thanks everyone for the suggestions! We have lived here since May, and have been pondering the kitchen ever since we had our offer accepted on the house. I think that I essentially like the room's layout to answer fori's question. The thing I'd like is a bit more counter space. I have considered getting rid of the island and putting in a peninsula, but I have a couple concerns at doing this, first and foremost, not totally sure whether the flooring runs under the island. I'm not at all interested in redoing the floors just to move an island. Second, and most importantly, but the cabinets, drawers and counter space on the end of the island closest to the stove & MW get used a TON because the counters, drawers and base cabinet storage is very limited directly to the right and left of the stove. Some folks asked about the room beyond the stove, through the door...it's our laundry/mud room + 4th bedroom and a bathroom and connects the house to the garage. Only place in which to access these rooms is through that door. So unfortunately it can't be blocked off. All the other doors are necessities too. One is to the DR, other to our front living room, the other to the basement. Im definitely toying with the idea of removing those goofy banisters between the kitchen and family room. I need to wait until I'm ready to extend the flooring into the family room though because of the piece that the spindles attach to on the floor. Regarding removing the soffits, I don't believe there's anything in the soffits above the refrigerator area, however I do believe that there's plumbing in the soffits above the main run of cabinets...our bathroom is directly above there and have heard water sounds running through the pipes (which I believe hide in the soffit). So, I'm thinking if I paint, the soffits will get crown molding... Thanks again for all the suggestions!!

Where I live, the cabinet shops do not have enough business in this economy. Don't think they'd consider your order too small, but would be glad to have the work. Keep us posted. Rosie, Sugar Hill, GA (Atlanta Metro)

Tamara....I know this thread is old, but your kitchen is simply stunning! Are your cabinets Chantilly Lace? I read you kitchen delays and had to smile. I've lost weight and sleep over my darn remodel. Who knew how stressful this would be? If you used Chantilly Lace did you paint your ceiling the same. I just ordered my paint yesterday and I'm freaking out that it might be too bright.....

I found this inspirational thread while searching for stained glass backsplashes. The idea of cutting my own backsplash tile out of stained glass to look like this has been tickling at my mind for the past couple days: We've only completed phase I of our renovation, and will wait a few months to replace the rest of the old cabinets (I painted them turquoise to have some fun in the interim months). Our kitchen renovation will come in right around the $10k mark, we think, in the end. Who knows what crazy ideas I'll come up with between now and May, when we undertake Phase II, of course. ;-) Phase I, Done!: --All cabinets, solid plywood/dovetail construction, RTA from Cabinets to Go: $5176 We assembled and installed, and will install the rest. --Stainless Steel Thermador gas cooktop, double ovens, and hood, $700 off Craigslist. --Viking microwave, 200 from Craigslist. --We did demo, removed the soffit (the first part of it, anyway, and will do the rest in May), did drywall patching, repainted the entire room. Cost: nothing but time and sore muscles. Well, the paint and primer cost about $80. --Granite countertops from a local shop that specializes in getting entire shipping containers full of common colors and selling them at a great price. The 3cm granite for the perimeter cost $1272 (including installation), and the island in May will cost about the same. So all told, figure about $2600. I'm still toying with the idea of a prefab island piece and installing it myself, which would save another $600. Minus the cost of the cookies it would take the bribe all my friends to help lift that sucker. --31 pulls, from Lowes, at $2.49 each = $77.19 --Ikea drawer kits and pulls to make my five secret toekick drawers, $150. --We're keeping the existing tile floor. It's not what I would have chosen for myself, but really, it's fine and looks plenty current. We already had the SS dishwasher. Free for settling for what we have. --$120 for fabric for the new curtains. $26 for the new curtain rods on clearance at Lowes. Nothing for the leftover fabric to re-upholster the kitchen chairs and nothing for the stain that was sitting in our garage to refinish the kitchen table. --Sink from Amazon ($405, free shipping) --faucet from Overstock ($176, free shipping) --Professional plumber and electrician to bring gas to the kitchen and move the electrical bits, $800. Grand total $10,510.19. Ok, so I've gone a little over. Isn't that always the case? ;-) Maybe closer to 11k once I've figured in the backsplash and lighting. I've been lusting after a fixture like this for years: I plan to make my own for over the island. I'm a tiara designer by profession, and have access to all sorts of wholesale Swarovski crystals. That project should run about $130. Backsplash, as I mentioned at the beginning of the post, is still being mulled over. So let's revive this marvelous post! What's new with you resourceful, crafty, thrifty, DIY-er types?