I like the 1st & 2nd designs, but I very much do not like the little closet between the tub and toilet areas. It feels awkward. Is it intended as a linen closet? I'd rather tuck it in where you have the towel racks marked on the 2nd design and put your towel racks on the back wall by the tub. Overall, I like the 1st design best, with the separate sink areas, if you can solve that storage problem, but whether that works better than a long double sink really is personal preference and how you and your spouse get ready in the mornings/use the space - My DH & I have difference schedules, so I don't have to think about how to maneuver around each other in the morning (which is good because before I've had my tea - this is a very dangerous time! ;-) ) One idea I have for using design 1 and including a linen space is to put it on the wall by your toilet room door - so inset the toilet room another foot, so you can put a cabinet on that wall - make the doorway a little deeper to the toilet room (hope that makes sense) - the storage wouldn't be 5ft wide, maybe 2.5 or 3ft, but it wouldn't awkwardly overlap the tub. Another thought - shorten the sink across from the shower to 4ft, and put the linen storage 90 degrees on the wall into the closet. (Or turn the island into a linen cabinet) My 2 cents! Hope it helps! Hunzi This post was edited by hunzi on Mon, Mar 31, 14 at 11:53

Helene, I mis spoke...the second boat was purchased on June 12 2010. Mom passed on June 15th....he went and picked up the boat on the 18th. Whats really weird...Mom was actually slowly declining in her final weeks and she spoke often about "letting her go". My oldest brother never disclosed the contents of her living will until he called a family meeting on June 13th...Sunday night. It was then and only then did we all learn that mom requested a DNR. So "technically" he used her money to buy the boat ($55,000) then told the family about the DNR...then signed the papers on Monday and she died Tuesday. So at the time of her death, his gravy train came to a hault. See, just by putting all this down in writing its all so much clearer. Who knows how much he skimmed and for how long!! I know he did pay off his mortgage, he added an addition onto his home so his DD could have her own apt on the property (she was pregnant-the baby is now 2 1/2). He did his kitchen all granite and stainless and also did his main bathroom. The first boat was oh geez, I want to say 20 ft outboard (?) He also got himself a suv...an avalanche...you know there were other small things like laptops for everyone in the family which we all thought was odd and the vacations...Disney every year as well as 1-2 cruises. I know he already has an Alaska cruise booked for Feb/Mar. He wanted Frank and I to go with him but we didn't have the money LOL!! I think I will call moms attorney....couldn't hurt. Will they be able to s[eak to me since I am not an executor of the estate?? See I doubt my mom had any clue how much cash was involved so I doubt she would have disclosed it to her lawyers. You know I just cannot wait till this house sells and I can get on with my life!! SQ

Patty, funcolors, and kmcg85 all said what I want to say...Forget the splotch-shaped splotches thrown in the middle of the wall, and paint out that whole wall. You've already 'ruined' the wall, so go for it. You don't have to cut in or anything, just use your roller and roll out almost to ceiling and over to adjoining walls. Then, re-hang your picture and look at the effect. If you have new bedding, throw that on the bed too, so you can better visualize what your room would look like in the Richmond Gold. I personally would not go any darker that RG. I think it's plenty dark enough for a bedroom and should give a rich, warm look........but is that look for you? I put a gorgeous periwinkle blue on my bedroom walls several years ago and received so many complements. But the soft blue was always too cool-feeling for me. I was glad to see it gone, and I have Laura Ashley Gold #3 on my walls now. It's warm but not too dark. Works with so many colors I like to use. Several have made the comment about the paint color tying in the furniture better. Well, it will certainly do that. On the other hand, if you want the furniture to stand out more, then you need a little more contrast and maybe not as dark a color. So, you bought gallons. Well, only you know whether you can afford to take the hit for more paint if you ultimately decide against the RG. For next time, may I kindly suggest, buying ONE quart of your chosen color in the sheen you want to use. Use that One quart to do what all have suggested. Pour into a paint tray, throw down a drop cloth, and roll it all out onto at least one wall, put your furniture up against it. Then, if you love it you have a start. If you don't feel love, you are out maybe $10-$20, about the cost of an evening at the movie by yourself. Red

After over 40 years of cleaning kitchens I have had every kind of kitchen. And all products have their pros and cons. There are no absolutes, just choices you prefer. Top of range -- stainless steel is easier to clean and keep looking nearly new than black porcelain. They both are a PITA to keep clean and not show water spots. Both get scratched, though I think the SS shows the scrathes more in my experience. And black porcelain can chip and shows dust more. I found SS to be hotter to work with, it seemed to relect the heat. I would be sweating up a storm by the time I was finished making pancakes for breakfast. Black porcelain not so much. Cabinets -- stained wood is easier than painted (but how tough is it to keep the painted looking good, and how do you do it?) I found that stained wood doesn't show dirt, grease or stains as much as painted. Especially if it is a dark stain. And after years of cleaning painted (white), I wore through the finish. Not so on stained which had over 20 years of cleaning. Also white really shows dust and dirt. Appliances -- stainless steel is generally the toughest to keep up. I got all SS in my new kitchen remodel. I absolutely HATE it! I have tried every product out there and it still looks streaky. I can't get that showroom look no matter how hard I try, even cleaning every day doesn't help. I have also had white, Harvest Gold, and black. I hate to say it but the Gold appliances didn't show the dust and dirt as much. Really ugly but easy maintenance. Black really showed the dust and white showed dirt and any spilled food like spag sauce. Textured black didn't show fingerprints or streaks. There is nothing really easy to maintain out there. And did I mention I HATE SS! Floors -- stone or ceramic tile is easier than wood to keep looking new. I have had real linoleum floors, vinyl, ceramic and porcelain tile and old wood. Linoleum was the easiest to maintain and easiest on the feet. Wood the hardest to keep up and warped when there was a leak, and there were gouge marks when things were dropped. But also easy on the feet. I have large porcelain tile now and find it easy to keep clean. I have dark beige grout so doesn't show stains. And things haven't been dropped as much any more.(DS is grown.) And I don't do as much standing as I use to and have padded rugs so no strain on the feet. Ceramic tile chips and shows the dark color underneath, porcelain tile is harder and has the color all the way through. Counters -- too many opinions to sort but it sounds like Quartz (e.g. Caesarstone) is easiest. I have had tile, laminate, and granite. Laminate is easily stained and scarred. And I hate tile and cleaning the white grout lines, unless you get that new grout that is easy to clean and doesn't stain. I was going to get Silestone but my sister-in-law got it first and has not been happy with it. There is a slight color difference that developed over time between pieces and flaws in the material. It is no easier to keep clean then my sealed granite. I have had my granite almost 2 years now (Verde Butterfly) and I have no stains and it looks as good as new. I think it is just a matter of what you like looks wise. Sinks -- seems like Silgranit has lots of votes for ease of upkeep and stainless has mixed reviews. Fireclay, porcelain cast-iron have their advocates and seem to be problem-free. I ordered a Franke fireclay farm house sink for my remodel, 3 times. It kept coming in cracked or chipped or just plain broken. I went next with a Kindred SS sink. I find it easy to keep clean and almost indestructible. It does develop scratches over time, but that is just it's patina. And I do have a bottom rack to protect the bottom surface. I have had white procelain cast iron sinks and they chip, plus it is hard to keep them looking really nice unless you bleach them all the time. Faucets -- chrome is easiest to keep in a pristine like new condition, followed by polished nickel and then the "living finishes"-- which are intended to change over time I have always had chrome and it is easy to maintain and is classic. But the shiny chrome shows water spots and the finish will wear off in time. This time I got brushed nickel with a PVD finish and it has held up well for 2 years. And the brushed finish doesn't show water spots. The only thing I definitely would recommend NOT having is wood floors in a kitchen. It is very expensive if your dishwasher or plumbing springs a leak and floods your kitchen. Been there, done that. Just my humble opinion.