TGIF!! Went to the house last night…alone. For a while anyway, it was awesome :) I am a very social person, love to have people around, but there are sometimes I just neeeeeed to be by myself. I locked all the doors, turned up the radio and started putting door handles & plate covers on. My electrician has been MIA for almost a week. Which is really ok in some ways, b/c he’s a bit of a know it all, and our builder & his brother are working on trim. I think they need their alone time too. Lol Anyway, so I’ve been putting on plate covers whenever I can. I might have went a bit overboard on plugs & switches. Ha!! Seems like every time I think I’m almost done, I find more!!! I think I’m going to let dd do the plugs upstairs over the weekend. She’s closer to the ground. DH showed up after a while. Had to call me to let him in…lol I guess he doesn’t have a key yet. Oops! While we were working on little stuff, we had a heck of a thunder storm. I am even more pleased with the quality of this house. I couldn’t hardly hear the storm at all! The wind was whipping thru the trees which is a new (old) sound. I grew up with a woods behind the house, but for years haven’t had that. Our current home sounds like it is going to blow apart in wind. Not this new house!! Yay!!! Let’s see… doors & trim are staying the color they are, natural. They actually are finished, you just can’t really tell that from pictures. All smooth, and just a twinge shiny. I caught myself just running my hands a long them last night while putting on the handles. I have a love affair with wood. I would love to learn woodworking. Bluemoon ~ definitely on the boots!!! I have on mud boots 95% of the time anyway, b/c I have horses to care for, but last night I sure was glad I had them! Our “storage” trailer (semitrailer on the property) is surrounded by mud. I had to climb up in it to get my door handles. Oh boy. Between wrestling the huge doors in the wind, and trying to keep my footing in the mud, it’s a wonder I didn’t land on my rear. Not that it would have been the first time. I think I’ve fallen on ice/snow about 15 times this winter. I’m pretty klutzy, but that might be a record…. Illini ~ congrats on the mantel!! Exciting, can’t wait to see pictures of it :o) Maggie ~ maybe we should have formed a budget club. I think I’ve lost all concept of decimals also! We have a certain amount left to draw. I’m really hoping it’s enough. I really like your lighting selections. I have this thing about matching fixtures, but also, if you can’t match them all, I love mismatched eclectic!! (I’m only consistent at inconsistency!) Marji ~ 77!!! We got to 59 I think, and boy did it feel like swimsuit weather ha! We used to have that same, or very similar dragonfly lamp hanging in the show room when I sold lighting. And a couple lamps to go with it if I remember right. I love your mood boards! Second one is a sure winner! Love the balloon picture. What a great idea. Ahh…and some dormer love! Autumn ~ you and I are seriously very similar. I love your pizza idea! Totally get it. GUESS WHAT I DID??? I actually went to the grocery store! More pantry items and frozen items, but some fresh deli meat & cheese. Some small packaged meals I can throw something together fairly quickly. I’m sooo tired of eating out. Grabbed some precooked baked chicken from the deli, Uncle Ben’s 90second rice packages and broccoli steamer packs. We actually had a pretty good dinner last night… at 10:15pm. But hey it wasn’t fast food!!! Ontario ~ Thanks so much for the compliments. I’m a bit partial to it, of course! I’m still a bit amazed at times that it all actually came out of my head (with help) and is looking like I thought! I posted a few light pictures in my morning post yesterday, the sconces, fan & laundry. I’m hoping to get the entryway light up over the weekend, and will share of course!! I’m glad you think it’s fast…I’m dying. I guess I don’t have enough patience! we used all SW paint, but I don’t think either of those colors. I had to go back & look. Jen, Jen, Jen ~ as usual I am in love with your home!! Floors look amazing! Hoosier ~ I’ve tried to have that get’er done attitude the whole time. A few things have kinked my chain, but I’m pretty good now I think! Paint looks great, and as always I love love love your stone!!! :o) A few pics of trim, doors, & the cool posts on the stairs!! DH walked in and said “omg those are bad @ss!!” I laughed and laughed :o)

I think my kitchen’s huge size contributed to that feeling but i think that styling can definitely help (adding in wood elements on the counters or baskets or things with texture). I also think brass helps. I love my pendants and wonder if I had done brass hardware if that would have been a good idea for adding more warmth or if it would have been too much brass and too trendy. Definitely backsplash could change things up too. I hesitated to use real marble in the backsplash worrying that it would make the quartz look too fake. But I have since seen many people pair marble with quartz and i think it looks great. I think using smaller scale marble pieces can help also. Part of what made it feel stark was just getting used to it being white too since it used to all be dark. Good luck!

..mmkay..I really tried at least..lol dimensions were easier as I knew what to look for..the prices were a serious, serious problem though, so I'll put some vintage finds in it too..good reviews..look into these shops, they customize and all..and also one pendant (reminding one of your options..but it has glass)-I think the light itself won't be enough..but the shop and service is amazing..the fixture I ordered needed no tweaking at all..just follow them, if nothing else and don't hesitate to tell me if you dislike something, then when I see something else I won't go after something that doesn't speak to you I won't post pics sorry, or it'll take me another hour..just links. links also give you opportunity to dig further..customization if possible, dimensions, etc. obviously some go against my own advice..they'll give out shadows etc. still, check them out https://www.aplusrstore.com/product/790/coral-pendant-light (very well known pendant. minuses-cost, shadowing, will there be enough light?) https://www.lightexture.com/product-page/chandelier-lighting-double-cut-boomerang (great shop. started small..now they collaborate with big merchants and whatnot. I picked by dimesions plus cheapest..)) https://www.etsy.com/listing/630647972/crystal-glass-lantern-brass-ceiling-lamp?ref=shop_home_active_19 (my favorite shop I told you about. Answer all the questions, even stupid ones I asked, very precisely and politely..packing, shipping is a dream..got it in 3 days-and I'm on West Coast...postal miracle lol. in any case..follow these guys.) https://www.etsy.com/listing/609118040/midcentury-pendant-lamp-teak-and-white?ref=sold_out-9 (not cascading but a group..should fit..never dealt with this shop before) https://www.etsy.com/listing/477404203/vintage-mid-century-modern-atlas (like it because of the colored shades, and shape is this soft modern..works almost anywhere) I can see you liking this one a bit more? ..I like it for a) milky glass b) customization. height, etc-they'll work on it if needed. but seem to fit as per my rough calculations) c) free shipping. made in US too, so new. even though small shop. maybe you like new better https://www.etsy.com/listing/611935851/stockholm-chandelier-black-brass-mid?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=&ref=sc_gallery-1-2&plkey=4877e3e73046c0ded1277bc03a7b5ee2d317717c:611935851 a tad bigger than what you have now, a tad smaller tan what you'd want. I love the shape and the hint on it being a plant..one either loves this type or doesn't. I'd ask more questions-what's the biggest bulb each globe takes, etc. if 40 might be too small. 60-you're fine https://www.etsy.com/listing/215353216/mid-century-tulip-walnut-wood-chandelier several like this for example. dealt with the shop..beautiful work. albeit takes some time (they're popular..lots of work) they'll customize if needed. check them out https://www.etsy.com/listing/76096376/porcelain-mushroom-ball now, check out these guys..beautiful cloud lights, different sizes, they can add gold or silver to it..great reviews. downside-price..still, check them out, see what they've got https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheLightFactory/items okay..now I just wanted to share this shop with you. he has some seriously cool stuff, imo. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RetroRaum/items?ref=pagination&page=1&section_id=15731794&order=date_desc okay..I need a drink:) (I looked at Anthro btw..it's not that they have nothing good-they do, it just becomes expensive. The moment I like it. Looked at Serena and Lily..nice Capiz globe I remembered, but won't be enough light I think..takes just one bulb..)

I’m sorry to add onto a thread with more complaints, but we are in a horrible bind with our Cambria slab order and as a result have been displaced from our home and our entire kitchen remodel delayed over a month. We’ve had to incur all costs of housing and a rental car (we are out of town), and there is still no resolution in sight. We ordered two of the Britannica Warm slabs which were due to be installed prior to Thanksgiving. They arrived and were so far apart in color that our fabricator rejected them because they’ll both be used in our kitchen. No slabs were available so new ones had to be produced with a new arrival date of 12/11 (install 12/18)...now a full month delay and we have no sinks in our house since all countertops are being replaced so we couldn’t return home. Second set of slabs arrived and SAME problem AGAIN. fabricator returned slabs and told us that Cambria’s response was “you shouldn’t order this if you require two slabs in a kitchen.” Which our developer says is crazy because our kitchen isn’t even that big! Keep in mind we are now out thousands of dollars without any compensation. Cambria is supposedly sending some new slabs now from Minnesota...but no promises and the install date is now post Christmas (12/28). We now are potentially having to pay $700 to get plywood counters and temp sinks installed just so we can get back home and kids can be home for Christmas. But then we will have to leave AGAIN for them to do the install if and only if these next slabs work. And we can’t be in the house with the workers over multiple days because my husband is a high risk patient. And since all work has been delayed due to countertops (ie plumbing, tile backsplash, etc), we are looking at an additional time we have to find (and pay for) another home. I know these are first world problems but it’s unacceptable for Cambria to not take accountability and just say “you shouldn’t order two slabs.” Even our installers are over it and asking us to consider changing countertops away from Cambria, but we spent so much time finding what we wanted and now we've gone through so much trouble we really want the vision we had and not settle. We didn’t pay for this remodel to settle. Please help. What are our options? Our fabricator is saying Cambria is just throwing up their hands. And now 20 more days before new slabs! appreciate any thoughts on how we can truly get a resolution with the product we want as well as be fairly treated regarding the costs we have incurred. Thanks so much.