pps7-- Thanks for the great pix. I ordered a sample of the Catarina tile. And many thanks to the person who posted the American Olean website link for the tile. That was so helpful. I thought it would be simple to find a Carrera Marble look alike tile but it has been an ordeal! Guess I was looking in the wrong tile stores (about 7 total, with one find that turned out to be discontinued!) **On another note: Where did you get your beautiful medicine cabinet? Is it wood, and do you like the quality? I found one at Pottery Barn online (Hotel is the brand) but can't look at it in person, so would have to buy first. I also saw one at Restoration Hardware but the quality didn't seem top rate. Thanks for any help.**

Angie_DIY - That tile looks really "old school"! But, I think the wallpaper totally trashes the tile. In case anyone is keeping track, I now own 4 kilns. I have promised my husband I will reduce it to 2! :) Anyone want a cheap kiln to make their own tile? We are almost done with the kitchen. I have never been so relieved to start painting a kitchen in my life! Wow, we have worked on this a whole year. The worst part of the whole project is behind us - grinding down the concrete so we can put down the bamboo flooring. Here is a tip. If you take tile off of concrete, which is messy enough, you will also need to use a grinder to make the floor completely flat again. In hindsight we should have done it when we pulled up the tile. Anyway, I found that wrapping my cabinets in that plastic they use to wrap pallets with (comes in a roll) keeps the dust from sucking in through the cracks and getting all over the dishes and silverware.

I also have a weird story. In fact, a couple of them. 1st ... I'm from CA and while waiting on the Kasilof riverbank in Alaska I struck up a conversation with the man next to me (both waiting for fishing guides). He was from VT and said he snow skied in CO with a doctor from Napa. Turns out it was my daughter's pediatrician! Fifteen minutes one way or the other and we never would have met. 2nd ... When my FIL died, my BIL & wife came from CO for the funeral. My SIL and Mom started talking. Turns out SIL's maternal uncle was married to my Mom's 1st cousin, Irene. Then they divorced and SIL's paternal uncle married Irene. Of course, all this happened long before she and I married into the same family (in different states). Now that's a small world!

Probably the best descriptor for me is fickle or moody but I tend towards a more casual elegance. The more "public" areas of my house are more stimulating as far as colors, etc. The rooms that are meant as a sanctuary tend to have more subdued colors and effects. I need that type of diversity in the home decor. I tend toward the practical and a lot of my decor decisions reflect the reality of my life, a semi-rural property, dirt outside, animals, kids, etc. Because of that, while I could appreciate the nicer rugs and lines of a well designed couch, etc, it would be folly to bring them into this household so I admire from afar. I also appreciate silver, china, crystal and embroidered linens which my husband and I have purchased some of over the years. Unfortunately, I do not like the extra work such things bring into my life. I do not mind things that look like they are used (with the exception of stains on linens, those are harder to overlook) but it drives DH bonkers. Copper and silver are to be polished in his mind so I am letting some of those things go. I prefer a more casual elegance in my dress as well. I actually wish there were a few more occasions to dress up a bit more, not over the top, but my area is so very casual which I appreciate most of the time, but would not mind an occasion once in a while to do more. Things are even casual in most offices here.