and daydreaming! (The contest ends December 22nd, and people can vote once a day until then at http://apps.facebook.com/contestshq/contests/176837/voteable_entries/39694244) As to your other question, I would add another plant stand outside, add another hanging basket on the other side of the patio ceiling, squeeze a few more inside, and then I'd spend the rest of the money on upgrading pots and soil. And thanks for thinking my collection is nice already! I don't have the time to have pets right now, so my plants fill that role :).

Ok, I follow what you mean now, brickeyee. However, I don't' believe this is an issue with Corian. After the tile is done, I had already planned to have the fabricator refinish the Corian countertop to remove scratches, etc. Corian is pretty impervious to this type of thing and I don't believe sunlight affects it like it might Formica. Also, if I do end up choosing to remove the Corian backsplash, the tile that would replace it would be very close in thickness (most travertine is close to same thickness as my backsplash)so I would be safe there as well. If it wasn't for some of the idiosyncrasies of my Corian backsplash install, I don't think I would run into these issues if I decided to remove it.

Not dishwasher stuff... too concentrated. Just good ol' fashion dish soap. You don't want suds going into the soil. When pre-mixing bone-dry peat moss and perlite together, I fill several gallon milk containers with warm water add 2-3 drops of soap once filled. I turn the gallon over a couple times, and its ready to moisten the peat. I use the same amount when watering pots/cuttings, but I use cooler water and add a dab of hydrogen peroxide. Good stuff, in low quantities.

I’m laughing at the thought of my squishy, comfy pillows being called forbidding or them fighting with anyone. I took a couple of more pictures, including the chairs without the pillows and I think you’ll agree that the cushions make them look more inviting, not less. Also rearranged so that people can see that the sofa facing the fireplace, chair at each side will not work in the space. I tried it as the most obvious answer and discarded it. It’s awkward to me, like the sofa is turning it’s back on everyone. Also, due to the placement of the fireplace, the sofa and chairs cannot be centered on the fireplace or the bedroom will be blocked completely. I can’t pull the sofa back much more without blocking the walkway. The fact is, space for the ‘living room” is much smaller than you think. I also pulled the rug away, to demonstrate that the rug and sofa not going together is kind of the least of this room’s problems. I wish I could get a good angle that shows just how off center the couch and chairs are.