Oops! Should have posted this in remodeling....not laundry I guess. Will repost there. Thanks.

Wow birkie thanks for that ! It looks like a couple Akarum cabs might work out just great. I'm going to head into the local IKEA this weekend to get some cabinet boxes in the sizes I think will work ... if it doesn't, it wasn't an expensive experiment ! Syllabus ... I am jealous of those extra 2 inches you have :-) I don't have a detailed plan for how I'm going to make this work, but I showed the pic to my builder and he grunted and said "Yeah I can do that". I have planned to use a Kohler Memoirs sink, which is attached both to the wall and to either a pedestal or a console. I figure we can rig up some sort of beefy support structure hidden within the cabinet. Now that the bathroom is framed, I am a bit worried that the Memoirs will jut into the room too much (it's 21" deep, and a square sink), so I am considering the Kohler Devonshire, which is 19" deep and rounded at the front. Isn't it funny how plans look OK on paper, but when you actually SEE the room things start to close in on you. LOL.

Ok, so to be clear - for a pair of major laundry minimalists (especially MrHunzi!) In our house, we have LG front loader http://www.lg.com/us/washers/lg-WM3575CV-turbowash-washer - it has a steam injection option, and "Cold-Extra Hot" temps but doesn't make it clear what those temps really are (one big thing I miss about my little ASCO - it had a 205' wash) - my HWH is set to about 140) We are mainly down to just the two of us and the German Shepherd. DS visits and does his own laundry on extended stays, and sometimes we have exchange students who will run a load or two a week for themselves. There are usually 3 load categories: Darks/Colors (together) Normal/Cotton cycle, Kirkland detergent & fabric softener (everything not "Whites/Bleach" and Towels) Whites (things that can be bleached), Bright White cycle - Kirkland detergent, Chlorine bleach, & fabric softener Sheets, kitchen towels, MrHunzi's socks, and the MK face cloths all go into the bleach loads. He does like BLINDING WHITE results. Towels - all the big fluffy ones from Costco, in sand and grey colors (washed on the Towel cycle (I think it's Warm or Cold/cold rinse). When needed, I'll separately wash a dress or sweater that requires more special attention (not trusted to MrHunzi's care) in a cold or delicate or wool cycle. So if I understand your suggestions: Cheer Powder for the dark load. They get done on the Normal/Cotton Warm/cold rinse setting. US Persil Pearls or German Persil Universal Powder for whites. (Add chlorine bleach? Add Oxi?) They get done on the Bright Whites Hot/cold rinse setting (unless I do them - then they get the Extra Hot Sanitary cycle (longer)/cold rinse and added OXI to the pre/main wash detergents plus Chlorine bleach.) Does my washer get hot enough for powders to do the job? Towels get treated same as Colors - Kirkland & FS, except for the different machine cycle. Everything usually gets liquid fabric softener (kirkland's or downy) (unless I'm running a dedicated MK face cloth load - then none) Delicates - only thing I use a liquid for - either Woolite, Woolite dark, Perwol, I think I had some sort of Perwol dark. And they usually get FS. - no dryer sheets - I'm allergic to something in them - sneeze my head off. What's the story with the STTP stuff? When? Why? How? My water - filtered, softened. No charcoal filter on the system, so probably still has the chloramine from the treatment plant. We operate on KISS! Keep it simple systems! Of course, it will probably be a year before I run through the giant tub of Kirkland's! so this isn't a fast change of systems.

I was happy with the end result of the Barker cabinets. I thought they looked good and the finish seems to be very good--no damage in the year or so we had them. I actually saw them again when we visited (sold the house to a friend) and they still looked new at the two year mark. We had one place where edge banding, trim and cabinet met and the colors were not quite right. My GC made it work with some extra cover panel or something. The drawers opened and closed beautifully. My GC grumbled a bit about the door sizing and it being difficult to adjust them perfectly, but again he made it work. (He was a carpenter before he became a GC and made my bathroom vanities for me, but wouldn't do a full kitchen because of arthritis). The countertop is honed marble. I wanted a light color and Dh and I both really liked the looks of marble. I tried to find a more sensible substitute but we were never really happy with any of the other options and everything else was actually more expensive than Carrara marble--which was dirt cheap for us, almost as cheap as IKEA butcher block. We decided that we would be okay with scratches and etches. (Also Carrara can be rehoned in place, which reassured us that if we needed to make it look new for resale purposes we could) I loved that sink. It's the kohler stages 45. I wanted a second sink, mostly for the rest of the family to wash hands and get water to drink, but could not fit one in. The stages with two faucets filled that need nicely and functioned beautifully for food prep, etc. I think for induction you want a dedicated circuit and 40 amps? The appliance forum here would have the answer or someone else may chime in. I just know that out of all the great things in my kitchen, my induction range is the one I miss the most. And yes cast iron works. Anything that a magnet sticks to will generally work with induction. edited to add:. Thanks for your kind words. My kitchen was awesome due to the generous and knowlegdgable people here.