Leslie, here's what I'd do (and have done in some cases): go online and price out all the items you're going to order, or at least all the big ones. If you qualify for free shipping, make sure you have that showing (e.g. print out your shopping cart showing $0.00 shipping if it isn't otherwise prominently displayed somewhere). Then go into your local store and tell the guy you want to get a final price quote so you can make the decision to finalize your order. Tell him he mentioned discounts, but you want to see how much it all comes out to. And mention that you were looking online to try to get an idea of what the prices would be, but you're hoping his price will be in the same neighborhood so you can order from him. And then see what he does. He may say, "let me see what pricing you found," sit at his computer and compare that to his pricing, and tell you he can match the pricing. Or he may immediately backpedal and tell you he can't match online prices because he has the overhead of a brick-and-mortar operation, or that you aren't getting the same quality items ordering online, or some other excuses. When I shopped a local dealer, he did the former -- took the pages I had in my folder (I made it clear I had researched the pricing, but didn't wave the sheets in his face) and matched the online pricing within a few bucks in every case. Now, in my case, buying locally means that I have to pay 6% sales tax, which I'm not charged if I buy online. (Technically, we should be voluntarily declaring our tax-free purchases and paying the state a 6% use tax, but no one does this.) I decided that I'd be willing to pay that difference in order to support the local business. I'd have been somewhat lost without his knowledge -- brands I didn't know about, pieces I didn't know about -- and seeing a wide range of products in his showroom, and so I tried to rationalize that it's worth a little more in sales taxes to support the local merchant. That all being said, when I did place the order for our first bathroom through the local dealer, and it wasn't all completely smooth going. I found out that for some manufacturers, they only place orders once a week or when they hit a minimum dollar threshold, so we lost some days I wasn't anticipating. And then they didn't notify me that some items were backordered from the manufacturer. I couldn't check my order status online; I had to repeatedly call the dealer to ask someone to check. When I found out after a week or so that my tub was going to be delayed three more weeks, and had my contractor breathing down my neck because it was going to delay a lot of work, I ended up canceling that item with the local dealer because I found it online, in stock and available for same-day shipping, so I got it within a week. (Despite what some have posted here, I used eFaucets for that order and a few other items in the past six months, with absolutely no problems.) And I had to go back to the local dealer (more than 30 minutes away) to pick things up several times as items came in piecemeal over a period of several weeks. So when it came time to start ordering items for our second bathroom, I decided that with the knowledge I had gained during the first rounds of shopping and procurement, that it was going to be easier for me to order online, and that's what I did. I got all my Hansgrohe shower hardware from Ira Woods, an online site that isn't mentioned much on this forum but is often recommended in the Kitchen forum. Sink, faucet, toilet, light fixture, dimmers, doorknobs, etc. were all ordered online, from various online sites. One other thing I'd like to mention. You said you're starting in two weeks. You need to ask the local dealer and/or any online retailer what is in stock, and when you will receive each item. Many online sites say "in stock" but actually don't have real-time inventory data feeding their web site. Some just say "in stock" for everything, whether it ever is or not. Don't assume it'll be okay; get on the phone, or live chat support, and ask them to specifically check what's in stock and when you will get it. (I did this just yesterday with our final batch of bathroom accessories; I found two online sites which said "in stock" for the five items I was ordering, but actually didn't have all the items in stock, and I ended up splitting the order between two different sites.) If you're inclined to buy from the local dealer, ask him to check with his warehouse/distributors/manufacturers to be able to give you actual shipping dates rather than generalized estimate (e.g "usually ships within one week"). In my experiences just having done two bathrooms, you'll be lucky to get all your materials within two weeks -- but it depends a great deal on the manufacturers and product lines you're buying, as I'm sure some more popular items are readily in stock at warehouses. Also, for your own sanity and stress reduction, be sure to find out from your contractor exactly what he needs when. He may tell you, for example, that the shower trim/diverter and showerhead won't be needed for a month, but the thermostatic valve is needed when he begins work in two weeks. Or that the toilet isn't needed until near the end of the job, but the tub is needed at the beginning. So a delay in shipping some products may not be any problem at all, but your contractor can tell you. Depending what you're doing in your bathroom, there may be some things you need early in the process which you aren't aware of without asking. (For example, I was caught unprepared when my contractor told me he needed the shower drain near the beginning of the shower construction; now that I've seen how a shower is built, I understand why, but it just wasn't on my radar until my contractor gave me a heads up. It turned out that the drain we chose consists of a frame and the actual metal drain which sits inside the frame; the frame was available immediately, and that's what the contractor needed immediately to build the shower bed and tile, while the metal drain had a four week lead time, which worked out fine because it wasn't needed until after the tile was done.) And yes, this can all become rather overwhelming, especially while working full-time! I'm just finishing nearly six months of work on the gust bath, an addition, and a master bath, and I can't wait to be able to devote my full attention back to my "day job". ;) -- Eric

Lizzie, the apartment you stayed in must have been gorgeous. What luxury to have 3 beds/2 baths in the heart of Paris! And the cream sounds lovely, but all the light coming into the apartment was not from the north, which is my case. Mine is a one bedroom, and the windows all face north. Even cream can turn grey or green, especially with the tree tops outside. I wouldn`t change though. Too attached to my view! I have read about Rachel Khoo and I think she may have even given classes in that tiny apartment. But some of the best meals I have had have been in tiny spaces, from the point of view of the food AND the conversation. Big spaces are overrated IMHO. Gosh Bronwynsmom, I would love to lunch at Guy Savoye. So far out of my realm is that, that I`m not sure where it is. Probably on the right bank, where I rarely venture. Saturday won`t work for me though, as I go to the flea market then come rain hail or snow. A lifelong addict. Demolitionlab - I can`t figure out how to put up more than one photo per post. I would suggest you look at the photos on vrbo , the rental website, but that might be construed as advertising. I don`t want to get ejected as the advice you gardenwebbers give is SO valuable. Thank you all - I think I have chosen tallow as a color, as I tried out some of the mid weight colors and they were just too much in a space where you are never more than 2 feet from the wall. I will post on the paint forum to see what they have to say there about satin on the walls, cupboards and ceiling. Is it even called satin in the states? Eggshell seems to ring a bell. All I know is that I have not used anything other than the mattest of the matt on wall for as long as I can remember. Never even considered anything else which is why I can`t remember what it is called!

Unknown "wood" from an unknown species finished in unknowns chemicals from who knows what kind of process is NOT superior to Euro grade formaldehyde free partical board doors finished with Euro grade paints. Ikea prides themselves on the "greenness" of their cabinets, which meet much stricter Euro standards for VOC emissions. Being "green" might not be an important element of your remodel, but the ideas behind that concept are worth learning about---especially if you can do so and still achieve the end product that you want. There have been way too many scares about Chinese imported toys and foods with dangerous substances in the paint or manufacturing process making it to our shores. THey don't have OSHA there, or the EPA, or the FDA, or pretty much any form of safety oversight for either the workers or the products. You get cheaply produced products for a reason. And, it is a myth that "wood" is superior for cabinet construction. There are a LOT of posts on that subject on the board, and you might want to do a search and educate yourself before buying into that idea.

I'll second the suggestion of the Expo in Burlington; great for ideas. Two smaller showrooms that we went to are Signature Kitchens in Waltham and Packard's Kitchens in Burlington. They each have about a half-dozen display kitchens. Both carry various mid-range cabinets, mostly semi-custom stuff. Both have websites, so you can find out more about the brands that they carry and if it's worth your visit. For appliances, there is Yale Appliances in Quincy (I think, or somewhere in South Boston; you can also find their website). Not for full kitchen displays, but a great selection of appliances and lighting, as well as a smaller selection of faucets and sinks.