maxiepines, I didn't follow your thread about cook tops so maybe someone already mentioned this. A downdraft set within a gas cook top pulls at the flames. This isn't an issue with your old electric cook top - no flame. I have a pop-up downdraft for my island's gas cook top. Even though it rises 7" above the cook top, it pulls the flame when turned on high and even on medium, it pulls on the back burners' flames more than I'd like. The downdraft blew out (would that be sucked out?) a burner when it was on low a few times. Today's gas cook tops generally come with automatic re-ignition, which is good, because the only way I know this has happened with my old cook top is when I smell gas. Anyhoo, a downdraft set at the same level as the burners will do this even more than my 7" pop-up does. Can you add a pop-up downdraft, preferably one of the newer models that rises more than 7" above the cook top instead? Stunning photos, as usual, boxerpups. You rock!

Love love love this topic. Your kitchens are amazing. Looking for pics of stainless; particularly of stainless with white cabinets and beadboard backsplash... Have you ever seen this combo? Any ideas would be awesome. Again truly amazing kitchens!!

ps: wilsonart luna series is really cool looking too. It has a 3 D look to it. I know you said you dont want shiny but we had a gloss formica and did an edge that made it look like granite and it was gorgeous. many thought it was granite. The luna series is shiny but has a texture to it which might add a bit of depth to the black/oak and white look and balance it all out? they have a black, but they also have a really pretty white called luna frost I think. It ends up looking like leathered granite.

That would be a good idea but I have two sinks. One in each counter. Sink looks awesome, doesn't it? And you can create different finishes although I'm leaning towards staying with the natural finish although I might use the stuff which creates a bit of a patina so you don't have to go through that first few years where each patina mark stands out until they all blend together. And DIY zinc is extremely inexpensive. If you're interested, check out RotoMetal. We figure about $900 to do about 16 linear feet of counters. We've watched several videos and read instructions and it looks fairly straight-forward. Our whole kitchen is DIY including wiring, lighting and plumbing. This will be our third DIY kitchen. So we feel prepared to tackle it. The hardest part looks like where you have to snip and solder around the sink edge. And then sand, polish and buff a bunch to make it smooth and as seamless as possible. .