'I add MMO to the fuel ' They love MMO! One guy years ago said he was preparing his LB for the winter and ran it out of gas. He put MMO into the tank and pulled the starter to get some of it into the engine - and it started! 'Started' might be a rather loose description, but it did actually get combustion, puffing a few times and blowing quite a fog. So he accomplished exactly what he wanted in a most unexpected way. I think what actually happened is there is always some gas left in the fuel bowl when you run it out of gas. The MMO mixed with that and got the level high enough to be picked up, hence the 'starting'. I don't think one will actually get combustion on pure MMO, but there is nothing better for your OPE.

The tile is really beautiful and I think the colors blend well with the granite. I don't view the granite as "busy". However, I wouldn't suggest picking out the backsplash already before you've even begun construction. I look at the backsplash as the icing that comes after you've made the cake. I wouldn't want to pick my KD, or lack thereof, based on a B.S. You either really want this K.D. or you don't, IMHO. Besides, if you ditch the designer, and the potential for the tile discount, you'll save oodles of money anyway on designer fees and you'll be able to afford the full price. Also, with some digging, you may be able to finagle a discount on your own. I didn't use a K.D., this forum and my clear understanding of what I was trying to accomplish was all I needed. I consulted a couple of K.D., but found they really weren't listening and I could tell I was better off without them. That said, I do like the B.S., but I'd like to see the back splash samples sitting in the real kitchen before deciding if that's THE ONE. What "look" are you going for overall in your kitchen and in your new home? Is that a french country look? I visited a home for sale in Maine many years ago while on vacation. When I walked into their kitchen, I was overcome with a feeling of "home". I had never experienced anything like this before. It was almost like having a spiritual experience, lol. I took note of the details, trying to memorize as much as I could, trying to understand the "feeling" that it evoked and the elements that contributed to this feeling. When I was designing our kitchen, I tried to recreate this feeling as best I could, and was successful mainly because I found this forum and was able to pour over many photos of kitchens that also evoked this feeling I was after. The tile makes your heart sing! That's so important!! But do you have the overall vision in mind yet? Good luck on your project! Building a home is very exciting indeed.

Hi, I'm late to the party but I did laminate in my kitchen. For a little more, I could have gotten bottom of the line granite, but the BOL granite didn't have the look I wanted, and I couldn't afford a granite that did. It was as simple as that, so I chose a laminate that had the look I wanted. Should I ever win the lottery, I'll install soapstone or a dark granite with lots of movement. Until then, this will do nicely. I use my kitchen hard--lots of cooking, lots of baking, and teenagers that like to cook and bake as well. I can see some microscratches in the "command center", where we work the most. We always use cutting boards, trivets, or hot pads. It's only visible if you look at it from the side under good light, so I'm not stressing about it. Thanks, Westsider for the nice words about my kitchen! :-) So, no, you're not crazy. If this is what you want, then by all means, this is what you should get. This is your kitchen and it needs to function the way you want it to. Enjoy the process, Cj

Your architect need to check with your local codes office about what is allowed these days. There are many locations that do not allow a traditional wood burning fireplace in a new build due to air quality issues both indoors and out. They pollute both. They decrease energy efficiency as well. In a cold climate, with the new air sealing and insulation requirements, you will likely be required to choose an insert that uses externally supplied air for combustion and burns hotter in order to decrease pollution.