I just bought a house and it has a gas fireplace with no logs. Do I need logs to have a fire or is it possible that they never had logs but rather had a " hot coals " kind of look? (There are remnants of a hot coals look but maybe that is what goes under the logs). Either way, I'm lost and could use a little help. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

You will need a straightedge that can be clamped on the table to use as a guide. You need to make sure the table and legs are strong enough to support all the extra weight. If the table isn't strong enough, the tiles/grout will move and crack. A plunge router with a straight bit will work just fine----larger bits such as a 3/4" will take more material and thus be faster. It is usually easier to start in the center and work a quarter of the area. That way you have some of the original surface on which to steady the router base. Do some practicing on a piece of plywood, you will quickly see where the problems occur and what technique is best.

How long and deep is the peninsula right now? (I'm guessing around 7 or 8 feet long and 27 inches deep, but I'll wait for your reply.) I think you're saying that you use what is the table space in the picture as a playroom now for your children. Is that correct? You also state that you don't use your DR much for eating and want to use the peninsula for all meals. Is that also correct? Personally, I prefer table seating for family meals - it's more conducive to relaxing meals, conversation, and general family bonding. Island and peninsula seating, to me, is for quick/rushed meals. I am also concerned about your very young children. Even if the 18-month old is still in a highchair, most (safe) highchairs are table-height, not counter-height so he won't be "part of the action" while in a highchair and the counter-height seating may not be very safe for him just yet. Counter-height seating is usually problematical for young children and older adults. However, your children will grow very quickly (too quickly!!!!), so counter-height seating won't be an issue for them for very long!....:-) I'm not saying don't do the seating overhang, but I am suggesting you rethink eating at the peninsula as "standard operating procedure". Instead, why not use the peninsula for quick meals and the DR table for family meals? Is the DR too far away? Or, is it being used for something else? To your question about the counter overhang. I'm not sure how much of a curve you will be able to do without adding additional support. Would you be willing to add a leg or two (or more)? If it's going to be used for all meals, then I recommend an overhang of at least 18" for all seats. 15" is the minimum recommended for counter-height seating, but if it's going to replace a table, I think you want it to be more comfortable for everyone - now and when the young ones starting getting tall and gangly (and need that extra leg room!) You and any other adults will also appreciate it now! One thing, I'm not sure you have room for 4 or 5 people at the peninsula - even with a curve. While a curve will add more space for seating, I don't know if it will add that much. For each seat, you need 24" of linear space and all seats need their own clear knee/leg space - no sharing with another seat (e.g., two seats at a corner). So, for 4 people, you need 8' (96"); for 5 people, you need 10' (120"). I don't think you can get a big enough curve to gain that much space without just making it a "table" that's attached to your peninsula. I also think it will take a lot of space from the playroom - if you're going to eliminate the playroom altogether, then I think I'd rather see you put another table there. Tables take up less room b/c you have seats on both sides. So for 6 people, you can usually use a table that's 72"x39". You also need to be careful b/c of that wall on the far right that protrudes into the table/playroom space. You want to keep decent aisles on all sides of the peninsula - especially where there is through traffic. Have you considered making your DR a playroom and using the table space in the picture your primary eating area (with a table)? [That's what we did while our children were young. Later, when they became tweens/teens, we reclaimed the DR as a DR and eliminated the table space in our kitchen (it was too small anyway).] Quartz vs Granite....it may be that the gentleman is a natural stone person and really thinks granite is much nicer/better than quartz. I'll be honest and say that originally I wanted quartz b/c I thought all granite was high maintenance - that it all had to be sealed every couple of months. Thanks to this site, however, I discovered: (1) that not all granites need to be sealed (any stone with an absorption rate of =(2) if it does need sealing, it's not as laborious as I thought nor does it need to be done that often. Based on this "new" information, I expanded my horizons and ended up with a granite that does not need sealing (Absolute Black). Quartz can also be very nice. I think it's more a matter of what you prefer. If you want a light granite and don't want to have to seal and don't want a "patina" to develop, then probably quartz is best for you. (I think most light granites do need sealing.) He may also not be very familiar with quartz. If that's the case, then I would see if I could find someone else to deal with - someone who knows quartz....either at the same stoneyard or a different one. Familiarity with both would be ideal. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

do you know what variety of hoya carnosa it is? there are many varieties of carnosa. Yours belongs to some "giant" carnosa variety (not the plain hoya carnosa). it would be nice if you could find out what species of carnosa it is.