Proudmama: Yes, that's exactly what I'm looking for in a light maple. Puppy farms? Egads, just another category of purchases to feel guilty about.... I can't buy anything from China without a twinge of guilt either.... Ellen: Thanks for the insight into Amish business practices. I'm glad they've found a way to survive and still hold their belief system together. I admire those people for their lifestyle and discipline. Thanks again for all of the replies!

See the third picture down with the blue polka dotted nautical themed chairs? Someone must have used a jigsaw (and a Dremel?) to make the fancy pieces that go into the backs of the chairs. My question is how do you think those backs are probably attached? Now, see the 9th picture down? The one outside with the blue tablecloth and the pink chair nearest to us. Is there a name for that style of chair? Is there a name for the style of chair in picture #2? I see those in CL all the time. I usually don't like them but I love what they did with them in that pic. I detest chairs with arms on them at the dining table. They're so awkward to try to scoot in and out, and I feel imprisoned in them when scooted in. Maybe that goes way back to being trapped in a high chair as a baby. Am I the only one who feels that way? Scoobyruby, I just remembered something else. When I worked at Boeing we had to wear a badge. The rule was it had to be at chest height. I've always been pretty stacked and I got SO tired of men saying "hi" to my boobs when we passed in the hallway at work. My badge being there gave them an excuse. So I started wearing my badge attached to the bottom of my shirt instead. It actually did cut down on the rude boob staring from the guys. So one day one of those "hall monitor" types of women looks at my badge and says, "You're supposed to wear that at chest height." I (in my mid 50s at that point, and she was too) replied, "I am! They didn't specify with or without a bra." She went into gales of laughter and that and it diffused the situation. Okay, one more. There was this one guy named Howard who would *always* say HI to your boobs when you passed him in the hallway. He was just awful and all us gals hated it. One of my friends was a really fun and funny gal. One morning Howard said HI to her boobs and she smiled and dipped her head down toward her boobs and raised her hand to boob height to wave at him and replied, HI! He blushed crimson at being caught and he NEVER did it to her again. But he kept right on doing it to the rest of us. We actually all should have done it to him. I wonder if we'd have cured him? Anyway, if you hang a picture of a woman in your house, I think she should deffinitely be ugly -- make you look good! :o)

If that chair was in my Maine CL, I'd have already picked it up! But I would NOT paint it white. Think of it as the color of sand in your beach room. Not everything needs to be painted. That's a vintage chair and should be admired just as it is.

sus I didn't read the above responses - so pardon in advance if this is redundant. If you are definitely going to be there for 7yrs, you decide how you would like your home to be during that time. Do pros/cons of relocating - then move on. If you leave laundry there - think vertical! Yes, look into stacking units make sure you have all the space & clearances necessary to do so - ck and double check, it's not just the dimensions of the machines but the duct work for dryer, hook ups for washer - & enough height in the area I would consider making or purchasing a nice panel drapery there that can easily be pulled aside to do laundry - **Do I see pocket doors? closed up when complete. Also, vertical on shelves storage - creative ways of making that little space more efficient - how often do you iron? do you have another spot to dash the board. I would only have what is absolutely daily use in that area. If you leave the laundry there - I don't think you really have space for mud area - other than putting in some hooks to hang a jacket or 2 - scroll down look at tiny laundry room transformation http://realsouthernliving.blogspot.com/2009_06_01_archive.html http://www.remodelaholic.com/2010/08/laundry-room-design-with-craft-room-all.html Link below to images Here is a link that might be useful: laundry areas