Angela - i grew different gesneriads from seeds - and their seeds are so miniscule, you wouldn't see roots. The best approach is to have your seeds sprinkled on a surface of the soil in a transparent covered container in a warm spot with good light and get some patience. Timing can be from 1 week to 6 months until you see green growth. Since your seeds are fresh - should be in a month. Good Luck irina

I personally like having my stove next to a long counter run. That way I can chop vegetables on a cutting board next to the stove and transfer the chopped veggies into a pan/pot on the stove without having to carry them across the kitchen floor (during which I inevitably will spill some).

Blue222q: thank you for the compliment on the kitchen! I made a mistake in my measurements because we went through a few modifications on the island and I wasn't reading the most recent modifications when I posted the measurements. The wood counters are 24 1/2 inches each, and the quartz is 78 1/2 inches, giving a total of 127 inches. I love the wood counters. I have a lot of counter space around the perimeter of my kitchen (which is the same quartz as the island) and it really needed something to break up all the white marble looking quartz. Plus I have grayish marble floor tiles. The wood adds warmth to it and I really like the 2 surfaces. I have only had it for a few weeks now but I absolutely am grateful my kitchen designer thought of the wood. It is raised a little above the quartz which I suggest as well. So the wood is not flush with the quartz, intentionally. I could have gone with a thicker wood but for every inch you add on a wood counter, the cost really goes up and I didn't think I really needed a thicker piece of wood. The quartz was put down first in the middle of the island and then the wood on the ends. So the wood is not sitting on top of the quartz. The guys that put in the quartz, ran white caulk(I think that is what it is) on the seam where the wood meets up with the quartz. You don't notice it at all. I'm assuming the wood counter is glued onto the cabinets in the island but I wasn't around when the wood was installed. The book match is good and I'm assuming the more pattern your quartz has, the more you can hide the seam. I don't have a lot of pattern and you do see a very slight line that runs horizontal in the middle of the quartz. You really don't notice it. I'll have to take more photos for you to see it.

Is there room for the piano on the opposite wall? If so... I think it would look better there. I’d then move over the dining room set with a rug to ground the dining space. Some don’t like a rug in the dining area but I personally would have one there. Not sure of the size, but you could try your current rug underneath it to see if you like it. Quick mock up I think she may have meant mother-in-law‘s tongue plant?