Hi Spruce, Sorry for the late reply. I am still enjoying cooking on the Bluestar and would recommend the purchase of one but with the following caveat: Don't count on Bluestar to be reliable when it comes to white glove or whatever service you may have to arange directly through the company. So far, the range is great and the company stinks. My earlier posts mentioned that the 48" range for which I waited approximately 3 months showed up with the burners in the wrong configuration. I was scheduled for white glove service on July 30 (where the burner placement would be corrected) and no one showed up. After many calls to Bluestar and the dealer (dealer, with whom BS does not contract for the white glove service, has been great, btw - quick to respond and always on my side), service was rescheduled for August 6. So I stayed home from work - again - to have the service company call me at 2pm to say the truck broke and the tech wasn't coming. They offered me a service call for tomorrow (Aug 10) but wouldn't agree to make me the first service call of the day. Despite that I pleaded with them and urged they do me that favor since they failed to show up, they wouldn't agree. Calls made to Bluestar on Friday just after 2pm are still unanswered. The dealer spoke to the local BS rep who claimed to have had a conversation with me on Friday wherein he assured me I would be the first service call of the day on Aug 10. I most certainly did not have a conversation with the rep on Friday and I thoroughly explained that to the dealer. The dealer is contacting the rep again and I'm waiting to hear. To complicate my life, my household endured many months of the standard discussions, debates, arguments and finally combat over whether to purchase a Wolf or a Bluestar. I was for the Bluestar and won. And now, when she has comments on this matter, I have to take them on the chin. ;) As I said, I enjoy using the range, and am eager for BS to finish correcting its mistakes. I'm sure we'll get there someday, but I'm not holding my breath.

My DH must be wavering because his priorities are shifting. NOW he says he's concerned that it will look too busy (range on perimeter), I'm thinking it's OK but Buehls ideas are so much more interesting. Originally I wanted the window to be the focal point of the room, but I've shifted. Being the windows would be a west facing, I would have to pull down window coverings which would ultimately get filthy from all the splashing, rinsing etc. from the sink. Add in the window coverings would have to be simple, there would be no "fun" in the room. Enough about my thoughts, because I'm totally on board. Lascatx. after Steph2000 asked me about my actual storage needs, I realized after all the calculations we had enough. I want drawers throughout this new kitchen for precisely the reason of not having to bend down and under to get at things. Buehl, my DH and I have already had MANY discussions about how we use the kitchen for various things done in the kitchen. He sees at least that he doesn't use the stovetop as much as he thought he did. He can't seem to separate cooking and prep from one another though. He admits that he is only thinking about the main course for dinner and not the salads, vegetables, sandwiches, etc. Not only this he barbecues out more things then not (main reason how he became the primary cook). Buehl I'll also point out to him that we don't need to make the island nearly as deep as we had before (no grease splatters). We were tight on space before. We can now entertain the extra deep countertops and uppers. Even though were on the shorter stature, doesn't pulling both the bottom and uppers balance it out fairly equal? Option G will not work since the wall is 15 1/4' before a ton of new windows start. Option F already has 14.5' of cabinets. Actually I'm not going to calculate it out, but being the limitations of the cabinet sizes, we may actually have more cabinet space with the range on the perimeter instead of the island. Option F is wonderful!!! I must ask, what kind of design software you use? Lavendar, we have only ideas floating around and nothing as concrete as a range. We are going modern but still haven't decided on the cabinet fronts. Mostly we're looking at blackish cabinets, but then I sometimes dream about a medium wood. We are BIG on windows!!! The only reason we thought Buehls idea would work is because we still kept the same amount of window view. My DH is more concerned about making it too busy instead of making it more impressive. All in all, I think I'm going to have to be patient with him coming around. It's not that he is against Plan F as much as he's struggling with how much he loved our previous house kitchen remodel with the island cooktop. We dealt with the dripping veetables etc, etc because we loved prepping in the open space on the island. Now that we have can "have it all", I want it. Thanks again for everyone's help! This kitchen is going to cost a LOT more then orignally planned but I'm always about value. This new kitchen is of IMMENSE value to me.

I just spent the weekend and more cleaning up in Rockport. If you live in FL, board up or use the corrugated metal "boards." Our boarded up condo was untouched. Unfortunately the unboarded condo above was totaled and leaked water into ours. We got killed by the latent water damage and had to remove everything. Now get ready for Florida. If it hits as a Cat 5 storm, there won't be anything left to recover. But if it hits as a 4 or less, they will need lots of manpower to move stuff out of the roads. If you can volunteer and can go early to work the streets, bring your own tire repair kits. There will be roofing nails everywhere. Bring your own water, Poweraid, ice, boxes of granola sticks, jerky, sun screen, a lawn chair, maybe an umbrella to get out of the sun, and hand wipes to clean up. If you have access to a Skid Steer or Bobcat with a root grapple attachment, bring that.

I wouldn't paint the trim right now. I love the look of the wood floor with the wood trim your eating area (6th pic). Warm and inviting. The white trim with the wood floor (7th pic) doesn't look as good. Generic looking. It is a 70s home and the dark wood is classic for a 70s home. The trim was never meant to be bulky and fancy, I was meant to be sleek and organic. I personalty would strip the white and stain. I then would run the wood flooring in the rest of the home.