Well, if anyone (kirkhall and/or MrsPete) is curious, I think I will "pull in" the garage and give up perhaps two feet in the pantry (making it 13-4 x 7). With shelves that are 18 inches deep, that'll leave me an aisle 4 feet wide, which seems somewhat less silly. Still pondering other possible changes . . . . Ehfivesixtwo3 : "Plumb for half a bath" -- good idea. I hate the idea of catering to some unknown person's possible needs when this is *my* "forever home," but putting in a few pipes is a compromise I could live with. larecoltante: Hmmm. I don't have any quick answers for you. A nearby road lies to the south of my home site, so I've been pointing my garage towards it and my den away (for a better view and added privacy), but I hadn't thought about northern vs. southern light. Also, I currently have east-facing bedroom windows and hate them, but that's because I'm currently on vampire time. In the future, I'll probably follow a more traditional schedule and east-facing bedroom windows might be an asset. Thanks for the input. ladybrowncoat: I have no doubt that you're right about property value, but I'm trying to keep down costs. Also, I hate the idea of catering to some unknown person's possible needs 50 years from now when this is *my* "forever home." I may plumb for half a bath, at least, as Ehfivesixtwo3 suggested. And I'm afraid kirkhall is right about basements in the area. In fact, I'm only leaning towards a crawlspace for maintenance/repair reasons . . . I don't need or want the space, but sooner or later, some repair guy may need to get under the house.

This thread hasn't been repetitive enough yet, so I just wanted to say I LOVE and always love to revisit two of my all-time favorite kitchens, Trailrunner and Pirula. :) Susan, are you sure you don't want the floor and counter to be similar? You have your own picture in your head and it's important to end up with what pleases you, but FWIW, this is one of the ways to pull all the different materials together into a cohesive picture. If the wood counters are introducing yet another significantly different element, what are you planning for the unifying role? Will it be enough? White cabinets will offer lots of contrast and can sometimes be better dividers than unifiers.

I agree with Bronwynsmom that if you're going with a new piece, the simpler the better. Having said that, I have another suggestion that takes an entirely different tack. It's rather off-the-wall, so if you don't like it, my feelings won't be hurt. What year was your home built? It seems it might be in the 1910-20 era. If so, the deco fixture that was in the room when you bought the home had probably been retrofitted by a previous owner. That type of fixture is not usual in dining rooms. But if I've guessed right on the age of your home, something like the fixture below might work. It's not arts and crafts, but it might work in your home. Your friends who aren't into old home architecture might scratch their heads or just assume it came with the house, but those who do understand the style of the home will appreciate it. And it won't go out of style, because it did that long ago, which gives it staying power! So I'm just throwing it out there: Here is a link that might be useful: Early 20th-century light fixture

Two books I most associate with the Xmases of my youth are "Little Women" and a sad, 19th century tome: "The Bird's Christmas Carol." In the latter, Carol is a sick little girl, daughter of the Bird family. It is relieved only by the portrayal of the Ruggles', an Irish family next door, who are struggling to survive. It is now out of print. I have my own antiquarian copy and cannot read it withoug weeping. I grew up in the suburbs of the "old" Atlanta, before all the changes. It was a friendly neighborhood, and we all knew each other. We used to walk the old sidewalks going from door to door for Xmas cheer, when neighbors would have "open house." At our own open house, my father made home-made egg nog --- incredibly strong, with sherry. I think a few were reeling, afterward.... Christmas eve feast were a few relatives and friends, with a large ham served. (never, ever turkey!). The ham was studded with cloves. Alongside it was the traditional southern dish of sweet potato pudding with orange flavor and marshmallows. Dessert was always the traditional southern fruitcake, made with Bourbon. Children would go door to door singing the old Xmas carols in the evening. We always had a live fir tree in the bay window of our living room, decorated with very old glass balls and that dreadful silver tinsel draped over its branches. There was always a fire in our fireplace and it was the one night of the year that our dog was permitted to come into the house to lie in front of the fire. On Xmas eve night, a plate of cookies was left out for Santa. I had been told to write a letter to Santa to state what I wanted. ( really, very simple gifts, by today's standards -- a bike, a doll, a book). I got little sleep that night, as I recall listening for the hooves of 8 reindeer on our slate roof. I would arise early and sneak downstairs to peek at the few gifts under the tree. Later on, the neighborhood kids would all congregate outside on the sidewalks to compare gifts. One of my most memorable gifts was a cowgirl outfit, a la Dale Evans, with boots, a lariat, a hat, etc. One of the boys got a Roy Rogers outfit, so we were quite the pair! We never went to church on Xmas, although there were Xmas concerts we attended, with choirs. Later in his life, my father took to listening to Handel's "Messiah."