thanks for all the nice comments... Our kitchen layout was still optimal after 25 years, so it made it much cheaper and easier to update. About the appliances, the GE Monograms are beautiful and would have like to match them all together. However, their Monogram dishwasher handle stuck out too far and would block a drawer in our configuration, and we didn't like the exposed hinges on the Monogram refrigerator. We thought about all Jenn-air, but disliked the wall ovens and still had the dishwasher towel bar interference problem with the drawer. Instead, we were able to find other appliances that went well together with the ovens and had the functions we liked best. They all have some stainless steel, but either have glossy black or glossy white. Also, we tossed out the compactor and replaced it with a pullout dual waste&recycle bins with outer door matching existing cabinets along with an extra undercabinet drawer - thank you cabinet maker! We used the same cabinet maker to adjust the height above the refrigerator (new fridge was taller) and to make minor adjustments to the oven cavity to fit the GE Monogram ovens. He added those 3 drawers in front of the bar stools - we allowed a little "scope creep" here. So, we wanted to share this with others who encounter similar dilemmas when retrofitting a kitchen - we were able to mix and match appliances (or eliminate in case of compactor) and get the best of all by sticking with a few design rules and employing a cabinet maker to make a few critical adjustments. -DH of gracesantacruz

Hi All! I have learned sooooo much on this site. Thank you Mr. Corlett. I have had Corian countertops since 1998 with a granite composite under mount sink. Love the Corian, not the sink so much because it seems yellowed since installed. But I do a lot of canning so the sink has put up with a lot of beet juice and boiling hot water with minimal distress, no cracks. Just clean with Soft Scrub and bleach sometimes. We are now building a house. I am again using Corian for the countertops. I am considering either a Corian integrated sink 850 or an LG-HiMacs integrated sink 3118. I do not like the sink drain in the center of the sink as in the 3118 but that sink is an inch and a half longer than the Corian so better for skillet handles to fit in sink. Do you have an opinion as to the staining or cracking or other issue of either product I might consider before making my final decision? Thank you. Cynthia

I've had Cambria quartz for three years now, and I love it. It's impervious! Red wine, beets, curry, whatever -- nothing stains this stuff. No chips or scratches or other damage. I've dropped a jar of jam on it; nothing heavier that I can recall, though. I rest pot lids on it all the time with no problem, but I do always use a trivet for hot pots or pans -- long-standing habit, with my old formica! -- so I can't speak to the potential for damage from those. My only (minor) complaint is that I unwittingly chose a pattern that is a *great* camouflage for crumbs, so I can't always see when it needs wiping down unless I turn bright lights on. And wiping it down with water (sometimes soapy, mostly not) is all I've ever done in terms of cleaning. All in all it's ultra low maintenance, and it looks good: definitely a winner in my book.

I can tell you that a waterfall resting directly on a floating LVP floor will definitely cause issues. After a full year we have major flooring issues with buckling around the waterfall area. That’s what you get for hiring a cheap contractor that doesn’t think these things through. I am now renovating another property and thinking this through ahead of time and found this thread on what to do. It sounds like the stainless steel button should do the trick and be totally hidden. This should allow the floating floor to slide underneath the waterfall edge and allow for an expansion gap while keeping everything hidden without the use of caulking.