SmartStrand's durability and stain resistance are unparalleled throughout the carpet industry- and far superior to nylon. SmartStrand carpet is your stair's best friend! SmartStrand Silk is the perfect premium carpet for your luxurious bedrooms and living rooms- with the same stain protection. When it comes to vacuums, with any soft carpet ie SmartStrand, especially a premium soft carpet like SmartStrand Silk, you need to take into consideration the plushness & weight of the carpet. You most definitely want to use a vacuum that is CRI (Carpet & Rug Institute) approved. Dyson Vacuums are not CRI approved and therefore not a good pairing for soft, plush carpets. If you have a premium soft carpet, you want to find a vacuum that has: -Beater bar with adjustable height -Wide wheels (this will keep the vacuum higher & more flexible) An investment like beautiful, soft carpet deserves proper maintenance- choose a vacuum that will allow for the best upkeep of your carpet! Here are some great models to check out: Standard Upright Vacuum Hoover UH70120 Hoover UH70205 Hoover U5780-950 Dirt Devil UD70115 Eureka AS5203A Lightweight/No Depth Adjustment Oreck Magnesium Oreck Magnesium RS Hoover Nano UH20020W Canister Vacuum Hoover Canister S3865 Oreck Quest Pro

mary9915 - that looks great in your kitchen, thank you! may_flowers - we actually put the wide moulding back in, we are slowly trying to replace what was ripped out. The tile would be a good way to introduce a small bit of pattern, but I'm just not sure about cleaning around it. DH and I are messy cooks (well mainly me) with a lot of frying and stuff flying everywhere. The hood does help keep it contained, but the wall gets gross and I want something easy to swab down. Thank you for helping with my identity crisis! fiesty68 - I like the idea of glass, have to show to DH hollysprings - do you think that it would be SS overload? We have a 36" fridge on the other side and I'm afraid of too much. Does it matter that the range/hood wouldn't be centered on the SS? I left myself enough room on the right for my longest handles to be able to swing freely, but that did cut down on symmetry. love that photo robotropolis provided too linelle! I just wonder if that shelf would just get filthy though, and still leave too much wall open. We are on the Front Range of Colorado and very dusty, not to mention my kitchen windows look out onto a dirt alley.

Hi ReginaPh, There are so many wonderful granites you could go with. And I like the color of your cabinets. It might seem daunting trying to find the right stone but truthfully white is not as easy to work with as one might think. It has it's own challenges. Wood cabinets with a light stain can go with anything. I know it does not feel like that right now. You are in a granite search and find stage and I remember those days too. I actually lived with plywood while I searched. Have you visited the FKB (Finished Kitchen Blog)? This is a great place to see granites that others have done on GW. If you see something over there and want to see more I can do a search for you and post some images. Since you have not yet picked your backsplash you might check those ideas out too. A while back someone picked their backsplash before their granite it was a novel idea that worked fantastically. They brought their tile with them along with a cabinet door to a local slab yard and found a treasure to go in their kitchen. Here are some ideas, that is if you decide not to go with Kashmir white. (I like KW). ~boxerpups Yellow River Ubatuba (one of those practically stain proof granites) Kashmir Gold (not white but it looks pretty) Verde Peacock (Similar to Ubatuba) Tan Brown Labrador Antique Creama Bordeaux Azul Platino Diana Pearl Quartz (This might be an option if you are worried about stains) These below, I do not know the granite type. I just wanted you to see different ideas for similar toned cabs. Maybe they can help you.

bronwynsmom: I really appreciate your candor and understanding of what I'm going through. It isn't that easy an answer and you spelled out why! My FEELINGS are telling me to get a (slightly bluish)grayish carpet color (but slightly brownish too if that makes sense??) (which is a tad on the "cool" side) as it looks like it comes close to matching the grout/mortar in the fieldstone fireplace. It's possible though that the most COMPATIBLE carpet in terms of being on the same range of colors may be a normal "warm" tannish color due to my orange oak woodwork and camel colored chairs but that feels so same-ole same-ole. That's why I'm having trouble deciding which look will be better or more comfortable feeling. (I am a worry-wort by nature so if I can get a calming color scheme going I feel I might calm down too? Could this happen with color?) "Relax" might be the most applicable suggestion you make, because I'm not relaxed about it is why I think everyone in my family runs the other way when they know I'm trying to decide on a color for something... Anyways, I know you're absolutely right on with everything you wrote so I will do just what you suggest, give it my best and cross my fingers. Thanks so much!