Rhome, you've got a wonderful kitchen, I'm sure you'll be very happy with it once you get used to all that space. I'm probably going to going through some growing pains with my kitchen. Right now I can reach everything without moving, LOL. cotehele thanks for checking out my layout! Similar to how your using your Kitchenet, I will be using the hoosier as my baking supply area. And with it right by the ovens, it'll be handy. Good point about my girls keeping away from the stove to bake and having a lower area available. And yes, if we go with the sink by the window I won't be putting in the prep sink. DH really likes not putting that in because we won't have to cut the beautiful marble and floor and the plumbing will be simplier. With the test run of baking pies, I found out that the island is a very nice size. Big enough to spread out, but not too big that it becomes an obstacle to walk around. My mom has a 36"x36" island and to me it's too small. Well, I tried out the smaller doorway by moving chairs around to give the correct clearances and it's too ackward. I think the problem is you have to go around the island to get into the kitchen. I've got my laptop setup in the dining room until I get an office (who knows when THAT will happen, LOL) and a couple times I've clipped my hip on the island. However having the french doors centered on the wall rather than off to the side does look better from the dining room. As far as cooking dinner goes, typically I get the "meat" from the freezer pop it in the microwave to defrost then gather all the ingredients that I need in one spot. I try to clean and put things away as I go. The little one helps with the salad and the big one helps on the stove. DH sometimes pitches in if there is room. Then both DD's set the table. Clean up usually goes, everyone brings their plate back into the kitchen then only the little DD sticks around to help cleanup. They're still little so we always have leftovers.

Wow, that's amazing. Vintage Dutch Colonials are so very charming. I'm so looking forward to seeing your adventures in making this your own. I love everything you've already done with your little stone house and your main house. So I skimmed through your posts asking about painting white inside and the balcony outside and here's my $0.02 (for what it's worth). If it were me, I'd start by peeling off everything that you KNOW is going away. Get rid if drapes and wallpaper and prime the walls of any rooms that have colors that you don't like. Take away everything that you're certain that you dislike. Strip it down to basics and see what's left. Commune with it for a little while. Wander around with a glass of wine and just imagine options. You have a great "gut"...just go with it.

Segbrown - Love your kitchen and your pulls, and your tin backsplash! Wish I could do another kitchen with cabinets like yours just so I could do the orb pulls. =) Josie - I really do like the look of the orb on the dark cabinetry, good for you for being brave to post your pretty cabinets and hardware despite the "orb is dead" posts, which are completely fair and I love when people state their opinions with resonance!! I think the white counters break it up though, whereas my desk/pantry area is a sea of dark with nothing to break it up. What I forgot though is that when I put things in the open shelf and even right on the desk counter, the things pop like nobody's business which is great and makes the chrome hardware stand out less. Case in point....the green apples, silver clock and pink grapes. I love how they pop: RM - Articulate and savvy RM! Good point about all the other metal that we have in there. Did I tell you we had trouble finding the table? So we're still stuck on what time of table to get. Glass would work so well, yet it's not fun to eat off of glass. I'd prefer a wood top for sure. My finished kitchen photos will come one day...I'm glad our uppers are up. The backsplash will be in in no time, along with the crown molding. there was an issue with the chair fabric so we may have to wait until mid-Feb to get them. The drapery fabric is also on backorder I believe - who knew it was so hard to get fabric??? I may do an "80%" post just for you though... Okay, I am content with the chrome pulls again. Had a momentary bout of insanity. I also don't want my kitchen to be done, I have too much fun on this forum!!! None of you hang out at home decorating, just a few of you on bathrooms. I should start a new post - Which forum do you visit after your kitchen renovatin is over???

Your west facing window may turn out to be too bright for it -- especially once the longer, hotter days of summer arrive. (Do keep in mind that I don't know how warm your area gets , just gong by seasonal conditions in my part of the world.). In any event, no direct sun. Because many of the jewel orchids desire high humidity at all times, you might consider trying a terrarium of some sort. Doesn't have to be a complicated setup. A largish open topped globe like some folks will use for keeping a goldfish, or a tall,, clear, wide-bottomed vase may suffice. A substrate of sphagnum moss should do fine. I wouldn't recommend soil.