Thank you so much! That is a big help to be able to see it instead of just in my mind. That is almost exactly like what we have, except we have three large windows across the top and one on each side, and all of ours are rectangular. (Ceiling will be coffered.) After seeing what they did - very tall stone work with mantel on top - I think I would either stop the whole thing at mantel height or put the mantel further down on the stone. I think it looks a little odd with the mantel being up so high. Kind of "perched" up there. Maybe even stop across the top, and then a mantel farther down. In the case of your situation, I have also seen some where the person used one corner of the room for their stone fireplace instead of on a wall in order to maximize window/view space. Just a thought...

Sorry all - I let this thread slip through the cracks while I've been busy or else concentrating on other things! Profrip - The middle of the room pendant that i have now isn't meant to be anything too permanent. I do love that disc/flying saucer look - whether it's turn of century or 1950's diner. I guess it reminds me of the funky huge red one my mom had in our bright yellow and red and orange Matisse-inspired kitchen in the 1970's! But that particular pendant in my kitchen was cheap and too modern (not that I mind inexpensive)! So am I correct to assume then that the general idea is that if you have a pendant or two above the sink, it's generally good to have recessed in the center of the room or else the opposite? Generally speaking? I wish I knew how long I'll keep that pot hanger in the center of the room above the island. I know most people don't do that now but it IS very convenient. I thought I could get rid of it and get the wall pot hanger style to put next to my stove, thereby freeing up the center of the room more...but if I move the stove where I might move it, there will no longer be a wall just to the side of it as there is now...in which case the pot hanger would have to go on the wall behind the counter to the right of the stove which I imagine would mean I'd have to reach over a ways? Plus another convenience of it being in the center of the room is that it's close to the sink for filling w/ water. Those w/ pot-filling faucets wouldn't have to worry about that, obviously, but I don't have one! Where did they put pots in 1913 I wonder? On an open shelf? On a wall hanger? I know a few hundred years ago they went over the island. It sounds like talking to a real lighting person would be a good idea for your space. Have you done that since you last posted here? Thank you for the warm welcome to NYC! :) I somehow believe you that New Yorkers would be perfectly nice to strangers. Well, what do I know! I love your description of your earliest memories of it. Someday...I'm determined...someday! As for that last link you posted: I think those lights are kid of strange! The row of them in the background is just a bit odd to me - but there are some things I really like about that kitchen. EVERY SINGLE TIME I see wooden counters I drool. I love the look of American cherry but it's too soft, and all the hard woods I could find were either too light to me or else too red - or else too stripy - or both. The nice brown woods w/ just a hint of red/orange, e.g. Pacific Madrone, are too stripy.

Sorry, please ignore my mess in the pic. weve been in demo mode. I don't intend to leave the toilet in my kitchen lol

Horizontal art, nearly as wide as the firebox. Not too tall. A watercolor in subdued colors to complement your room. I agree on the squeezed up appearance, especially in picture #1 and the light colored chair. It seems that this chair should be slid back towards the viewer by a couple of feet at least. Or angled across the corner of the rug. Is there a reason why the tv and its console look jammed into the corner? Their placement limits the functionality of that cabinet.