THANKS for your thoughts!! (Hope this isn't going to weigh you down with information, but, here goes:) EXTENDING MASTER WING: We can bump out the end wall 4 feet max, improving (from 12' L) to 16' L (a bit longer on the deck side) x 20' W. (The opposite wing is 22' L x 20.5' W). SYMMETRY: To help reference the driveway approach towards the house: take the floor plan and literally rotate it about 45 degrees clockwise: that's the direction the driveway comes from (imagine an imaginary line continuing out from that 12' master bath sink/counter and shower). Essentially it will be like driving on the driveway towards the house, then veering a little left once you get to the house (like on the plan the words: "FIRST FLOOR/Scale 1/4"); then for a parking space: backing up onto what's left of the land outside the master wing bump out. (gosh I hope I'm explaining this ok) I am hoping the symmetry issue will be overlooked because one never really looks straight at the front door. (what d'ya think?) BED SIZE/PLACEMENT: King size bed(even though it takes up most of the space I know). We're hoping we have our choice of placing the bed either on that end wall or the bathroom wall, but probably the end wall. I am thinking that's a great idea to change the casement unit on the end wall to a horizontal band of rectangular/square windows along the top of the wall as you suggest! Sure would help with layout, huh? MBR DOOR: Never thought of moving a door over towards the exterior wall! It's an interesting thought. I WAS wondering, from a professionals point of view, if the MBR door was sort of TOO ~ not hidden enough? but figured the FP sorta blocks it a little. My only concern with this idea is that a desk area is one of those important requirements we have & don't necessarily want it in a bedroom. This will be a vacation home but I want a space for a computer and writing desk. I'll definitely consider moving it inward (towards the stairs) but need to also keep an aisle that's not too narrow. STAIRCASE PLACEMENT: We experimented with stairway placement everywhere it seems! We concluded that if the stairs weren't right there in the middle of the "Y", WHAT would be there then? Ultimately, we decided the staircase with the stone of the fireplace (FP) could maybe be a sort of "feature", with interesting, open, spindle/railings all the way around instead of it taking up space on the wing sides. Kind of "embrace" it! STAIRCASE ISSUES: Problems we hope to address with the stairway is to make them wider (currently 36") and, we want a landing instead of winder style treads so that the stone work from the FP can end at that landing. That means we also have to push the FP into the great room some. Does anyone think the great room space will be too much infringed upon? CLEAR VIEW: One idea was to build a FP with a sort of "column" look on each side (where a chimney would go up one of the sides), essentially creating a "U" shape where one could see straight through from the front door to the great room window wall. That was using a gas FP. Since then we're leaning towards an energy efficient wood burning FP where we're pretty sure the chimney would have to be straight up (vs. offset). Because of this we're imagining rocking all around the FP, all the way down to the staircase landing, and then putting some sort of neat artwork or waterfall or ? on the rock wall facing the front door. (NOTE: there's only LP or electric available on this particular bluff) FIREPLACE PLACEMENT: We're in Wisconsin and the winter's can be super, duper cold, so the 2-sided FP idea is really cool sounding, but, unfortunately, probably not a possibility in this case (Also, no way can we deepen the deck or we'd go over a 600' cliff! haha). I also don't want to really block the view at all (from our living space that is ~ obviously we ARE blocking the view from the entrance). We have considered putting the FP on the far right corner in the Great Room (GR) but that's where we think the TV should go. As much as I like the idea of putting a TV above a FP, in this case I don't think we have the space to do that and sit far enough away so not wrenching our necks to look UP at a TV (+ the heat problem). That wall of windows in the GR is also facing NorthWest so #1: we're trying to avoid sunset glare on the TV and #2 we want seating to face the river. FP will be for warmth (and viewed w/swivel chairs). Ultimately, we went back to the FP centered in the house, as shown. (Also trying to honor the Frank Lloyd Wright trademark with a wide, stone chimney in the middle of a house). Any thoughts or ideas with these things in mind? DOWNSTAIRS: Is going to be pretty open and used as a rec room (nice pool table, foose, game table, etc) and some additional sleeping space. (We originally were only going to have one BR upstairs and a carport where the 2nd BR is now. All the other sleeping was going to be downstairs!) We decided though, if WE'RE old, then our friends would probably be OLD too and would need to stay on the main floor maybe too! haha) Here's the current Basement Plan: KITCHEN: We aren't going to keep that U-shaped kitchen as shown. We'd much prefer eliminating that breakfast bar section and instead having an island. As you can probably see, that right, master wing side, with needing the wider staircase & bumping out the MBR end wall,is what's causing us the most difficulty rearranging to make the best use of space. We'd still like to keep a foyer coat closet & a desk area. Also trying to figure a better designed master bath w/a longer shower w/seat and better linen closet design. Could have a pocket door vs. swinging. (Would like opinions on pocket doors!) Lastly, the master closet is dumb and of course should have either bi-fold doors or? Any and all ideas are very welcome. PS: Here's a home in Madison, Wisconsin that is one of my "Inspiration" pictures! Love the wide horizontal, dark brown siding and typical (for FLW and WI) stone! (also, notice the typical FLW centered chimney!) mmmmmm : ) (SMILE)

Hector? I'm thinking Hank Azaria's Agador from "Birdcage." The Birdcage (1996) Agador: When you gonna let me audition for you again? Armand: When you have talent. Armand: What are you giving him drugs for? What the hell are Pirin tablets? Agador: It's aspirin with the "A" and the "S" scraped off. Armand: My God, what a brilliant idea! Agador: I know. Armand: Now take that wig off or I'll tell Albert you're wearing it. Agador: You do that, I'm gonna tell him you're seeing somebody else while he's on the stage. Armand: I have two words for you: green card. Armand: Agador, you're gonna have to get yourself a uniform and dress like a butler. Agador: No! I'm gonna look like a f@g! Armand: Maybe, but you'll look like a f@g in a uniform. Armand: Is Albert here? Agador: No. Armand: Great. Then he's driving back from Miami at 20 miles an hour with the parking brake on. Agador: Armand, why don't you let me be in the show? Are you afraid of my Guatemalan-ness? Armand: Your what? Agador: My Guatemalan-ness, my natural heat. You're afraid I'm too primitive to be on the stage with your little estrogen rockettes, right? Armand: You're right. I'm afraid of your heat. Agador: [in a scene after one in which he was dressed like Lucy] Armand, why don't you let me be in the show? Armand: You look like Lucy's stunt double. Agador: [dancing around in red wig cleaning] No actually I'm a combination of Lucy and Ricky Armand: That's horrifying. Agador: My father was the shaman of his tribe and my mother was the high priestess. Armand: So why the hell did they move to New Jersey? Agador: I don't know, they're so stupid. Armand: [to Agador] Pull yourself together! Because you have to cook dinner. I have to go find Albert. [Exits] Val: You... can *cook*, right? Agador: Your father seems to think so... Armand: What is that crap you served us? Agador: It's Guatemalan Peasant Soup. Armand: What's Guatemalan Peasant Soup? Agador: I don't know, I made it up. I made it up! Albert: I'm leaving you my stereo... Agador: I don't want it. Albert: My red boots? Agador: I don't want them. Albert: And my wigs? Agador: Which wig? Val: Agador, why aren't you wearing your shoes? Agador: [manly voice] I do not wear the shoes... because... they make me fall down.

No dreams about copper appliances here, but would be happy to do so! I dream (at least monthly- minimum) about missing the bus for school. I'm 35 now. Same scenario. Running out the front door in my school skirt, down the street, trying to hit the corner before the bus goes around it. When I was in the sixth grade my mom went to japan for a month. I was deathly afraid to miss the bus, because my dad would have to come back from work. I did miss the bus and that what happened. He wasn't mad, but for some reason that stuck with me. I stopped dreaming (just few months ago) about shelving crackers. I worked for nabisco for a few years as a sales rep (almost six years ago). It was NOT my favorite job. I dream that I have to go back for money and I have to stock shelves. Makes my skin crawl. Here's to hoping for kitchens to dream about! :) Kim

I had a very interesting dream about my wife and another woman a while ago, but any more detail would be inappropriate here.