READ! Adellabedella gave the answer just two posts above your post. Posted by adellabedella (My Page) on Tue, Mar 17, 09 at 16:08 I cut this from Moderator Deanne over at the Kraft food discussion. "Due to the timing of our lists you may receive an additional complimentary issue. You should be receiving an invoice, and won't have to pay for your extra issues." I guess those of you who received the bill are on the first lists.

You might want to look again at the pantry wall arrangement. You USE the pantry and the refs when cooking. In the current arrangement, the pantry entrance is centered for no particular reason - making it further to travel for the cook. The refrigerator is a good 12-15 feet around the island to main prep. Also, forgive me, but the pantry just looks like a collection of miscellaneous stuff shoved in there instead of a storage pantry. The reality of a desk like that is no one will use it because its dark, cramped and not fun to be rolling back in the chair and smacking into the open door or the extra ref/frz. Then too, the ref door will not open all the way and the doored cabinet on the shared bath wall can't be opened. Even if you do something like use sliding doors, you won't be able to use the stuff in the area by the side of the ref because you won't be able to reach it. Try not turning the corner between the range wall and pantry wall with cabinets. Put the entrance to the pantry there instead, then do refs and then do counter to the doorway to the dining room. One of those cabinets could double as a standing desk. Then try shelving around the "U" shap of the longer part of the pantry for storage ending in the blank ref. Keep cabinets along the left hand short wall and maybe a crate space with counter over it facing what is now the doorway. Start or finish the "U" with the extra ref/freezer.

I guess I wasn't clear on pole switches. You have a room with 2 entrances. Such as a kitchen with a door leading into it from the .. dining room and the other entrance to the garage. Or something. Switches placed at both entrances control a single light or set of lights. In my case, these switches control the canned lights in the middle of the kitchen. When I get $$ for my electrician again, a switch at the slider and one at the entrance to the dining room will control probably the canned lights along the cabinet run in the dining room. Never heard of a timer on a pressure switch. I'm sure there's a way it could be done. I'm thinking with kids, though, families would be better served by motion sensors. Motion sensors are good in rooms where one isn't still. Not bedrooms, per se, nor offices, dens, or places like that. I have them in my bathrooms, laundry room, hallways, mud room, (will have in) the garage, the attic, outside around the house. My front entry light is on a timed, motion sensor, which is also a daylight detecting light. I forget what they're called. Not wise for kitchens, but another electrical thought.

Butternut, my suggestion would be to take another look at the garden photo and stay true to your vision. You have something you like and I think you are getting closer to it than anyone so far. I think your post with the PB photo and the one that began with the navy blue couch are taking you in that direction more than anything else here, but you can do some editing. I would probably only use one of the florals -- they are too similar in pattern and scale. I like the one with the linen background -- it plays well with the other elements in the room, especially the stone and doesn't wake up the orange in the wood floor like the predominantly yellow one (though I do like that print for another use). Leather doesn't have to be paired with tapestries and heavy things. Sure, it can be - if you want a club or lodge look, but seeing leather only that was would be like only wearing the balck dress to a funeral. You can play with other textures: linen, chunky knits, faux fur nad more. Do keep in mind the dye and finish of the leather. Not all will wear as well for family use and some are more rustic looking. You want the family friendly finish without a lot of the rustic (the room has enough of that unless you want the lodge). If you don't go with leather, slipcovers, outdoor fabrics like Sunbrella and Krypton. I've had microfiber and liked it (cleans with distilled water), but I wouldn't put it on the main piece in a family room with kids. It is still fabric and wears. Main issue we had was snags from pets or possibly other things. I haven't done slipcovers except one I bought to go over a sofa when we were about to sell our house. Using them all the time seems like a pain -- taking them off, washin, wrestling them back on -- wishing they looked pressed. Maybe that's just me, but leather held up to 13 years of boys and pets growing up and now my son is taking the ends of the sectional to grad school to be his sofa. That's durable enough for me. I like the blue sofa or sectional idea. Blue and red are complimentary colors, so it's going to work better with the wood floor and it compliments the grey stone in the fireplace too. The Mont Blanc Storm goes flat for me -- acts more like the backdrop. That's not what you want when you are tryng to change the feel of the room. The blue stands up to the wood and stone and still commands attention without shouting. It is also one of the main three colors in your photo. Go with it for one of your major pieces. I like it as a sofa (and loveseat if you like them matching) or sectional, but the slipcovered sofa and blue smaller pieces look good too. If you are open to changing the rug, you might find a way to bring in some of the greens or purple in your photo. I'm out of time, but I'll check back......