Both cuts are lean and muscular. Top round is a bit more tender. Top round comes from the inside of the rear leg, bottom round from the outside. It's called "top" or "bottom" because the primal cut is placed on the cutting surface with the outside of the leg portion on the bottom and steaks are cut. Hence, the outside portion of the leg is the "bottom" round and the inside portion, facing up, is the "top" round. Annie

We are building a new old house. We have subway in all the baths and kitchen. I don't think it is overkill, just nice and simple. The floors are hex. To vary it up each bath has a different deco band incorporated into its design. For me it was about cohesiveness and simplicity, thats why we stayed with the same material throughout. All my counters are AB honed granite, with white shaker cabs, beadboard doors, slab drawers. We have extensive mill work everywhere, beadboard throughout, arches, french doors, dutchdoor, round top doors etc. I love the way it has come together. The floors are antiqued, reclaimed heartpine & antiqued, tumbled travertine. My laundry home has no backsplash yet and am not sure what I am doing there. Building a new old house has been so much fun. I am not sure I helped you at all, but thats what we are doing.

You could make the infill below the windows and raise them up. If you did this you may negate the need for tempered glass which could save a bit of cash. One problem using windows for doors would be potential damage to the sill since it is not made to be stepped on.

Shades, it is just sitting on the sill. When opening the window, I only open the top. No big deal. I like it because it keeps me from looking at the neighbors' deck and they from looking in at me. Our houses are close and this gives both of us a little privacy. In winter I bring in my hibiscus (it's in a big pot) and I sit it on a little table in that window. I set the mosaic window aside so the hibiscus can get the light. I usually get flowers on that into November!!