There are things I really like about the Clarksville, but I think, with modifications, the Donnelly plan is superior to the Clarksville. Especially if you end up being a family of 5, I think you will regret having one less room on the main floor in the Clarksville. An architect or good designer should be able to make changes to the Donnelly to meet your needs. How wide is your lot? Can you add on to the width? Which way is south? If you can't afford to add square footage, this is still a good plan with a few minor modifications. In either case, FWIW I'd suggest the following changes be considered and discussed with whoever does your plan: --As a stay at home mom (or even if you both are working), you will want the (young) children where they can be seen--especially while working in the kitchen, unless they are sleeping. That means that either the Dining Room or Family Room or Breakfast Room would best be designed so that the kids toys, school papers, etc. can be in a room that has space for them to play and that can be closed off from the part of the house where you will entertain when you have company. This room also needs space for video games, computer, etc. We have had our daughter and grandchildren (ages 6, 8, & 11) living with us in our lower level walkout and 2nd floor since they were 1, 3, & 5. These last 3 months of nothing but snow and sub-freezing cold have necessitated having them inside most of the time that they are not in school, and the extra space to play, do projects, and split them up if they've had too much of each other has been wonderful. This has been true when we've had normal winters also! We have the toys, books, and computer in one room, and the TV in another, although the toys and books often get moved to the TV room when the video games or TV are off. When we have other people here (with or without kids), we generally split into 2 groups (sometimes both groups have kids & adults, sometimes only one does), and having 2 rooms with comfortable seating and places for games and activities works very well, since we can tune in to what's going on in the other group & move back and forth easily between the 2 rooms. Based on my experiences with a previous condo layout similar to the Donnelly, I'd enlarge and make the Breakfast Room the DR, and get rid of the desk & pantry. Then make the DR the Breakfast/Play area with a small table for projects/eating, and put double doors on it to the Foyer. In our new house, we made both the DR & Breakfast room almost the same size (one is 12 x 14 & the other is 13 x 13.5), so either can function as a family room, living room, study/den, or eating area. --I'd move the front center exterior wall out to line up with the DR wall, and add a porch across the front from the garage to the DR. Then shift the Garage ~2' to the right. That will give you enough room to turn the stairs so that they come into the Foyer, and room for a closet. --19.5' is not deep enough for the garage that will have snow, lawn, kids, garden, ski, etc. equipment stored in it. I'd add at least 2', which would give you enough room to enlarge the laundry, and rearrange the back hall area. I think I'd switch the Laundry with the Bath, since that will serve as your powder room, as well as having less dirt tracked into the house when your kids come in from outside or school. With 2-3 kids, it is SO much better if you can work in a nice sized mudroom for all of the dirt and their stuff, with the powder room also right there. The small closet in that location should read "Linen" or "Storage", not "Coats." --I'd make the Kitchen a double L, so that it's more convenient to enter from the Foyer and easier to work in. I'd put the pantry to the right, and the ovens to the left of the new door. Move the fridge a little to the left, and extend the counter/cabinets to its right to line up with the end of the serving bar, and put the MW to the right of the fridge. --Add windows to the right and left exterior walls in as many rooms as possible to let in natural light and make it feel more open. Hope this helps you work through your choices. Anne

@sarina: I have had the Kobe RA02 for about 8 months now. Being an engineer, I did the install myself, although the chimney cover is still not in place, as I need to redo the crown molding behind it (procrastination is the name of this game). Overall I like it, but that doesn't say much, as my previous ventilation was just a fan-in-a-ceiling-hole. The quiet setting is quiet, but the other two are noisy; without previous experience, the "sones" numbers don't translate well into actual noise levels. Otherwise, on High, the hood is pulling out all the smoke and airborne grease steaks in a cast-iron skillet produce. You will have to open a window or install a MUA to help it pull all that air volume. The baffles need scrubbing every month or so, but that's a very small price to pay for not having cabinetry and walls smeared in grease. The model you're looking at is a little more elaborate, as it has some sort of electronic control. The RA02 is bare-bones, just two rotary switches.

I picked the Shaw but I think the Franke looks just as nice. Our marble installer cracked the sink during the install. This whole sad saga is described in other threads. But the point here is that Rohl replaced it, even though I told them exactly what happened. They still called it a "thermal crack" and replaced it. I was totally surprised at this decision on Rohl's part. Another little factotum about the Shaw's sink (the 30 --this might not apply to you if you get the 36) -- the sink's drain has a left hand offset. At least most of them do. About one or two in ten have a right hand offset and these are sent out "randomly." Don't ask me how I know. The sink now installed in our kitchen is not the second, but the third sink that has been sent to us. Now, the downside is that the Shaw sinks do vary a bit and so the new sink did not exactly match the first sink, the one upon which the marble was templated. I'm thrilled that we -- I should say DH, who has pulled many a miracle in this kitchen -- was able to get the old one out and the new one in without perturbing cabinets or marble that were now firmly in place. The margins around the sink are not exactly even. I've decided it will just be a reminder about the hubris of desiring perfection and have moved on. Just a couple of things to know about Rohl and Shaw's sinks, the good and the, well, idiosyncratic.

rosaserai - I do love it. It takes another minute to clean due to the ledges. Totally worth it. Hasn't scratched. I use the grates daily for drying. I use the strainer weekly. I use the cutting board mostly when we have company to cut sliced fruit for drinks - it is small and we have a large butcher block for other items. The basin is great for washing fruit - double up the strainer and then drain. Could the angle be a tiny tad more for better draining - maybe. I do have to chase some chunks to get them down the disposal. Could the white on the accessories not stain as much - yes. But a scrub with steel wool has removed all discoloration. Could the cutting board be bigger - yep. But would I get the sink again - ABSOLUTELY. I've had it 4 years and will put the same one in the next house.