Garage thoughts, mostly based upon having cared for my grandmother, who died weeks short of turning 100: I suggest you go with ONE large garage door instead of two smaller ones. As someone else said, it's likely that by the time you and your spouse are elderly, you'll have dropped down to one car anyway . . . and with one door you can park in the middle of the garage, allowing for a very wide berth as you exit the car. With a walker or with a family member helping you out, that extra space could be useful. Actually, my husband and I plan to downsize to one car shortly after we retire. We were a one-car family for the first 3-4 years of our marriage, and when circumstances forced us to add a second car, it was a blow to our budget! Sure, we can easily afford it now, but a second car in retirement won't be a necessity, and I can find better uses for that money! I know that this board tends to lean towards "garage on the side of the house" . . . but I think my grandmother's front-facing garage was better for her as she aged. Our county has a small bus that'll come around to pick up the elderly and take them to the Walmart shopping complex, the doctor, and probably other places -- you just have to call and schedule a day ahead of time. She was ashamed of how slow she was leaving the house . . . but if she knew her ride was coming at 10:00, she could take her time getting out of the house and into the garage, lock the door, and sit down in her garage chair to wait. When the driver pulled up, he'd see her waiting in the garage, help her (and her walker) board the bus, and then she'd close the door with her garage clicker, which she'd have in her tote bag. This made her feel more "in control" in front of the driver and other passengers on the bus. Yes, as she grew older, my grandmother started keeping her trash and recycling inside her garage. She walked well on flat surfaces, but she had difficulty negotiating uneven terrain. Once she passed 90 (she lived alone), my mother called the trash people and explained that she simply couldn't get the cans to the curb . . . and the trash people were very accommodating: My grandmother made sure that the garage door was raised on trash day, and the trash people came in /wheeled her can to the curb /returned it to the garage. Avoiding steps in the garage should be a major priority. I'd be willing to install extra drains /slope the garage a bit /whatever else to make this happen. My grandmother had one step up from her garage to her house, and she had a vertical assist bar right next to the back door. I can't tell you how much good that bar did her. She also had TWO walkers. One was her "indoor walker". It had smaller wheels and was a little nicer. Then she had her "outdoor walker", which had larger wheels and could manage outdoor terrain a bit better -- and it lived in the garage. She never had to fight with getting the walker in /out of the house; rather, when she went into the garage, she'd start using the outside walker. Woe to the great grandchild who moved the outdoor walker away from the door; it had to sit RIGHT THERE, even though it was in everyone else's way. When she went somewhere in the car, one of us was always along anyway, and we wrestled the walker into the trunk.

Other considerations: . Trash & recycle pullout...works best in the Prep Zone, near the Cooking Zone, and, if only one and possible, near the Cleanup Zone. Far more trash & recyclables are generated while prepping and cooking than while cleaning up. So, if you have to choose, put the trash & recycle in the Prep Zone instead of the Cleanup Zone. [That's the biggest mistake I made, I put it in the Cleanup Zone across a 6' aisle from the Prep Zone...it's my biggest regret by far in my kitchen.] Prep sinks...should be no smaller than 12" x 12"...and bigger is better - I recommend no less than 15" in each direction, 18" would be better, IMHO. Anything smaller is not very useful for prepping. Those smaller sinks are often called "bar sinks" b/c they're really only big enough for filling a glass with water or dumping a glass. They're not big enough to clean veggies/fruit or empty a colander. Zone protection...strive to protect the Cooking Zone from traffic - both through-traffic as well as in-kitchen traffic. While cooking, you are dealing with very hot pots/pans/food and you don't want to be tripping over or dodging traffic, open DW doors, etc. This usually means putting the Cooking Zone in the most "secluded" area...but not always, it depends on the workflow in your design. Work/Landing Space...Be sure you have adequate work and landing space near/around appliances and in zones. Sometimes skimping is required when it's a small kitchen. Prep Zone...36" continuous/clear countertop and next to a water source. Experience has shown that 42" is much better. Cooking Zone...See Cooktop/Range Cleanup Zone...See "Sink - Only or Cleanup Sink" Sink - Only or Cleanup Sink...A minimum of 24" of clear counterspace on one side of the sink, and 18" on the other side with the 24" at the same counter height as the sink. Sink - Prep... A minimum of 6" of clear counterspace on one side of the prep sink and 36" of clear prep workspace on the other side (again, 42" is much better). Refrigerator...A minimum of 15" of clear counterspace on the handle side of the refrigerator or on either side of a side-by-side or no more than 48" across from the refrigerator. If an oven is next to the refrigerator, the refrigerator should be the one placed next to counterspace. Ovens (Wall)...A minimum of 15" of clear landing space next to or above an oven if there it is on an aisle with through-traffic If it's on an aisle with no through-traffic, then the 15" can be across from it. MW...A minimum of 15" of clear landing space above, below, or nest to the MW. Counterspace if two zones/appliances are next to each other…Take the longest of the two and add 12". Cooktop/Range -- If the range/cooktop is against the wall, a minimum of 9" of counterspace b/w the wall (protected by flame retardant material) and the range/cooktop. -- If the range/cooktop is on the end of a run that is open, a minimum of 18" of counterspace is needed for both emergency landing space and a safety zone/buffer b/w the range/cooktop and end of the counter. -- The other side of the range/cooktop should have a minimum of 24" for both emergency landing space and workspace. -- If the range/cooktop is in an island or peninsula with no seating behind the range/cooktop, then there should be a minimum of 18" b/w the back of the range/cooktop and the back counter edge of the island/peninsula. -- If the range/cooktop is in an island or peninsula with seating behind the range/cooktop, then there should be a minimum of 24" b/w the back of the range/cooktop and the back counter edge of the island/peninsula. -- Note: For functionality, at least 24" on each side is better, regardless of location of cooktop/range. This space can be shared with the Prep Zone on one side; if it is, then there should be at least 48" (36" + 12") on the side shared with the Prep Zone. -- Check your local Code. Some local Codes are more restrictive. If not, stick to these recommendations.

Oh My! These are so stunning! As always, SC Francis Busby is my favorite.....I LOVE that one more every time you post it. After that it's hard to narrow it down to second place. It could be Willow Dean Smith since I have admired that one every year you've shown it and it still 'wows' me. But then, your seedling is really special too. And Corolla Light is bright and cheerful. And I collect late bloomers and have never seen Belated Greetings before and I love it. And the others are gorgeous as well. You really make it a challenge to pick a favorite....lol. I have had bees do that to me too. One time I had a honeybee attach itself to the back of my shirt right between my shoulder blades and I was alone in the garden and couldn't figure out how to get it off without getting stung. It just clutched to me for the longest time and I didn't want to go inside with it on me so I stayed out til hubby came home and he got it off (with gloves). I don't know if it fell asleep on my back or what. It's so weird and I could never figure it out either. Maybe we are just as sweet and appealing as a flower?

Call your own shower glass vendor (or more than one) - tell them what you want and get a price from them / measure as it is now and as you would like it to be and get both costs from them including installation - do not go to the builders vendor as they may have an agreement - since your builder is using his own vendor he will get you the cheapest set up. Is it frameless? framed? I would ask builder for photos of what he is planning to install with the measurements and ask him for his price options to make the pony wall narrower with a larger door / opening - discuss with hubby what is the size you want the opening / door to be and work from there.. your builder will probably not give you the price of the glass unless your contract / estimate / bid states materials costs.. I am a plumber and we work on flat rate - we use standard items unless clients want something other and we price on flat rate not time / labor / materials... I am sure you are stressed right now.. it will all work out - if you can live with it the way it is then do so - if not make the changes :-)