I saw burlap at JoAnn's the other day. There was also a coupon for 1/2 off for a few days, starting today I think?? I just filled a new raised bed with a mix involving quite a bit of horse manure. To try to make it less offensive to my neighbors (that load was a little too fresh for neighborhood living), I covered it with straw, then stapled a piece of landscape fabric over the top (I had some left from a project a few years ago). Then I ran chicken wire (had a bunch of that laying around too) over the top of that to keep it from blowing away. Of course, in a couple days, the pile had shrunk down so my fabric & wire were loose, but it still looked "neater" that way, and my straw didn't blow away. Of course, the landscape fabric won't decompose like the burlap, but in my case, it keeps it cleaner looking, and I already had it. I'm still new to the neighborhood, and so far my next door neighbors have been supportive of my gardening projects. I try to keep things looking neat. Now, when I do this to my front yard/lawn, I guess we'll find out about some of the other neighbors...

I like Cambrian black that lascatx mentioned also. It was one that I was gravitating to. Then I saw a black granite called "Blue in the Night" and I think it also goes by "Blue Polare". It is a black granite - very black - but with some cobalt blue inclusions. In mine, the blue inclusions are like confetti rice. I also picked a piece with a quartz vein running through it - I haven't seen quartz veins in other BP/BNight granites since. Here is a picture showing the granite. I must tell you that I needed a flash and to standing up on a chair right over my granite to get this much detail. The little glints here and there are the blue inclusions: A close up shot of the granite so you can see what I mean by the blue confetti: I'm also including some pictures of my kitchen so you can see how black the granite looks nominally: It is in good light, as you walk by it that the cobalt blue flecks flash at you as they catch the light right.

khinmn, Thanks for the warning. I have found some information online---good and bad---about luxury vinyl tile. It seems that one key to success is meticulous floor preparation. The material we are looking at is a bit heavier than the ones I've been able to find information about. Also they don't have adhesive strips along the edges, they actually click together like laminate floors. Our friend speaks well of the product, but I thnk the viewpoint of the installer can differ significantly from the one who lives with the floor over time. For that reason, we're considering buying a smaller amount of the LVT we want for our kitchen and putting it in an upstairs bathroom (a DIY project). Then we can see how it works out there before committing to putting it in the entire kitchen. mabel, Isn't all vinyl resilient? Or when you mention "resilient vinyl" is that a distinctive type of vinyl? The sheet vinyl we have in our kitchen now is, I believe, over twenty years old and has just started showing some wear in the past year or so. I think it's a great product for wet areas, and I like it better than the ceramic or porcelain tile I've had in the past. I would consider a sheet vinyl, but we haven't seen anything we like that much yet---of course we haven't looked at that many places. I know I want to be sure to get a good quality, not too thin, floor that won't be prone to tearing or denting. By the way, I love the floor you chose for your laundry area---it really complements the wood. I only wish my laundry room looked so good. bmorepanic, The Karndean looks very similar to the Downs LVT I mentioned. Have you seen it installed or do you known anyone who has installed it? The LVT sounds good, but I wish I could find some information from someone who has actually had it installed in their home. kirkhall, Is you "slate-like" floor sheet vinyl or vinyl tiles of some sort? Do you have a link to what you put in? mamadadapaige, Please let us know what you decide to put in and how it works out for you. While I'm glad we have so many options, it does get a bit overwhelming when we have so many choices, doesn't it? We were, at least, able to rule out anything that looked like wood, as the floors will be adjoining real hardwood floors in our foyer, living room, and dining room.

I'm not sure I understand the question. Do you want basic mouldings now that will be ripped out later when you start adding details? If so, then I'd go with the cheapest option available and I suspect that actual moulding will be cheaper than using 1x lumber. Or are you saying you want good quality but "essential" moulding now (baseboard and door/window casing) and then add things like crown and chair at a later date? I don't like MDF moulding because I find it difficult to cope and I don't think nails have the same holding power. But since you're not installing it... When sanded, primed, and two top coats, finger jointed pine should look just fine. Poplar is another option, it's a softer hardwood that takes paint very well.