well, the temperature went down instead of up but finally got to spend sometime in the kitchen space this afternoon. C9pilot, ( yea, another pizza lover!) the hearthkit sounds like a great idea, but the pizza oven kit is already on order and should be here anyday. If you are interested in seeing where the pizza oven will be, go back to the original photobucket pictures and look at the 3rd sketch. apparently jamesk had pictures of his pizza oven posted but they are no longer there---I emailed him because I had read about his kitchen and he emailed back with info and pictures but for some reason I couldn't open the pictures or I would try to share them with you.. bmore, if you are still out there--- I had to tear the "dummy" kitchen apart to actually get the feel of all the different layouts. I still love the "idea" of the two islands--so much wanted a room divider and to have my granite be a stunning piece of art but after a all the mock ups.....I'm beginning to feel that the very first layout you drew ---- single island (with the cooktop across from the clean up sink and the seating on the opposite side facing the window wall) really works so much better. To make it work just a little better for the way I use my kitchen though I'm wondering if it would be okay to change a few things relative to that drawing: move R to back side of buffet where you put it in the 2nd layout? add prep sink to end of island opposite the big oven, on the corner closest to R? I know it could be a possible bottle neck but maybe keep it far enough to the side so it won't matter---make aisle a litter wider? put espresso machine where R was in my original layout? storage above and below espresso machine? have counter space next to espresso (where oven) was in the original layout---to be used as landing for R? pantry adjacent to new R space where you had drawn the tall shallow cabinets in the hallway? And more pantry across hallway adjacent to bench? add one stool to end of counter on great room side to creat some type of demarcation from one space to another? not have stool next to prep sink? not have a sink in the buffet area but keep one over in the pizza room? Does this make any sense at all? Thoughts? Thanks m

I second stw's thoughts...blame Bill LOL Really though, it's a horrible tile job. I've had jobs not as bad removed because of errors, but that job is terrible. Try to explain to DH about your kitchen value. Obviously you've put together a lovely new kitchen, which is great for resale value, but you took a very visual portion of the kitchen and basically wrote grafitti on it. So when you enter the kitchen to buy it...what will you see? The beautiful kitchen or the grafitti...when "F" is written on the wall...your eyes see that first. This is the tile equivilent to "F" written on the wall of a gorgeous kitchen. It's really bad. In addition, it will likely fall off eventually due to the luan...sheesh what a dork. I'd never use him again...I would let a good guy redo an error, but this guy went wrongg on so many levels (alignment, substraight, grout application, caulk application) that you're just going to be throwing good money after bad if you reuse him. I learned that the hard way, trust me, you don't want to let him anywhere near your walls aside from the removal process, and frankly, I wouldn't even allow him to do that in my home. I have to ask...because your kitchen is so gorgeous in all other finish choices....why the shiny white grout? Is there a white element to the kitchen I'm missing??

Here's the kitchen valance that I made using a Simplicity pattern: And a My3dogs valance in the bath. I've done over the bath since the photo was taken--I had forgotten that we used to have the wallpaper border. I've been waiting for inspiration on a new valance for that window so this is a great thread....wonderful to see all the lovely WTs.

And. Is it not possible that perfectly level and plumb cabs can have the install screwed up anyway? I'm still not fully in the camp that these guys didn't mess up the install and it isn't the cabs (DH) issue OR that a little bit of appropriate shimming under the counter BEFORE they stuck the backsplash to the wall might have mitigated any cab level issue. They never checked the level of anything that we remember and if they did there was no mention about a problem to us. Do counter installers not check for level before they install or do they just go forward assuming everything is level? The thing that really sticks in my craw about the installers abilities/ethics is how they left the counter to the right of the sink unsupported for 3 feet and it's just suspended in air over the sink flange with a glob of caulk to close the gap, no shims at all anywhere even. If they are willing to do that there knowing it is wrong what else did they do just to get the job done? I mean you can't have 3 feet of solid surface counter cantilevered over nothing, right? Doesn't that void warranty or lend itself to breaking or whatnot? I guess I have a lot more faith in DH's abilities (him having done a wonderful job on 90% of the DIY here)than in the ability of almost all the people we've hired for this house remodel and I'm not fully ready to lay this on the door step of his cab install. I've just seen too much slipshod work done that he's had to fix, I guess. But, I also know and he admits that he dislikes finish type stuff and has a tendency to get impatient and rush through things once it gets past the 2x4 stage, so that is also possible here. If it is the cabs then I feel bad for him but again, I'm not there yet. The jury is out til Monday morning and then we'll see. I hope you are right Trebruchet that the counter can come out without damaging the splash. We had a thin coat of plaster on the drywall behind all the splash. I hope that helps and doesn't hurt possible removal. What was that saying? "If everyone on your block throws their problems out in the street, you'll probably run to grab your problems back". Guess I'll take this one over other possibilities, right? :) Whatever needs to be done we'll do that and maybe there is a lesson in this mess, too.