I don't understand re-tiling being easier than re-grouting. You can use a grout scraper to get most of the old grout out, clean the tile and grooves real well and then just grout.... as opposed to smashing out the old tile and starting from scratch. Before I did anything, I would clean up all the grout and replace where necessary. I think white grout is best for resale...it will look so nice and clean. I personally think a gray and white palette is nice and classic, but your whites need to be whiter. Also recaulk the tub and consider the reglazing. Once everything is nice and white (and gray), then decide on your paint colors and accessories, etc. I think it's so cool that people have taken off the glass doors on their tubs with success....I would be so afraid there might be rust stains underneath or some kind of non removable adhesives or something, I wouldn't chance it.

LOL! Laxsupermom, I'm in L.A. so dead of winter isn't usually too hard on the herbs once they're well established. :) Thanks so much for the "love, love, love" since I've been time-shocked for months and missed them elsewhere. It's very reassuring! In fact, in looking at why I don't need the greenhouse window, I'm realizing it's not because I need it for the winter thing, or even for the beauty thing, and it's not even the light thing (though I'm reassured that there won't be less light). It's the LOVE thing I want!! If I do this I want to love my windows as much as I love the newish french doors on the studio, rather than, eh, it's a window. Raenjapan, I hadn't thought of doing the greenhouse window at counter level. Interesting idea! It could be very cool. I don't know if it's possible. This one might be only standard sizes. But I'll check. Rhome, Good point! I don't know if the shape and placement of the old windows would bother me, but the yucky oldness might! Thanks for pointing that out. And the kitchen has looked like crap with stuff being packed piled everywhere for so long I forgot how pretty it will be. :) With the slider right there I don't really need the pass through window and counter, especially since the penninsula is turning into an island so there won't be the walking around it, but it'll sure make entertaining out back easier. Rosie, thanks for the straight answer! Part of my problem with the decision has been that I am the designer. My contractor--one of the guys wanting this--has a design background and has contributed some excellent and important ideas, and I daresay the cabinet maker will contribute some more (different one than the also excellent guy who said to change the windows). Mostly, the design is mine however, with a lot of input, help and encouragement from the folks here.

I wonder if F&B colors vary so much during the day with different lighting because of the absence of black in their paint, as well as the volume of colorants in their paint? The Cornforth White is pretty consistent in our rooms: a light pale neutral gray, although at the brightest time of day, I once thought I saw a slight green undertone. In morning light today (east window), I took the whole ensemble of my plans: our china, the F&B Pale Powder, one of many light green upholstery samples but this one has some silver embossing which I like, and art wall which brings in the Phillipsburg Blue from the dining room as well as the olive colors of the family room rather nicely. With a gold tone frame, it will offer a second color of gold found in the Hampton chandelier. F&B Blue Gray and Pigeon tucked in plate: I am thinking to forego cafe curtains and look into reed roman shades instead to bring in warmth. Top down for the kitchen and the pull up, push down for the bath in same material. F&B Teresa's Green and Green Blue may work too as it's a little more pronounced than Pale Powder. Do you think I should go slightly darker with the F&B accent color? The choice may be used on chairs and table legs. Thank you for your feedback. It helps me a lot. I'm not feeling my husbands red and yellow in the space, or any bright primary color, but he's okay with what ever I choose. He just wants to get back in the kitchen. :)

When you opened the door, the blinds would move, but it never bothered me. Before we moved in, the previous owners had hung mini-blinds, and there were hooks near the bottom to hold it in place. When we first moved in, I replaced the mini blinds with a roman shade, made by me. And I never used the hooks. When we renovated the kitchen 10 years later, we ended up replacing the door, and I didn't put hooks on the new door. This is when we put the faux wood blinds on. I don't think they swayed all that much because there was support behind them as it was moving. And we never swung the door hard enough to get a good force on the blind. And the trim around the glass sat proud a 1/4" or so, and the blind was slightly wider than the window, so the blinds never touched the glass. Thanks for the compliment on the BS. I had planned to just do white as we were already talking about moving. DH wanted orange. I came up with this "random" pattern to give him his orange without being solid orange. SIL is the only person who ever commented negatively on it, but it was enough to make me nervous when we put it on the market. But both realtors we interviewed also loved it. And the house sold in 2 days. So I guess it wasn't too crazy.