Gosh, Konrad wish my red breasted nuthatches would use a nestbox! Every year they try in a dead tree and it seems every year they get booted out or have a failed nesting. Their first attempt this year was thwarted by a House Sparrow trying to take over their cavity they dug way up in a dead Poplar tree. Then a woodpecker made it larger. Then they moved to the other side of the woods and tried again. Not sure what might have happened there but I haven't been seeing them anymore so who knows. I know my Dees natural cavity nests always fail due to Red Bellied Woodpeckers. This year my Dees nesting in my birdhouse, yeah! Do you have a special house for the RBNH's? I also have Orioles building nests in my woods. We usually have two to three families around the yard.

The workers cherry picked among my things (with permission), and then Habitat chose what they wanted. They did like my cabinets, and they told me the same thing someone above said: They only want cabinets with backs that are stable (I assume for storage, so they can be stacked), and only took the uppers because they went with the lowers. They did take the perfect condition blinds and hood, but nothing else. I was able to find homes for everything in the end, except the oven which doesn't work quite right and looks bad too. That went to recycling. If you have a safe way to do it, you can try Freecycle for anything that the thrift stores won't take. Just do it away from your house (big box parking lot is good) because people go through the listings looking for job sites to rob. OTOH, the person who meets you in the parking lot is grateful to get something usable for free. Some places also have free markets where everybody just brings their stuff and take home what they need from other people's stuff. Awhile back, when I redid some bathroom fixtures (some very weird ones in perfect shape came with the house), one of the plumber's helpers knew a place where they could use them (I think it was a charity in Mexico). Yeah, you can get a donation form for your taxes from Habitat or other thrift stores, but you can always find someone who can use stuff that's in decent condition if you just keep asking who wants it.

aloha, don't be so sure you can't achieve the pedini look if that's what you lust for. Our custom cabinet maker replicated it somewhat, including finish and hardware, for not much more than big box prices. Decades ago we had an European architect friend who turned me on to the full wall of appliances for our highrise galley kitchen, although the ovens weren't behind doors. I've found that built-in look provides the sleek, calm effect that I crave so have been duplicating it ever since even though we no longer live in highrises and have never had a galley since. Design your dream, and see how you can pull it off within your budget constraints. I was so pleasantly surprised to find the custom guy was very talented and quite reasonable considering the quality of build and finish. If this were my space, I'd remove the DR columns and install headers and add molding with cove lighting. I'd be sure to have a wonderful chandelier, although I've kept the same modern one as we've moved several times over the past 3 decades. It looks like the wall behind the desk is load bearing so would not be worth it for me to remove, besides I'd keep a separate DR as I love having one for dinner parties, whether casual or special occasions. Wonderful evenings with friends enjoying a good meal, wine, candlelight, and great conversation makes a separate DR de riguer in our home. In the kitchen, I'd place the counter depth or built-in RF on nook end of full builtin wall including double ovens along the left wall, but not behind put the ovens behind doors as I like the look of sleek appliances. I'd remove the desk and rework pantry, providing for a cookbook shelf in that area in addition to upper and lower storage. I'd consider not having the walk-in pantry as that wastes space a bit so would include a fold-out Hafele in the left wall of cabinets. I'd place the sink and cooktop on a large curved island so you can look out while working as that is critical for how I like my kitchens set-up. I know it's not important to many but I strongly believe one should not succumb to group think when it doesn't suit you. I'm actually ok with having a separate island for the cooktop and have always had one, but it is a bit easier and safer to haul pots of water if both are on the same surface providing you like huge islands. I've had one once in a lovely home we bought many years ago though it only held the cooktop. The sinks were along the wall directly behind, and though that breaks the zoning rules, worked well for me. However, I found it cumbersome to try to clean the middle as I couldn't reach across, and it just seemed impractical to have so much unused surface. So I know that I prefer smaller islands that I can actually walk around and make use of the entire surface. I know this not in keeping with today's trend. So be it. If the separation between the great room and kitchen is not load bearing, you could take out though I actually don't prefer wide open plans so I'd leave it in. I need wall space for art of the LR side as much as privacy from the foyer. I'd use that wall on the kitchen side to house glass front uppers and include a wine fridge in the lower cabinet space with a prep sink for use as a butler's pantry. Since you're already living there, you likely have a dining set for the nook so this may not be necessary, but I'd prefer to use my existing set and it would be harder to make it work with the hexagonal nook. If I had the budget and was open to moving the exterior wall, I'd extend the deck across the rear of the home, right angle the nook walls and add french doors opening out on the deck directly along the north wall of the nook. This would provide more interior furniture and rug options, and permit indoor/outdoor entertaining directly from the kitchen. Our grill/summer kitchen would be along the left side of the new deck with a firepit on the outer edge facing the french doors. Alternatively, a fireplace would be next to the gril on the left side of the extended deck if I needed a bit of privacy from the property next door. An outdoor dining set would be in front of the nook, and the deck in front of LR would be for lounging, reading, evening drinks before or after meals, etc. Large pots with roses or other scented plants. I almost didn't respond as I'd not come across your previous posts and you didn't set any parameters in this one, but once you liked plllog's pedini concept I wanted to encourage you to make it happen without the huge price tag an authentic one commands. Good luck!

Thank you folks for such beautiful comments. If it were not for you all I don't think I could of done it. Some of you here have no idea how much your kindness to take the time to help me and the articles I have read here have given me much encouragement to give it a try. So far so good. I was always scared to give them a try. Thanks again and lets hope all our roses have a wonderful summer! Marmorean, I am not sure of the name. I can try and find out. It has mostly white flowers that turn to a deep yellow over time. The most fragrant I ever had. I wish there was a way to get you a few cuttings. So easy to root! Moses, go for it buddy! I say give its a shot! Mines is in a very hot area with no more than 8 hours of sunlight.,It get very early morning sun from about 630 am until about 9 then again at 1200 until about 6..The real test will be how it makes it through this coming winter in that spot. Thanks for the fertilizing tip too. Mike