if you are not going high end, my experience with buying appliances is that a decent range is not much more than a cooktop, and may actually be less.. you may even be able to find something that someone is discarding to do a higher end remodel. the second kitchen reno I did (my first IKEA kitchen), I found a used jenn air range for $270 that a guy got rid of when he gutted his kitchen. I loved it so much that I bought another jenn air new for my third kitchen. my fourth kitchen -current - has a cooktop, but the cost of just the cooktop was as much as a full range, and this is not even in the high end, though it is a good one. I saved no money doing this. The third kitchen had this kind of G shape and was in a tiny house, fit in a 9x12 space. it was very efficient, and two people could fit in it. It had lots of storage. you can have the corner base cabinets on the "open" side face towards the living room and can use it for non-kitchen things. and about the door - just because you "only" spent 200 on it, doesn't mean it looks shabby! That said, French doors will really add light to this space, and bring your garden indoors. you started out asking about contiguous counter space....

Kitchencraft has been very good about replacing questionable doors/trim for me, so you shouldn't have a problem if HH requests a new one under a "warranty claim." I have the darker colour (expresso) and one of my cover panels had to be reordered. It came in a slightly different stain colour than the rest, and they just sent another which matched better (different lot numbers I guess). If the "drip" is in a noticable spot I would get them to reorder. As for the crown, I do agree it's not that noticable, but I'm sorry to say it is a bit funny/weird, especially for how much I know you paid for the cabinets. Sorry. They should have ordered different height cabinets for your fridge surround to allow for a bigger crown frieze (I think that's what it's called) or placed your other cabs at a higher height so it would not be as much of a difference. I truly feel terrible writing this to you, but I have a feeling you suspect it's off anyway. It's not bad looking... just for what you ordered it should have been less noticable, even if your ceilings are off. I also know what it's like to be near the end and just want it done (like I think your DH is).

The entire section from MIA Page 8 linked above: 14. ALLOWABLE REPAIR Stone countertops in need of repair require competent, experienced artisans to achieve the desired results. Repairing stone is permitted when the refurbished region is not in a structurally significant area of the countertop, and when it can be accomplished skillfully so that the repair is consistent in color and texture with the rest of the slab. Fissures occur naturally in many stone types. A fissure is defined by the American Geological Institute as “an extensive crack, break, or fracture in the rock, which may contain mineral-bearing material.” The term “fissure” is used commercially in the stone industry to describe a visible separation along intercrystalline boundaries or the voids between mineral crystals. This separation may start and stop within the field of the stone or extend through an edge. A fissure differs from a crack in that it is a naturally occurring feature in the stone. Cracks occur in stones as a result of mechanically induced stresses during handling, fabrication, transport, or installation. When cracks are detected in slab material prior to fabrication, the best method is to simply avoid them during the layout process. In stones with lesser soundness properties, this option may not be practical, or possible. When working with such stones it is common practice to repair cracks by cementing them together with epoxy or polyester resin, either with or without dowel reinforcement. Cracks that occur as a result of handling-induced stresses are often more difficult to repair, as they commonly include chipping in addition to the crack. Repair is frequently performed by injection of a penetrating resin adhesive, which may be dyed to match the stone, and then rebuffing the area after curing of the resin. In many cases, the entire stone must be repolished to make the repair unnoticeable. If the repair is attempted but unsuccessful, Chips can occur in stones either as a result of sawing operations or handling and restraint devices. Particularly in the igneous stone varieties, the exiting portion of the diamond blade will create many small chips. A small chamfer, called an arris, of approximately 1/16" x 1/16" (1.5 x 1.5 mm) can be used to eliminate most of these small chips. The use of an arris will make the seam appear wider than its actual dimension when filled. Larger chips may be repaired with epoxy or polyester resin if the completed repair is consistent in color and texture with unrepaired areas of the slab. In many materials, the resin used in the repair will appear more natural if it is not dyed. Pitting of the countertop surface, particularly in granite material, is a commonly seen characteristic on natural stone. Granites are made up of several different minerals, each mineral having a different hardness. Granites contain quartz, feldspars, biotite, amphibole, ferrous titanium oxides, and other mineral combinations. On the Mohs Scale (see insert on page 7), diamonds are the hardest mineral, with a rating of 10. Quartz and feldspar have a hardness of 6.5 to 7 and are very durable. Biotite (also known as mica) on the other hand is very soft (2.5) and flakes easily. All true granites have biotite in their composition. Because biotite is relatively soft and flaky, the first few layers are removed during the polishing process, causing pits throughout the slab. Some granites have more biotite throughout their composition than others. The higher the biotite content of the stone, the more pits it will have. Most polished igneous rocks will have varying degrees of pits, depending on the amount of biotite, muscovite, and phlogopite in their composition. The pits do not make the granite less durable or otherwise inferior, and do not in themselves qualify the slab for replacement. Pits are common in all granites and should be expected when dealing with a natural, polished stone containing several types of minerals of varying hardness. It is usually best to not attempt repair of pits, as most repair techniques will not cosmetically improve the countertop.

I love the slabs you are looking at. Beth is great at this and has very good taste and knows her color schemes! I too like the tempest with the stone and cabinet choice but it has what you like best. Just because we all think it looks great does not mean you love it. Maybe you do need to look at more. Look at all of Beth's beautiful pictures. You want to be sure and you should LOVE your choice. I just went through this myself and this house we are building will most likely be my last (scary thought) so I understand where you are coming from. Get the stone that you jump at immediately and love. Maybe Beth and AJCN can fly out and come with you :)