Don't know if this will help you, but we're probably going with the Electrolux. Our choices are really limited because we want black, and we want the full-extension glide-out racks. That pretty much limits us to Electrolux (not Icon) and KitchenAid. We like the look of the Electrolux a little better (and it has the kind of handle you want).

I think you posted a response on another thread that I was reading - it was fairfieldcircle's on appliance curb appeal. I actually started responding to that one because your kitchen and house sound similar to ours in CT. The house is a 1962 colonial revival in clapboard. Kitchen is already gutted and we're doing natural maple shaker cabinets with soapstone and walnut countertops, quartersawn white oak floor with possible slate between island and appliances, not sure on that one. Have decided on some of the appliances and just began exploring ovens. Very confusing, the oven decision. Your progress blog is fabulous. Keep us posted.

pasture19: Yes, that was me! Thanks for the post. . That was a great help and wish I had been coming across this more frequently. I just updated my blog today,but basically, last night we were at a colleague's house who had our kitchen (well the one I planned in my head). They had the Wolf Range that we are doing the rangetop in (with oven under) with an additional wall oven and wall microwave-- I actually think this is the way to go if you aren't putting your range in the Island. In our kitchen, it is the only place it makes sense due to the layout. . .now I am back to thinking I want the Wolf Wall Ovens and we found a floor model about 2 hours away from our house. . .but we have to go get it and bring it back (but at about $1500 less than getting it locally). I have to decide whether its worth it, but I am getting lots of 'we love our Wolf' from people I meet who have them- ovens included!!

Question for you- where are you getting your cabinets? We are about to order, I believe that Shiloh is the company my GC ultimately picked- did you use someone local? I would love to do walnut counters for part of it, BUT because our island has the rangetop and only a downdraft ventilation, I didn't want it to get too worn with the cooking/splatter, etc. I was thinking the soapstone would hold up a little better. I was at a neighbor's house who had a sink, and she already had some wear around the faucets(at 2 years old remodel) where there was some water damage on the wood. . .maybe it was the fabricator, but also, our island is enormous.

hgluckman: Thanks for the thoughts on the Elctrolux- that is what I was thinking we wanted if we step down a notch- I agree the black is better in the Electroxlux, I think KA does a great one in Stainless. . .

My BL is a design/build contractor, so we are getting the cabs from Cabinet Authority. They are Conestoga, natural select maple inset doors and slab drawers with a face frame bead and small square walnut insets in the corner of each door and drawerfront. I currently have a living room full of cabinet flatpacks. Hope the floor doesn't give way! Cabinetmaker's Choice is another that sells Conestoga. Both have websites and your contractor could check them out. Same product, different agents.

It was interesting to hear about your neighbor's experience with the wood/sink combo because I am deciding whether to move the sink to the island in order to have more room for wall ovens. I am having a 36" induction cooktop, so very slim options to put oven underneath without wearing kneepads every time I open the door.

I too have heard wonderful things about the Wolf ovens, and if your warranty is the same as a new one, go for the 2 hours away model. You won't use $1,500 in gas back and forth and you can have some extra greenbacks for something else. The Miele ovens also sound fabulous, but I'm not sure I'm smart enough to use one, so the oven decision is down the road. Glide out racks are certainly a selling point in an oven, but at the end of the day, probably not the final deciding factor.

I am deciding now on the dishwasher. Have focused on the Bosch/Miele threads here, and then went to energystar website. There is a Bosch model that I have posted a question about because it has such an incredible rating - 159% above gov't requirements. It is one of the 800 PRO models, but it may be too good to be true. I really wanted a Miele, too, but I am still going to pursue this one. The DW we just took out was an early 1960's KA in bronze, so it doesn't owe me a nickel. It was here when we bought the house 14 years ago, and got so loud towards the end that you couldn't have a conversation in the room next to it without shouting. "Quiet" is a relative term, I guess, because anything will seem quiet to us after that.

P.S. You have done some impressive super sleuth-shopping with your returned finds and floor models. You should give a seminar.