See link in next posting. :) When making a 1st post with a link, it's actually easier then you think.. for those that don't know Type up your post, then hit the "Preview" button, once you have the preview, scroll down a little, you will see your post again, this time with the Optional Link URL: & Name of the Link: You can also go to the link below.. look under links Here is a link that might be useful: HTML Cheatsheet and learn now to make links in the 1st post

Lafonda - I also love that coffee table for your sofa. If and when you get it, you can then make decisions about which elements in your room do or do not coordinate with it. What really caught my eye were the two framed pictures against the far wall, presumably waiting to be hung? I did a double-take when I saw them. They look *exactly* like two that we have. We bought the unframed prints in the gift shop of the LaFonda Hotel in Santa Fe, many years ago. They are painted in the style of the Santa Fe School of Indian Art, and are so graceful and lively. The thing is that when I had them framed, I used the *exact* color of your mats and pale, soft blue wooden frames, which are starting to fade now. Have you hung your pictures yet?

All of my canvas or panel-based work is either on panels with wood sides that I either stain or paint, or in floater frames. For some reason I buy panels or gallery canvases that are 2" deep - I like the distance from the wall. My woodcut prints are all matted and framed of course. The black floater frames help the 2 go together. Think also, however, about how early modern art - late 19th early 20th century - work is framed in sometimes very ornate traditional frames. It can help a contemporary piece fit in a traditional setting in a very authentic way. Just in the last couple of weeks I saw some new abstract landscape-based paintings by Thomas Batista done this way and there was something very refreshing about it. Wouldn't work for mine though. As kittiemom mentions, the frame is supposed to bring your focus to the work, not to itself. A good framer is a fine thing to find.

Has GW ever asked its forum members to track their food prep/ cook time percentage over a couple of days? I'm like Paula Poundstone on 'Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me' surveys when I see that percentage cited. LOL. Good question. I think it would be a good one to figure out. If something's on my rangetop, I think I'm generally interacting with it, unless it's chili or something similar. As am I, but usually I find the prep time chopping, rinsing, etc takes more time than the actual cook time on top of the cooktop. Of course the exception being a stew or soup, etc. And I never prep next to my sink. Interesting because I've done it both ways and it really depended on my kitchen layout. When I didn't have enough room next to my sink like in my condo, I washed everything and then moved it to prep next to my cooktop. It worked but wasn't ideal. In the kitchen in my first house, I had a traditional L shape with fridge, sink, stove and I prepped right between the stove and the sink. It actually was the ideal layout for me. In our rental in NY, I also prep between sink and stove. In our rental here in FL the sink is literally right next to the stove so there's no room to prep there. There's also no room to prep on the other side of the sink so it means again washing things and then bringing them to the other side of the stove. It's awful. But I'm with the OP. I would not want a sink on an island. So, that makes two of us. And that's perfectly fine but why have even the cooktop in the island?