Thanks for the suggestions everyone and the kind comments especially about my rescue pooches. They are the sweetest! I am so sorry about the big pictures but have not as yet conquered the downsizing of pix on photobucket. I was successful once at downsizing and thought I had it but then they came across like this!!! Really sorry. I know it's a pita. The 5th photo down is of the seam they did. I thought they did a really good job with the seam. There are two other tiny seams in front and back of the cooktop virtually invisible. The only big seam is the one in the 5th photo that is to the left of the sink. I should have written on each photo what they were of. Some people have asked lately if it's ok to do a chrome faucet with different color hardware. I did and never even think about it. My backsplash was already in. It was installed a few years ago. Doesn't look too exciting in the pictures but it was expensive tile from Home Expo when there were still around and I just couldn't take it down. They are handmade and had a lot of pieces to accent with. It looks better in person, lol. It's not easy to change a backsplash. The last time we did they had to cut out the drywall and reinstall new, tape and mud, sand and then put in a new splash, big mess. I think it will be awhile before I can get DH to do that again. Also, blew the budget on the granite! I was told the rough on the surface could have been from the cutting of the granite at the fabricators. They run water over the stone as it's being cut and there is lots of dust from the stone. It mixes together and makes a gritty film on the stone. If they don't clean it off it can feel very gritty and that is what it felt like. Really awful, I'm not a wimp when it comes to cleaning and I am being honest when I say it was REALLY rough. It is so much better now since I did the steel wool polish on it and have been using a granite polish on it every few days. So if anyone has this happen it takes some effort but it can be made better! Thanks so much again for the helpful comments!

It's looking like some shade of aqua/turquoise will be a winner. Dianalo, the tile on recyclingthepast.com is going to be my new obsession! Amazing stuff. I wonder if it's just coincidence that they have such a large selection of Belgian stuff right now. Belgium is a favorite travel destination of ours, and in fact, the artwork in the kitchen and dining room is mostly Belgian prints. I think we really need to work in some sort of accent with that tile! I'm also in love with those big sinks with attached drainboards -- always on the lookout for one, never get lucky. It would necessitate bigger changes to the cabinets than I was thinking, but it would be so worth it. I will definitely try the hot iron approach to removing the backsplash. mama_goose, it's true - the worst that can happen is that I'm that much more motivated! fori, you are right, the peninsula is innocent! It's a bad relationship between it, the fridge, and the neighboring cabinet. That countertop where the microwave currently lives mostly functions as a clutter-magnet, so I could certainly live without that counter space. It does provide good storage below, though. After doing some measuring, I'm not sure how much recessing the fridge and/or removing that cabinet would do. The pantry wall on the left of the fridge limits how far I could push it back and still get the freezer door open all the way. I'd get 2 inches, at best. Not sure that's worth the work of breaking down the wall there. Forgetting about that base cabinet for the moment, the diagonal measurement from peninsula corner to fridge corner is only 30" and the diagonal from the opposite corner of the peninsula to the laundry closet wall is only 33." Since the fridge can't move much, and the laundry closet is not changing, I think that area would still feel cramped even if we took out that base cabinet entirely. paintergirl94, I am blown away by your drawings! I hope my kitchen looks so good in the end! I am really liking the microwave shelf idea -- had never even heard of that before I started reading this forum. Your plywood counter is so cool, I never would have thought of something like that. DH actually came across a local cabinetmaker the other day, so that and you all are spurring me on to consult with some independent guys here and see what they can offer. I'm getting optimistic that we can get some combination of new and old to blend well here.

Thanks so much, catmom, arcy, purrus, nini, and lisa! They did the real estate photos yesterday and after some light staging I think the house looked amazing. We just edited out a few more things from the counter and added some decor items. We brought in a bistro table and stools to take the place of the sideboard that was moved to the great room. I also used the floating shelf I just had made for over the tub and used it for the blank space over the sofa instead. I convinced DH to hang it as part of a compromise in which he did not have to move and rehang the heavy wall clock :) These are just a few cell phone pics but I can't wait to see the professional photos!

Well, we're not leaving the lamps--they're packed and in the garage waiting for the movers to come load the truck tomorrow! We have left the garage and basement shelves they requested (which cost at least $900 to replace). We did our pre-close signatures today--closing will probably be Wednesday or Thursday instead of the scheduled Tuesday (issues at their end, not ours). Our agent told us that he just got a call this week from the other buyers who were interested to ask if he thought it would close. They were going to offer about 5% less than we listed it for, and they asked him how much it went for. He told them "close to list" :-) The other houses in our subdivision are still on the market--but they all went way beyond what the comps could possibly support (which I understand because I know what they paid in 2006, but that's not really a factor in what someone will pay in 2017, unfortunately) Once we get settled and unpacked in our rental, we'll start the process of finalizing things for our build! (For those following that, the re-zoning and annexation went fine. The entire board was like "Welcome to <our town>!--and tell your friends!" We didn't expect any issues--taking a half acre plus lot that close in and building a single family residence is exactly what the neighbors would have hoped for. Only one neighbor came to the advertised hearings, where they would have been free to object--and that was just to say hello and introduce herself.)