On another thread recently, a regular poster here did a *:facepalm:* which perfectly expresses my feelings when I see "window boxes" in posts about landscaping. Honestly, spare yourself. How the heck would you water the things, and if you could they'd drip on your cars... Ditto for clematis up the posts. Very romantic - in summer - but have you ever seen clematis in winter? And they do grow INTO eaves; they do not naturally curve out and go over the roof. Ask me how I know. Blank slates, big or small, are daunting until you start fleshing out the parameters and constraints you face, which can be best done by looking really hard at function. In this case, these include preservation of sight lines, shade and sun preferences, and property lines, both on the ground and in the air. So for example, you want shade on your son's room - so put a tree in spot A. But choose a tree that does not make an overwhelming mess nor spread or seed excessively (hint to my neighbours: not a Norway Maple). You want some screening probably just at a certain spot when people are looking from a certain height to a certain height. A wall of green may not be necessary to block this - perhaps three columnar evergreens, either upright or droopy or some of each. The property line looks like it is a huge issue to me. It looks to me as if your neighbour will want to have walkable space next to that boat, and will step on your plants if they don't have it. Having had my fill of neighbour issues, I personally would either leave that area for them to do something with, or do it in flagstone with ground cover or in brick - end of story. Then it's space you can use to weed or prune your plants too. Legal issues aside, it just has to work on a day to day basis. Now, the next step is debatable depending on whether you DIY or are having this done for you. You see, a designer always has to do a plan in advance and then get approval and work to it, because the designer then goes away. If you are DIY, you have the luxury of feeling your way through this, because you're always going to be there. And plants can be moved. In other words, the designer has to get it right first time. In contrast, you get to make a few mistakes, and change your mind. Yes, it can cost an extra few dollars, but if you get it mostly right, not that much. First maybe you address a boulder(s). If your husband is a rock person, I'd go along with this, because I am one and I know that when you need rocks, you need rocks. If you don't get your rock, you suffer from rock envy, which can make a person grumpy. Go rock shopping together (or watch craigslist or your local construction sites for free ones). Next, you go plant shopping. You get a few plants. You may find tall slender evergreens among them - there are some great junipers in this category (also some great ground-hugging junipers for the front end of the driveway) and some amazing drooping spruces. You argue about where to put them, and then you go back to the nursery a few weeks later and get a few more (lots of new stock coming in through the season, don' t just go once). Then you plant and live with it. Move it around if something isn't right (in the fall, not in the summer). (It is already actually a little late to plant without being sure of watering adequately this first summer - be aware of that). You might find yourself picking up a few new plants as the weeks or months, or years, go by. In a way, though, all my advice is only going to lead you to one key realization: what you and your husband each want is not incompatible. There's plenty of room on that strip for both of you. KarinL

There are five plans posted so I'll just go in order No.1 - that's your current plan No.2 - would work - the only thing I would change is the range and sink. I would switch them so that the DW is located close to or at the end of the counter run, then the sink and then the range closer to, but not in, the corner. As far as having a pantry in the dining room, there are all sorts of ways to design it so that it looks like it belongs. The middle part can be a buffet with glass in the upper cabinets and a marble or wood counter. Go and look at actual DR buffet/hutches to get some design ideas. If your worried about the table being off-center wrt the window would it help to put the pantry/hutch against the stairway wall? I think it might be about a foot shorter but it might also feel like it's more in the kitchen. Your island could go a little longer toward the fridge. It looks like you drew 5' clearance but if fridge is french doors you could go down to 48" or 42" clearance. And depending on the size you need/want for your family room you could take your island closer that way as well. But that is your personal choice and depends on your priorities in spacing. No.3 - with the peninsula it just feels like things are getting a little closed off especially when you want to have a more open feeling. Not really enamoured with the feeling that it gives. No.4 - in a minute. No.5 - I do like this one, however my concern is your aisle clearance. Your island is only 2' wide giving you, as you have drawn it, only 36" aisles but counter overhangs are anywhere from 1" and up. So with this in mind, when you have two counters facing one another you are going to lose at least 2' giving you aisles of only 34" and with 5 people in there that could get really tight. I also see a real pinch-point between the lower-left corner of the island and the wall where the fridge is coupled with the door for the stairs in that space as well. Now back to NO. 4 I would pick the peninsula in this reiteration because it is roomier. So depending on budget, as you have drawn your plans I would pick either No.2 or No.4. Now there are layout gurus here who can probably come up with other suggestions as well.

Kes Z I sure hope she keeps growing on the one hand. On the other, I am a bit concerned about her shading the ground too much in that garden, on the north side. I already notice that side seems to wake up slower. Ah, but then, I might just have to expand the whole thing! My DH built it for me, the sweet man. I showed him about 5 different pictures of pergolas in magazines, all covered in roses of course and told him, just as long as it looks kind of like any of these and is strong enough to hold up any vining or climbing thing you decide the materials, etc. - and he did! I do love that spot.

Two control boards are the standard for frontload washing machines, and probably some toploaders. One has the cycle programs and user interface buttons/knobs, the other controls the motor, pump, water valves and other machine components according to the cycle programs. Apparently Bosch uses a similar design for their dishwashers. Older Fisher & Paykel DishDrawers (double-drawer units) have three boards (+ two if the little LCD panels are counted), newer versions I believe have four.