I planned all the details from the beginning, so when I feel tempted to dump it all just to get it done faster, I have my vision to remind me that it's worth staying on track...A few months more to wait for the years of enjoyment. Now, as far as 'momentum', we've definitely lost that. We built our whole house DIY, so now that we've been allowed to move in, and things are basically functional, progress has slowed way down...if not halted. It's very frustrating to want things done, but feel so tired of working, too...and I know my dh feels the same, so even though I can't really help myself at times, feel guilty about pushing him to finish more things. My kitchen still seems so far from how it's supposed to look. I bet it'll be like a lot of the build...things crawl, but then just a few tasks finished will make a huge difference and there will be new life and new excitement about it. Hang in there, and make sure that if you give up something just to make it easier and faster, that you won't regret it later. These few months of waiting will soon be a distant memory, but you'll have to live with the results of your decisions for quite a while. That's what I keep reminding myself! :-)

DIY can be done well--others have posted "tutorials" on the steps they took. I would follow directions from GWers over a paint store any day--they just say whatever pops into their head and advice is always conflicting with the next guy! Personally, I would consider DIY if I were painting existing cabs but send them out if I were investing in brand-new cabinetry. Of course, we have all seen shocking pics of "professional" paint jobs, too, so do your research on the painters! They really need to use an indoor spray room suitable for oil-based paints, not doing it in their home garage with dirt and dust around to get stuck in the paint. I told my painters that I wanted to see brushmarks and they thought I was crazy!! I just didn't want it to look too perfect compared to the rest of the house. In the end, the touchup process created enough brushmarks on the trim work to satisfy me. People (especially men) really notice the paint job, which I think is funny. I think our cabs cost about 6k to paint. My friend just got quotes on painting her existing cabinets--small/med kitchen with golden oak. All came in 5-6K. (For on-site, but sending the doors out.) She is still undecided about whether to DIY, or not. It is definitely very expensive to have someone else do it, but requires so much time and patience to do it yourself! Hard to decide...so we put off another year, right? Wow, such a ramble but I hope it helps in your decision-making. (-8

How to keep marble looking "hotel clean"? Simple. Clean it every day. Wipe it down within HOURS of showering. Use the RIGHT products (the hotels will arm their cleaners with the PROPER products - and I can guarantee you there are "maid's carts" that are SPECIFICALLY STOCKED for those suites) and you use them every...single...day...with...out...fail... Which is exactly what happens in a hotel! Everyday that stone is properly wiped down, cleaned and buffed dry. By someone paid to do it (who has a supervisor viewing the rooms every day for inspection) and who's job hangs by a thread - every day. And you pay maintenance to come by and "buff and seal" that stone ON SCHEDULE. Yep. They "book off" the room every 4-6 months so that maintenance can come in with their buffer wheels and their chemical seals. They give the whole place a "once over" and everything looks good as new! Whew! Daily maid service and quarterly "buff and seal" will keep things looking tip-top for decades. Then there's the rest of us...living in reality.

You can search in the discussion threads using "hard wax oil" finish or even the specific brand name(s) - Rubio, Osmo, Pallman, etc. Personally speaking - WORST decision we made in our entire remodel! It is a nightmare to maintain! NEVER looks clean. Stains easily. And most of the time, it's just my husband and myself. We don't wear our outdoor shoes inside, don't have dogs, and our indoor cat died 3 years ago. It's been a little over 5 years. They don't need to be resanded, but we are currently researching waterbased finish products that can be used over Rubio. Mixing Products (houzz.com) Rubio Monocoat wooden floor: best ways to maintain and clean (houzz.com) please share your experience with Rubio Monocoat in the kitchen (houzz.com)