Ginny wrote:_ I am just very concerned about learning W8 when I don't have anyone nearby to help with that learning curve. That's a very big issue for me. Ah but you do have huge helpings of assistance really. Here is a link to eightforums where they deal with nothing but Windows 8, plus you can come here for help. Google is also a valuable friend when you need an answer right now instead of waiting for someone to reply on a forum. As Mickie notes above, once the initial screen is gone it is very much like Win 7

That's an interesting option. This particular problem though occurs as FF starts up (before it even opens tabs) so I think you'd still have a dup task problem. I use toolbar folders to open frequently used URLs without cluttering up desktop with deskcuts. I forgot to mention to also check any entries on the toolbar which start up FF tasks. These could also be culpable. I just disabled and re-enable all toolbar entries which use FF. So far so good. Funny this problem hasn't more documentation out there - it's really aggravating!

Angie: seems to be the opinion that 24/24 would look better and DH likes symmetry so maybe that's the way to go. I have a 30" drawer under the stove now and it holds more than plenty. Several 24's should be okay. As far as the sink: everything has a price! I'm kinda bummed actually that it would be relegated to clean-up sink status since it's so nicely built for prep with the cutting board ledge and offset drain and such. Just don't know if I put it in on the prep peninsula if there'd be enough counter space for working? Sandra: Thanks for the input on the pantry depth. It would gain me some nice space on the other 2 legs to keep that shallower and I wonder if the base was 18" deep if drawers would still be useful? Maybe not. I didn't draw the bench seats to any scale, just put them there to see if I'd like it. In our little camper we have a table/bench that makes into a bed so your suggestion is a really good one! We could totally use some extra space for a person to sleep a few times a year. Rosie: 12" uppers and 15" lowers maybe? I'll bet I could fit my small appliances in a 15" deep cupboard. Then maybe keep the uppers standard distance off the lower and have a narrow counter space for canisters or extra work space if in a pinch? Okay, you guys have been really helpful... I'll keep thinking along the shallower lines. The hutch is seen in the bottom pic along the living room wall catty corner from the round counter corner. You guys have good memories!

I was just googling around for rooms with little natural light, and I ended up looking at a lot of finished basement or basement apartment interiors and also high-end hotel rooms. The ones that were the most pleasant and inviting (where the lack of natural light was not a noticeable deficit) had kind of a lot going on. Not in an overwhelming way, but those rooms had curtains and wall treatments and knickknacks and area rugs and artwork -- millions of little decor pieces and several layers of decor interest in most areas of the room. In particular, there were a lot of different textures in most of the rooms. It makes sense now that I think about it -- basements and hotel rooms are very bland rooms -- usually no architectural interest of any kind, including lots of big windows and natural light and moldings and all that. Which means the room isn't really pretty on its own. To make it pleasant and charming anyway, you need to bring in a lot of things that are pretty by themselves. And you need enough of them that you don't really notice anymore that the room's bones are bad. So your home, being a house, is likely a lot better than the average basement, but it still suffers from the same lack of natural light. This leads me to the conclusion that, while I also generally prefer a clean, modern type of design in kitchens, I don't think it will suit your house. It will just be so quiet and minimal that your eye will have plenty of opportunity to notice how dark the room is. Like a plain person forgoing makeup and accessories and wearing a simple beige shift. That kind of simplicity works well for the great beauties of this world, but the rest of us look better wearing cute earrings and mascara. However, on the upside, with all the professionally-designed basement spaces I just looked at, it didn't seem to matter at all if the actual elements in the the design were dark. Usually, there was a mix of dark and light. The bigger thing seemed to be that ALL of those rooms had a lot of lighting EVERYWHERE. Pin lights all over the ceiling, lighting on top of cabinets/soffits that diffused on the ceiling, pendant lights, etc. So: 1) I'd mentally set aside a big part of your budget to add lots of lighting. Have under cabinet lights, above cabinet lights, cans, pendants, a chandelier, in-cabinet lights -- whatever. Go nuts. 2) I think you are on the right track with a walnut floor. Walnut has a really interesting grain. It is thoroughly beautiful in its own right and will layer beautifully with anything else you add. Natural materials in particular are great for adding interest without seeming overwhelming or busy. 3) I would not repeat the walnut on the cabinets because, again, I think the super-layered design approach works better in low-light rooms. Cabinets just another opportunity to add interest, and you should take it. Make them a different color or painted or whatever. Also, think about something other than slab. Your floor will be flat walnut. If the cabinets are also flat walnut, then then that is EXACTLY the same thing. Here is an example of a kitchen with a lot of interest (cool tile floor, two cabinet colors -- one that is interesting and bold, glass cabinets with unusual glass, open shelves, unusual cabinet pulls, feet) that still has clean lines and isn't crazy fussy/busy: That is the kind of thing that will hold its own and still look pretty and charming even in the dark months. Also, it would look great with walnut. :D