Hi all thanks for the support :) Kylie, would you have cuttings of the ones that have not yet flowered? If you do, and if you would like the white from Trinidad, i wouldnt mind trying the ones you have, hopefully i may get them to bloom. Thanks again everyone :)

@sombreuil I guess I’m an outlaw as I just put in limestone floor in Versailles pattern on the first floor. I used to love oak and hate the orange color but now I have a huge aversion to wood kitchen as my in laws have oak everywhere. Their house is so dark that I carry a flashlight with me because I keep tripping over all the small carpets underfoot. Their cabinets were custom but the oak has gone orange. It was hellish trying to find paint to tone down the kitchen. With oak walls, ceiling beams, floors, cabinets, trims and all furniture (big and small) in dark oak, it’s very claustrophobic and oppressive to be in the house. We remodeled their house recently due to flood and they put everything back the same and added more oak in any area that did not have it before. My advice is choose what you love but use moderation in the amount of wood.

Talley, good luck with the canister decision. I had an adorable inherited cookie jar that I loved, but we stopped eating cookies, and I was deeply conflicted about keeping it-couldn't think of anything else to store there (still had the canisters at that point). However, the lid fell off while I was cleaning it one day, and sadly broke in many pieces. So that was that, away it went-and I was spared a little guilt along the way since it was very precious to the person who gave it to me as well. And as an aside, my Martha Stewart P-Touch died this morning. Remember? : ) Purchased in 2003? We will try to repair it (we think there is a short in the wiring since it flashes the words P-Touch then completely stops working but after a lot of re-plugging in and fiddling with the adaptor cord, it might start again, maybe but increasingly not), but if not, will replace it. We used it just yesterday and it was hard to keep the power on but we made five nice labels for our car files. Fifteen years of flawless label making, such a godsend! Any recommendations? Thanks!

Here is a sample of our trim. I have enjoyed the look and low maintenance of wood trim for the past 20 years. I'm embarassed to admit, I've only thoroughly washed it a few times, if that, over the past 20 years. My routine has been to vacuum it when dusty looking, and for the most part it has always looked fine. I love the look of painted trim also! We are in the process of putting on a 940 sq ft addition and we plan on painting most of the new woodwork. Wood trim original house and painted in new add on . . . what do you think? Make sense? The addition includes expanding and updating the kitchen. I'm planning on going white trim, hardwood floors, and a combination of wood and painted cabinets. The same for the mudroom/butler's pantry area right off of the kitchen. Lots of beadboard, white subway tiles . . . you probably know the look all too well. Good luck with your decision and post lots of photos. Here is a link that might be useful: Wood Trim