Thanks for the replies. Haha, lukki  maybe my children are more high-maintenance than others (although I think theyÂre probably normal). I donÂt know how *anyone* does remodeling with small children. I canÂt imagine trying to do projects that require a great deal of concentration/attention while also having my 3 yr old and 8 month old need to eat / need diaper changes / want to color / misbehave/etc. I can barely paint a room while caring for the kids! The budget is more for reasons of not overimproving, rather than a matter of not having the money. We have enough money now to do almost whatever we want to do. But IÂve thought more about it and I think a bigger shower is something that, if we do it, will need to be for ourselves rather than for resale. I do appreciate the points you both bring up and we will think about this more. IÂd still love to hear from others!

I would do the Antique Copper. I think the Cinn Stick and Richmond Gold are too close to your floor color.

Thanks for the replies...I love this forum. Great humor, too, just when I needed it. This morning we talked and had an enlightenment. I had to do some pretty slick talking. Husband just came in and saw me on the forum...he reads/enjoys it, too, and said, "Well, are you going to tell them you're finally getting your way?" In reality, our cabinets are contractor grade, cheap cabinets which are about 17 years old. Some of the doors have warped. Husband had actually purchased 3 additional oak cabinets and tried to match the doors, etc, as best he could, but they don't match. We would have used them in this galley kitchen...2 rows of cabinets parallel to each other...and not matching at that. And, even painted, they still wouldn't match. We were going to top them off with expensive granite. We decided it just didn't make sense to do that....we don't plan on moving any time soon, but, still, I don't think it would add to the value of our home. So. We are going stretch a little and replace those cabinets with ones we love. We found some Kraftmaid cherry cabinets in a shaker style we really like with a nutmeg or ginger glaze (still contemplating which one) and it won't break the bank. Now we are back to the countertops...we're going to worry about those first, and finally the flooring. Back to the granite search next. It's been a long day....but the sun was shining in Indiana... I'm turning 60 this month! We decided this would be a gift to us...(he will be 60 next year) a nice, new kitchen we both love. I didn't want that darned Tiffany celebration ring anyway. :)

I think the tiling choice (same through all spaces or different) is a personal preference. If you use the same all through, you'll have a nice visual flow. If the 12x12 is a compelling cost savings in the laundry room and mudroom, I would consider doing some kind of transition in the pantry. It could be something as simple as the same tile style but in different sizes, set up to look like a 'rug'. (See examples below.) Or you could use some of the same type of tile but add new colors for some pattern and interest. Or of course you could go nuts with some gorgeous mosaic tile rug (I think it was Igloochick who found one on eBay) but you have to balance that tile and install cost with the savings on the 12x12. Stuff like interesting tile makes me stupidly happy, so I would do some kind of transition pattern in the pantry, whether simple or fancy. I'd start by looking at what other sizes and shapes your tile choice comes in, and what other colors are in that line that you like. But that's just me and you might have something else that makes you happy! simple tile rug: transition with a simple border - this is probably the easiest (and I think it's good looking) if your tile has some kind of coordinating 2x2s; then the inside of the border could be the 12x12s, set on an angle if you like: two colors: