Wow!! Thanks all so much for the responses!! My back is truly broken!! I actually have been dreaming about having a garden for years. I lived in spaces where only a fire escape or deck was available for planting, so I set my mind to do this and I just forged ahead. The greenhouse was a pre-fab from Gardener's Supply, although i don't know if they still offer them. It took my husband and two of my friends about 4 hours to put it up. I had a general idea of what I wanted with the yard. I had a rough sketch, I then found a Sierra Landscaping program for $9.99 at Target one Autumn. I spent that winter playing around with it. It was really cool! My husband built the deck, but I did all the rest pretty much by myself. He isn't into yard work, but does the grocery shopping-which I could do without!! It works out great! We need to trim some mature oaks (my neighbor's) to let a bit more sun in. I love the semi-shade, but I love heirloom tomatoes too. I have 10 kinds tucked into the areas that receive the most sun. My climber is clematis-on a too small trellis.I wired the top down so it would grow back towards itself. I also have morning glories on a trellis planter on my deck. It acts as a screen between yards. I have Rose of Sharon and a Lilac on that side fence also. Alot of the shrubs are from neighbors. The offered some seedlings that had volunteered in their yard. The sod is a new addition. Although a lawn is the last thing I want to tend to, I thought it would be a nice area for a hammock.The watering was a nightmare, until I ran soaker hoses on timers throughout the yard. What a blessing!! It's a real time-saver. I work as a pastry chef and the summers are so busy, I am really pressed for time. Thanks again! I really appreciate all the kudos! I'll try and post more as the season progresses. Jo

Cleo- the original stovetop fit in a bigger hole than the "new" one, so that piece of stainless was jammed in there to cover the hole. Needless to say, it did not stay very well! The tile backplash and counter were original to the home, built in the early 50's, and those switches on the wall were the controls! That is not grout- that was how the tile was glazed or painted or whatever. Heheheh, so many people used to comment on the "retro" decorating, and liked to play with the switches. raehelen- yes, I got a great deal on the granite. The slabs were discounted from 20/sf to 4.99/SF because there were irregular areas in them that limited the useful squarefootage, and they'd been sitting around for a while. There was a stack of reduced slabs, and I asked to see some of the ones hidden in the back of the stack, and low and behold, there were three slabs hidden back there that were gorgeous....... Even the granite guy said something about how that stack had not been touched for a while. I had even been to that granite yard twice before, and not thought to ask to look deep in that stack. I bought 2 slabs, for $464, and there was a bit of waste, but I still have enough left to make a bathroom vanity countertop! The fabrication was $2285. I was quoted between $1800-4500 by other fabricators. Oh, and the cabinets are santos and santa maria mahogany, no stain.

Haha! I thought I would shock you all into silence by my audacious naughty shortcuts. But hey, polyurethane seals the whole thing just fine. I've painted a kazillion things and pretty well learned where I can and can't cut corners. The thing about my kitchen is some yahoo mounted all the handles in the centers of the doors, as you can see above. So I never touch the handles. The only ones I actually use are the ones on the drawers. And nobody ever touches hinges. But you know, factory finishes eventually wear out too. But if you can paint them yourself, then it's back in your control, right? The magic thing about paint is if you don't like it, you can always paint it again. More good news, with this paint I didn't get any bonding together of two moving parts. It's not thick like latex paint. Sheesharee, thanks! Nanny, thanks! Oh, yes, do your door knobs! Start with one in an out of the way area and see if you like it first. You're right, you should sand and prime because they get heavy use. Seal with Poly, too, just a can of the brush on stuff from the hardware store. I got a spray primer meant for metals, in a grey color (grey is easier to cover than stark white). A light coat of primer will do, and sand lightly after priming. I back my car out of the garage, put down a cheapo plastic drop cloth, and close the garage door. If you keep the door open make sure to weight down the corners of the drop cloth so wind won't blow them up into your work, and don't do it with the door open when the cottonwoods are "spawning" - lol. The paint is kind of thin and not real inclined to show brush marks, but you want to brush it on evenly, and I brushed it in the direction that it would go if it were a brushed finish, just in case. You may need 2-3 coats but they go on fast and easy. One little bottle should last you a long time. Take before and after pix for us please!

I'm sincerely so very happy for you and your family! its beautiful! I love all of it and imagine the space is serving your family very well now. What a fun place to live! i giggle at the thought of you touring folks around your new house and showing them the powder room as where your kitchen used to be--it wasn't much bigger! Most people who post a request for layout help don't expect to get a comment that recommends rearranging their whole main floor. I'm so glad you considered it. And you did it! The sight of your pictures made my heart flutter a bit. Your home is lovely and I had so much fun contributing to part of it and seeing the "afters." Thank you, DC!