I don't like the way Liberty's edges turn white in full sun, I just moved mine back a couple of feet to get it out of full sun. Here's my Atlantis growing in full sun. I think it would be a good choice: Check out the Hosta of the Day, Alex Summers. It will grow in full sun but will also do well once your tree grows out. Alex Summers would look great with Blue Wu and Atlantis would look great with your Empress Wu. Here's an inexpensive and under rated hosta IMHO, Old Glory, growing in full sun. I think it would look good with your Blue Wu too, no misting done in this bed: Gesila This post was edited by Gesila on Sat, Jun 22, 13 at 21:44

thanks mountaineergirl! (your name is pretty cool, too!) I am in South Fl...so never freezing....but soooo hot and sticky in the summer...and opening up a hot dryer in the sweaty garage is just such a gross feeling. We can't close the W/D in at this time...and no, there is NOWHERE in the house to put them. I guess I am just looking for some organizing/decorationg ideas...like shelving, maybe some decorative stuff on the walls...just something to make it look pretty plus be organized. I see there is a thread about the laundry room in the basement...I think I'll check that out now. Thanks again for the reply!

It's a little hard to read, but it looks like you don't have very much space, between your island and the other counters. I'm guessing there's no room for stools...and as Remodelfla points out, the island is actually a barrier. It seems like it would be difficult to access the fridge, too. I notice that your sink (under the window) is not exactly centered on that part of the cabinetry. This makes me wonder, if all things considered, a peninsula might work better, in your space. Here's a link to Blondie's kitchen. If you scroll down, you'll see a copy of her floor plan. She debated, between an island or a peninsula, but decided that a peninsula would allow her to more easily access the cabinetry on the back wall. It also creates a break between the work area and the dining area. I hope this helps :) Here is a link that might be useful: Blondie' s kitchen

I can understand your discomfort with the too-open kitchen but I think you may be panicking and thinking you need to do too much. I note that your kitchen has a one-story ceiling while the dining area and living area have taller ceilings. I would simply cut off the countertop that faces toward the living area and extend the pony wall beneath it upward to the ceiling. You would no longer need the decorative post. I would NOT try to extend that wall beyond the point where the dining room's 2 story ceiling starts because, if you do, you'll have to try and make the ceilings look right. Instead, I would just have the remaining countertop curved off and brought in to meet the newly raised-up wall. (Not sure I'm explaining this well so I'll attach a sketch. BTW, I see a couple of wall lights and a door (closet?) on the wall beside your entry that don't show up on your plan so I've added those.) I do like your idea of making opening into the kitchen that is beside the staircase into an arched doorway. And I know this will sound weird since you're trying to close up the kitchen some... but I would put a small arched opening (pass-thru) into the middle of newly raised up wall. A small pass-thru opening would allow a person working at the prep sink to see the front door. But a person entering the front door would NOT really be able to see into the kitchen thru the arched pass thru. All the countertops would still be hidden. They would just get a view of the window that is over the kitchen sink. Also, two arches complement each other and look planned while a single arched opening may just look like it was an after-thought. I would then strategically place a tall green plant near the bottom of the stairs so it partially obscures the straight-on view into the kitchen from the front door and gives visitor's eyes a stopping point. Maybe a ficus or dracena or philodendron. It'll be a rather low light location tho so you might want to invest in a very good artificial plant rather than trying to keep a real plant alive. I do think that these relatively simple changes would get rid of the overly "exposed" feeling you have now and would cost a WHOLE lot less than adding a bunch of walls and moving a fireplace, etc. Here's the sketch: