I used to live in Austin and desperately needed a softener there. We were concerned about that slimy feeling too, but you can control how much salt you use and we couldn't even tell we had one. It made a world of difference in everything else though. You can also look at water conditioners. People swear by them, and with one, you don't need softener. I'm still trying to figure out the pros and cons of each.

Hillside House...yup, you were the originator on that idea! Partim...sorry, i really wish this forum had numbered post for easier reference. In the black and white floorplan posted above (11/12) is what i was referring to. Basically keep our current stove/oven where it is but take out the 2 walls of the pantry and put the fridge there. Kathi Steele...what "bank of cabients" are you referring to? Which "doorway" are you referring to? Since this remodel has rendered by unable to focus and therefor useless at work, i've been messing around on IKEA's design program today. So basically, this is the new layout i'm talking about with putting the fridge in the current pantry area (the software would not allow me to put a doorway to the right of the fridge shown below):

The first is to consider what the value of your home is and the comparables in the neighborhood. Determine your equity next and the cost to renivate. Then think how long you plan to stay in this home or would it be wiser to find another home that suites your needs? Alot of things to consider that impact this decision. Best wishes!

I think you know what you want so now it is time for the pro if it is any help we have seating for 8 on our one deck and honestly very often drag in more chairs so not sure about your asking for seating for 2 mabe some more info but you will need to be careful it doesn’t get too much stuff happening . Outdoor kitchens need to be a good size to be useful , you need an outdoor DR connected to teh outdoor kitchen and they need to be close to the indoor kitchen too. Think of the outdoor sapce like an interior of a house . The rooms need to make sense where they are in relation to eachother . We have deck all around our house and around the pool and each part has a purpose so that all those spaces flow together when we entertain.