Photo of plant #1 http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h20/mudbear11/001.jpg Photos of plant #2 http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h20/mudbear11/002.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h20/mudbear11/003.jpg Photos of plant #3 http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h20/mudbear11/004.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h20/mudbear11/005.jpg http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h20/mudbear11/006.jpg

The foam IS wimpy. It came in a little roll less than an inch wide and perhaps an eighth inch thick that was scored into 4 pieces so each piece was less than a quarter inch wide (and easily torn or cut to length). It is sticky on one side. You flip the cooktop over and stick each piece on the bottom right at the edge. The weight squashes the foam down a bit so that is reasonably hard and thin. It doesn't appear to create a cleaning problem. our kitchen has white appliances so it has a white cooktop. I think your mottled idea would be preferable. It is tomato sauce season and the cooktop shows every spot of red goop. I have been having a lot of trouble with ka and whirlpool about my gas burners. You would probably be ok with electric. You might look at some of the threads about poor service.

Yes, flooring is what I do for a living. The 'linoleum metal edge' manufacturers went out of business many years ago. NY Metal mouldings was one of the leading distributors. Randall Manufacturing out of Newark NJ bought up most of the left over stock and I think some of the manufacturing capabilities, but I am not entirely sure that the later is true. However, I am very surprised that the product has disappeared altogether and left vinyl and linoleum end users without suitable edge products to use, other than those ugly applied-after binder bar things. I bet 1/8" metal moldings are available in Europe. The ceramic edge profiles I am talking about are not made of ceramic materials at all, but are 'large' versions of what we had commonly available in aluminum, steel and brass for linoleum and vinyl to finish door and stairnose edges. The reason I suggest them is that you could adapt these extrusions for use in a stepdown, such as you have. You would have to look at what's available and then design the product into your project. It can be as simple as cutting something off the profile to make it work...inseting the profile in your substrate...applying the profile to the 'riser' portion of your stepdown and building up that surface so the vinyl would meet almost flush to the metal. This can take some hard thinking, but it is not impossible to do. Since almost everything else being manufactured today seems to come from China, why do we not see suitable metal edge profiles coming from there? I don't attend the Surfaces flooring convention, so I don't know what is being offered as manufactured looking for distribution...there must be some somewhere. All I know is that I have not come across any suppliers recently and the only stuff I do see is my own personal stash for my special flooring needs. I heard rumours that there is a marketing place in San Francisco (or somewhere in California) called 'linoleumtown'...or something like that. It is a group of stores selling linoleum and other sheet and vinyl products and I bet there'd be a good chance of finding something there. Good luck.

How much seating do you need on a regular basis? I would be inclined to get a leather couch, that would sit to the left of the fireplace, facing the dining area. Sofa table behind the couch, with lamps. Nesting tables at the fireplace end, to be used as needed. Opposite, on the right side of the fireplace, a pair of chairs that recline. No ottomans, as I see that being an obstacle for your son. The recliners let you put your feet up as desired, but are not in the way the rest of the time. A nice table and lamp between the two chairs. No coffeetable needed. The tv moves to the stairway wall, where the couch is now. Wall mounted or on an entertainment stand. If there is room for the bookcase beside it, fine, but I have a feeling that wonâÂÂt work, in part because I believe I see the thermostat there. In that case, you could put another chair against the wall for extra seating. with a wall-mounted swing arm lamp beside it, and a narrow table next to it. I wouldnâÂÂt necessarily drywall in the space over the fireplace - it could be a cool display niche, especially if you could add some lighting into the top of it.