Thanks for the feedback, everyone! weedmeister: When you say look at the bottom end of a a manufacture's range, do you mean for higher end brands or all brands? The low end of a Bosch, for example, I have to imagine would be a different animal than the bottom end of a Whirlpool, right? rhome410: I like the look of Fisher & Paykel a lot. Lowe's shows their double oven is $4,099 (for a 30") and $2,309 for a single. They seem to be thought pretty highly of here at GW. Are they a better bet than a knob-less Electrolux? $4,900 for a Wolf double? From everything I've ever read, that's quite a steal! plllog: I'm not sure what, if any, showrooms in my area sell Gaggeanau. I'll have to look, just to see if display models are an option. rhome410: I've heard a lot of good things about the Bosch dishwashers. I'll have to take a hard look at their 500 series. chase045: Good tip on making sure the cooktop models are made for propane. I'd imagine some are, but most aren't. rhome410: Thank you for making the effort to find your propane receipt. That seems really reasonable. I'm not sure if I'll go that route or just go with induction, but it gives me something to think about. powertoolpatriot: I've heard good things about KithenAide here on GW, too. I'll definitely give them a look. Yeah, this July 4th weekend has all sorts of crazy deals. If you're in the market to buy, it's like being a kid in a candy store! MCMespirit: Thanks for the tips! I haven't look at Bosch's cooktops, but I've looked at the Kenmore Elite (and Pro) ovens. CR seems to like them a good bit, and with the sales Sears has you can get them at really good prices. Glad to hear from someone who bought one and is pleased. dianalo: Yikes, sorry to hear that! Hopefully it works out for you, but I appreciate the tip (which will come in handy should I decide to try the propane route over induction). GE's website doesn't show any (unless I'm looking in the wrong place), so I didn't know wall ovens with knobs from them were an option. I'll have to shop around and see if I can find any. That's an awesome deal on that Bosch DW. maire_cate: Thanks for the feedback!

It's not so much what you use to face nail. 15ga is recommended and that's where you try to hit a floor joist. I face nail very little on my jobs. Felt helps out on several things... mainly be able to easily slide the wood together without catching on the plywood.

Why cut the pipe? You can just unscrew it and get a correct length of pipe to replace it. If your dad has experience with gas piping he should know about cutting and threading black pipe on the job.

Pretty inspiration photo! We had this kitchen layout in our last home, except we had a wall that would be located at the bottom of your plan. This included, oven/microwave combo, pantry cabinet and desk area. The counter space between our frig and sink was less than what your plan shows. Our coffee pot sat there and the cabinet above housed the drink ware. To the right of the sink, was the dishwasher- a good suggestion! Make sure you have enough aisle width, ours was tight since our island extended in front of the frig. Having the refrigerator in that spot was great for accessing the table and also outdoor dining/grilling, which we really enjoyed. On the subject of islands, ours was one flat surface. I loved it! No prep sink. Having never had one, I can't speak on their function. We did a lot of buffet style for family gatherings, so one large, clear surface worked great for that. It also served as a workspace for kids school projects. The only thing that got on my nerves, was the actual island seating. Our entrance into the kitchen was where yours is, but with having the wall, traffic flow got quite congested. Definitely could have used another foot or so. Kids and pushing chairs back in- just doesn't happen, unfortunately. We started with four stools and ended with two. They never really sat their all lined up, maybe one or two at a time. Conversation wise, no one likes to be the awkward person sitting in the middle! Also, I really disliked moving all the chair legs in the kitchen to sweep or mop around. :( The microwave might be too tall for the younger ones to reach, but maybe you want it that way. I would worry about spilling or hot things from above. A drawer type could work, but cost more as commented on. If that's not an option, might be more practical for one in the corner counter space. It obviously, wouldn't have the built in look though. Looking at the pantry, I think the storage could be better utilized if you didn't have the angled walls. Will it remain this way? Considering windows, we had one above the sink and I always wished it was larger or more of them. Looks like you will have that benefit. :)