I've seen tomato cages used as the wire framming. I've even seen several wired together to make the tree tall. Also you will need to anchor the wire frame to the ground. If the ground is not frozen where you are you can take wire cutters and cut up clothes hangers to make u-shaped stablizers. (Like the ones that you buy to lay weed cloth.) Hammer these into the ground to hold the wire frame tight to the ground. Fire hazzards would be caused by using old frayed light strings or extention cords designed for interior use only. Lights strings and extention cords should be approved for "exterior use". I also like to wrap where the light string plugs into the extention cord with a plastic bag and black electrical tape. Susie

To sum up the changes from a week ago, it's now "Light up one big counter" and "Make the drawers a.b.a.p." rosieo, no matter what you do, you have a handle on the big things. I don't know if you will be happier with the range here or there; it may be a minor thing compared to all the other things you have figured out. In your set of images, photos 1 to 5 show the kitchen is in a windowless corner of the house. With a mirror on the wall you will get more light into the kitchen, coming from another angle. This makes a difference. ((B.t.w. Photos 1 to 5 make me think the footprint of the house is still in flux: I saw a storage area behind the pantry.)) Knowing now what I now know about your house, I would go to ikea for wood counters, for the price (way less than stone) and quality. Nobody has ever said anything bad about them. With the money saved, you can buy more of other things. If you have the money, you could have two single dishdrawers. When open to full drawer extension (or partially), they take up less space than a 30"high dishwasher panel. And, you cannot hit your shin on them. If you are certain that dishes will often go first to the sink (+disposer) before going to the dishwasher, you could justify putting the sink closer to the end, and the dishwasher on the other side of the sink. 500mm drawers If you go with the layout now shown in photo #10, know this: Your dead space corner could be reduced in size, if your counters were only e.g. 23.5" on top of 21" cabinets. Ikea drawers only need 21" space from front to back. Ikea 500mm length drawer slides are identical to the current model of Blum 500mm length drawer slides, and the drawers are almost identical, with an Ikea soft close damper added. I have them. I also have some of the longest possible Blum drawers: they're more spacious, but not a way way great thing to have absolutely. (p.s. length in this paragraph is the length of the gliders = depth of cabinet = distance front to back). If you went with the range-at-end, and then traded the range for a smaller one, you would have an easier time getting in and out of the corner it blocks. Is exhaust venting in your kitchen plan?

krabbypatty: Glad you're finding that your plan is workable. We do like our kitchen--we spent $ on the "infrastructure" in order to get the space--a high priority. A goal was to not have to say "excuse me" in my own kitchen. Each of the vital areas--sinks, breadboards (cutting boards, range--have two exits from them so that no one is trapped there, with the possible exception of the most used cutting board/breadboard which is in the crotch of the peninsula side of the U. The "sandwich station" pullout next to the refrigerator has proved to be a really wise idea. There we cut tomatoes, butter toast, open and cut cheese, pour milk into cereal, serve ice cream, plunk grocery bags. We're really enjoying the freedom to spread out. The dehydrator's been resident on the countertop for 2 months yet we still could do other activities. (It goes into storage pretty soon, as soon as storage closet gets shelves and a door.) Recently two couples joined us for dinner. I went to one corner and zoomed up some blender salad dressing. Went to another corner and pulled out materials for popovers and heaved them into the oven. Two women and I all messed with veg peeling and cutting on the peninsula and built two casseroles and a salad. DH puttered around with two marinated Alaskan salmon and headed to the grill on the deck and bothered no one. Various adult beverages were served in appropriate glasses at the top of the G and yet I could continue working and orchestrating, uninterrupted. Used dishes began to pile up but it didn't matter. Our flatware box was open and ready on the peninsula all through the dining room meal and was consulted twice. Afterwards,well meaning helpers began messing with the dishwasher and I didn't care. __ Drake the Lab claims to run the place. We've developed a new command: "lobby!"so he will leave the G and go to the very spacious T between the two corridor halls and take his blinkin' dog chews or whatever with him. He loves to carry about wood hunks or plastic pop bottles. Also a nested pair of large black plastic flower pots, one inside the other, a clumsy toy that has survived for 3 months without being torn apart. Needless to say, I'm concerned for the future of the oak floor, but hey, DH chose it and he installed it and Drake is HIS dog. Buehl: Not sure if I've ever seen your kitchen. Thanks for the photos and the description of the scouts in the kitchen. That brings back fond memories. Good of you to work with these kids. Many children today don't much exposure to real cooking. Or proper understanding of eating with others. Sounds like your well-planned islandless kitchen is up to all kinds of adventures.

Thanks for the input, mrspete! I read the ice, water, stone fire and it makes a so much sense. It was very helpful to read it all spelled out (and the humor was very entertaining too). I also like that layout with the island you mentioned above, but I have a couple of issues with it. One is the counter-depth fridge; I really want something larger. Two is the range. I strongly prefer a cooktop and wall oven. And three is that the size of the island won't allow me to have a dining table. So I worked on these variations: Option 1 with a smaller island so I can fit the dining table. I just seems too tight to me. Or option 2, with a peninsula. This is very similar to the layout I have now, but removes a wall and adds more cabinet/counter space. But that takes me back to the U-shaped layout. :( I did think about how our family really cooks. Mostly I am doing the cooking while my husband stands in front of the sink, or by the peninsula and chats with me. In this layout he could sit or stand on the other side of the peninsula to chat while I am working. That would get him out of my way.