I've been considering a massive bulletin board at my house as well. Mine would be huge & cover a wall...about 5 feet tall by 7 feet wide. I haven't done it yet, but here is the idea I have in my head: Find something (haven't looked at the options yet) as a backboard. Firm & sturdy, yet not crazy heavy. Glue/attach ceiling tiles onto the board. (I have a spare room with 2x4 ceiling tiles I'm planning on removing & doing a correct ceiling...hence the ceiling tiles). Cover the entire thing with a great fabric...I was thinking burlap, but you could do anything. I would do a light coat of spray glue between fabric & ceiling panels, then staple/attach fabric around the back like you would if making a headboard. If you want a frame, you could get your own trim and cut/miter to fit. Paint/stain/etc. If you do something along these lines, POST BACK! I'd love to know if it turns out well. lol! Gayle

see if this works www.ultimatescrapchat.com Kim "shutterbug" at ultimatescrapchat

It would be nice to have accurate measurements, especially for that stairway entry/landing area and just outside it. Until we know more accurately, I just offer a small riff on Lisa's great plan. A 33" fridge allows the Hoosier cabinet to be enjoyed from the dining room. I really like the idea of a door from the office. One can work in the office and keep an eye on items cooking If kids are in the future, the office can become a playroom and one can cook and keep an eye on the kids. A 12" deep pantry cab next to the DW with the one Lisa put across the aisle will be more than enough storage for everyday dishes and glasses. I would install a drawer in the middle of each for utensils. I think I'd do glass doors on top with solid on the bottom. About the two tall dish pantries, something like this for the drawer placement. And the pink represents where I would consider putting windows on the sides instead of a solid panel. You could do it just on the one side facing the kitchen. Or on both sides. If done on both sides, the light from the window on the stair landing would filter through contributing to keeping the kitchen light and airy. Not knowing what they intend to use the basement for, I've wondered about the wisdom of closing off that exterior door. It seems like there would be times when it would be so convenient to have it like if something big needs to be hauled to or from the basement. It gives a nice straight shot instead of having to somehow squeeze it around tight corners. And safety issues. Also, what if you're cooking and burn something? Even with a good hood, the more windows and doors you can open to eliminate the smoke, the better. I simply wouldn't want to lose the close exterior access point just so I could have a table and chairs right outside that door to enjoy my coffee on a summer morning, eat lunch or dinner, or sit outside with a book while waiting for dinner to be ready, whatever. Or what about when you want to BBQ? Nice to have outside access right next to the kitchen for that. I just like outside! And I don't see any reason to lose that access point. Also, if there is an emergency, like a fire or an intruder, the more you have outside access locations, the better. That's another reason why I would also like to see the pocket door for the office on that landing. No, I don't live in Paranoia Land but, rather, by the Scout motto. I think when you're remodeling it's good to consider these kinds of issues and plan for escape routes for worst case scenario situations if it can be done at reasonable cost and effort.

Would definitely think of this more in terms of how to make the whole house work better rather than how to get a bigger kitchen. I do like the kitchen in the middle better than the kitchen in the back location since it keeps it central both the LR and DR and allows for more of an open floor plan where you can be in the kitchen but still have eyes on kids in LR. If you use the back doors of the house often, I'd want a landing space for the junk that comes in or even a dedicated mudroom space. Having my kitchen as a main point of entry into the home is a big part of what prompted a huge renovation for us. I would definitely want pantry space, walk-in or reach-in. As drawn landing space for the fridge is lacking, the baking cart is in the way of what I'd see as the natural prep flow. A second sink would probably be very useful for opening up more functional layout options. The fireplace in the kitchen might work well or might look really random.