My DH must be wavering because his priorities are shifting. NOW he says he's concerned that it will look too busy (range on perimeter), I'm thinking it's OK but Buehls ideas are so much more interesting. Originally I wanted the window to be the focal point of the room, but I've shifted. Being the windows would be a west facing, I would have to pull down window coverings which would ultimately get filthy from all the splashing, rinsing etc. from the sink. Add in the window coverings would have to be simple, there would be no "fun" in the room. Enough about my thoughts, because I'm totally on board. Lascatx. after Steph2000 asked me about my actual storage needs, I realized after all the calculations we had enough. I want drawers throughout this new kitchen for precisely the reason of not having to bend down and under to get at things. Buehl, my DH and I have already had MANY discussions about how we use the kitchen for various things done in the kitchen. He sees at least that he doesn't use the stovetop as much as he thought he did. He can't seem to separate cooking and prep from one another though. He admits that he is only thinking about the main course for dinner and not the salads, vegetables, sandwiches, etc. Not only this he barbecues out more things then not (main reason how he became the primary cook). Buehl I'll also point out to him that we don't need to make the island nearly as deep as we had before (no grease splatters). We were tight on space before. We can now entertain the extra deep countertops and uppers. Even though were on the shorter stature, doesn't pulling both the bottom and uppers balance it out fairly equal? Option G will not work since the wall is 15 1/4' before a ton of new windows start. Option F already has 14.5' of cabinets. Actually I'm not going to calculate it out, but being the limitations of the cabinet sizes, we may actually have more cabinet space with the range on the perimeter instead of the island. Option F is wonderful!!! I must ask, what kind of design software you use? Lavendar, we have only ideas floating around and nothing as concrete as a range. We are going modern but still haven't decided on the cabinet fronts. Mostly we're looking at blackish cabinets, but then I sometimes dream about a medium wood. We are BIG on windows!!! The only reason we thought Buehls idea would work is because we still kept the same amount of window view. My DH is more concerned about making it too busy instead of making it more impressive. All in all, I think I'm going to have to be patient with him coming around. It's not that he is against Plan F as much as he's struggling with how much he loved our previous house kitchen remodel with the island cooktop. We dealt with the dripping veetables etc, etc because we loved prepping in the open space on the island. Now that we have can "have it all", I want it. Thanks again for everyone's help! This kitchen is going to cost a LOT more then orignally planned but I'm always about value. This new kitchen is of IMMENSE value to me.

I think in what was probably an original bath with the cream tile with orange accents the cabinetry has a pinkish cast, too. Something does seem to be off in general, and the granite--in color and in "spirit" if you know what I mean, not so good either. It seems to need something different than what it has. The slate pictures seem more cohesive to me than the first link.

Go to your designer's office and say, "Look, what we need to do here is take the mass on the right side of the building where the two windows are and slide it to the rear 3'-5', so that the front plane is recessed back that amount from the front façade and the rear plane projects that amount from the rear façade...I know you are a very talented designer and that this will be easy for you to make work...call me when you've finished so we can take a look together...Bye!" It's that simple. Really!

Vinyl siding it not waterproof, is simply sheds most of the water off of your building. The gaps around the J block are necessary for the vinyl siding to expand and contract. J blocks are ideally flashed similar to a vinyl window with a nailing flange and it's brick mold cut out. 1. Take your vinyl siding back off around it and buy some membrane flashing tape such as blueskin or the one 3M makes. The 4" width tape should do fine for most J block installations. 2. Cut the building paper so the membrane flashing tape can stick to your wall sheathing and the top side of the nailing flange. 3. Use the appropriate primer if necessary on any surfaces the tape will be sticking to. 4. Run the tape on the left and right side of the j block nails flange. This should overlap onto your building paper. 5. Run a piece of tape over the top nailing flange and onto your wall sheathing. This will ensure that any water that happens to get behind the building paper will find it's way back out. Use a building paper tape to tape the building paper back down if necessary, but be sure to tape it in a way that the water will not get trapped between the membrane flashing tape and the building paper Do not caulk or spray foam around it. Just make sure water has a path to get back out when the water does inevitability get behind it. This is no different from the j channel, outside corners and inside corners that the vinyl siding on the rest of your building is slid into. I hope this helps. It is a bit hard to explain without pictures or video.