We did a gut renovation of our entire house down to studs and hired a design build firm. The firm came with a designer and she chose everything for us including everything you have mentioned and lighting. There were a certain number of hours included and then I paid her hourly. The only thing she didn't do was window coverings because I wasn't ready for that decision. When we moved back into the house then I hired a separate interior decorator and she charged an initial 2 hour consultation rate and then it was the charge for whatever we chose - window treatments, furniture, etc. There are so many different ways of doing this and for me it was a matter of just talking to people and finding someone with my own vision of my home. I have a post and beam house and they do lend themselves to a certain decorating direction.

First I want to ask, have you gotten a chance to see these appliances in person? If not I highly recommend you do so. Just looking at appliances in person will often reveal "deal breakers" that you may never have found online. This is a great way to narrow your list quickly when you're overwhelmed with choices. I've been reading a little more on hoods on garden web. From what I read, it seems a 600 CFM should be sufficient and 24" depth by 42" length would be best...does that sound about right? If we go with 600 CFM we won't need makeup air correct? What do you think of vent-a-hood? Looks like that would not require the separate blower.Or do you think baffle is preferable? I think there may be confusion here as to some of the terminology. Baffle refers to the type of grease filter in the hood. It is the same type of filter as found in commercial restaurant hoods. The alternative to a baffle filter would be a mesh filter, which are mainly found in lower end hoods. Baffles are what you want, especially for a more powerful hood. Internal vs. external blower is a separate issue. Internal blowers are cheaper and easier to service, but external blowers can be quieter. Most inserts can be ordered with either an external or internal blower option, including the Faber you were quoted, so you don't need to go Vent-A-Hood to get an internal blower. I have never owned a Vent-A-Hood, but my overall impression of them from reading Gardenweb is that some of their advertising claims ("Magic Lung") may be a bit far fetched, but that they do make a quality product. It is true that best case scenario, the hood should overhang the cooktop by 3" on each side, so yes 42" would be the optimal width hood for a 36" cooktop. As for depth: remember that you are NOT buying a hood here. You are having your hood custom made, and buying an insert to put into it. The depth of the insert for example, could be 19" like the Faber you were quoted, but the overall hood depth would be 24" which is what you ultimately want. Still no idea on the fridge. Thinking of probably doing the 36" french door style and having a second cheap one in the garage or pantry (would add in the future, not now). There are too many options for french door! It is completely overwhelming. Do any stand out? Do you think the columns would look nicer than a typical 36"? "Nicer" is a subjective word, but the columns would definitely give a higher end look than a typical 36" (even if in reality they cost about the same). You're right that the french door options can be overwhelming. If you go that route, start by narrowing down your options. Do you want it to be counter depth or do you need the extra capacity of a standard depth? Do you want ice and water thru the door? If no, do you want an internal water dispenser? If yes, do you want dual icemakers? Which ones do you like the layout of the most? Work from there. Thanks again for all of this guidance. Sorry for all the questions. We have a very short time line to figure everything out and I am starting out with a knowledge level of close to 0. No problem. You came to the right place!

While I agree with you that the Electrolux looks great and seems comparable to the other brands, the reality is, Electrolux has numerous design flaws in several appliances and lacks any customer support. I too fell for the looks of an Electrolux built in ICON double oven and regret it. I have a Subzero side by side and love it. My sister has a Subzero side by side that is 15 years old and has only ever needed one out of warranty repair. Subzero does require an upfront investment; however, this will pay off over the life of the appliance. Electrolux spends a lot of money on looks, marketing and special incentive offers. This is all designed to lure the customer in and overlook the quality issues. Electrolux filters all reviews on their own website. When called out on this, they say the reviews are "reviewed" by a third party to distance themselves from this filtering process. Just look at their FB pages, comments and postings, over the course of a few random days. You will see for yourself the myriad of complaints about Electrolux products flaws and lack of customer support for yourself. After awhile, you will see for yourself the eerily similar stories from consumers. i wished someone had drawn my attention to the lack of any ownership of malfunctions by Electrolux and the aggravation of no customer support whatsoever. Avoid Electrolux and save yourself the aggravation.

On the lower photo I vote the left wood floor choice. It has enough gray to complement the island and also enough lightness in the floor to complement the white cabinets. What's your thoughts?