thanks for the input.. I found the deal through kitchen foundry. I don't believe it is a floor model. from what I am told it is just new old stock. from the link weissman posted, people weren't complaining about the quality nor the performance. that was my main concern. people state the finish comes off the baffle boxes over time. after talking to Erik from kitchen foundry he stated that is mainly due to harsh cleaners people are using..... and worst case they can be replaced for 170 bucks. the other complaints were noise, but most seemed to state it was due to improper install or unbalanced fan wheels. My only real reservation now is the fluorescent lighting. I plan to look into an LED tube replacement. This post was edited by Zivman on Mon, Jan 20, 14 at 21:22

Culinarians are priced way outside your budget. BlueStar RCS is going to be beyond your budget unless the maker, Prizer Painter, runs another round of promotional pricing like it did last spring. The enforced retail price of 30" RCS models is usually around $3500, but last spring's promotional pricing had them right at $3k, the top end of your budget. (That was without the mandatory backsplash/vent and dleivery.) Costco.ca -- the online Costco site for Candians -- does offer a 30" Bluestar RCS for around $2400 plus Candian taxes but you don't save much, if any money, by having it freight forwarded to you in the US. I have no idea if Prizer-Painter (the manufacturer) will be doing anything similar this year, but you could ask around at dealers to see if anybody has heard anything. The NXR ranges at Costco.com (i.e. online only) are currently running at $2k for the 30" model and $3k for the 36" model, both prices with free shipping to your curb. So, both are within your budget. If you search here at GW, you will find most postings are about the 30" models. Most of the posters here have been pleased. But put that in some perspective. If your max budget is $2k (as mine was), an NXR can be very good bang-for the buck provided you are interested in a very basic, industrial looking "pro-style" type of range. It is kind of a niche product. If you are in the niche, it will appeal to you. If you are not, you won't like it. Buying an NXR is bit like buying a basic, rugged four-wheel drive vehicle with a manual transmission and manual locking hubs from the likes Huyndai or Kia. Very serviceable for those who want that kind of thing but it will not appeal to those seeking Mercedes or other high-end equipment nor appeal those who want conveniences like automatic transmissions, personal electronics, and such nor to those looking for high-mpg hybrid vehicles.. Note that some BlueStar and NXR owners have reported problems with warranty service, especially with rectifying shipping damage, and the time it takes in some instances to get things fixed (and sometimes it doesn't get fixed or replaced) That's a risk you have to take into account when buying from any brand with a small market share. It does not happen to everybody but it happens often enought that you have to consider it a factor. While numbers of otherwise reputable on-line dealers carry NXR ranges, most of them do not have Costco's full-refund satisfaction guarantee (bring it back if you just don't like it, never mind shipping defects or warranty issues.) So far, most of the reported problems have been shipping damage issues or "infant mortality" (failures right out of the box) where the Costco guaranty is likely to be most helpful. Some folks here have posted about some of the Italian ranges, like the Bertazzonis, which are mostly available from dealers with large on-line presences. These are counter-depth units, so they have 5 burners topside and ovens that are pretty shallow and small by North American standards. IIRC, they run about $2500. If interested, you'd best do a search here on them as reviews have been mixed. Again, these are stoves that will appeal to some folks and not others. For sleek looks, a better choice might be the Dacor 30" gas range which often runs as low as $2800 (though the post-president's sale prices now seem over $3k).. Like the NXR, it has some pros and cons, but might be good value for the money if you like a sleeker look with a "pro-style" burner layout. Bmorepanic bought one before Christmas and has a useful and detailed on-going review. Bmorepanic also tried out the NXR but received a one with shipping damage whose eventual replacement was a similarly defective-out-of-the-box (seemingly recycled) unit. It was the fear of that kind of problem that led me me buy my NXR from Costco rather than one of the other dealers. While most people don't have those kinds of problem with new appliances, if you do run into that kind of issue, it can really put you off a brand. I'm guessing that something similar happened to you with GE, otherwise I might suggest you look at the GE Cafe ranges. This post was edited by JWVideo on Sat, Feb 22, 14 at 12:09

Apologize for the length, but what the heck: Bumblebeez, I have to say it's one of those individual decisions, speaking as someone who lives a little over an hour away from Napa and visits just for the restaurants. I've never made it to FL, but a foodie friend I trust made it in on a last-minute cancellation (yes, sometimes those impromptu calls really do work) and he loved it, said it was the best dinner he'd ever had. OTOH, as someone once commented to NYTimes critic Pete Wells (she is in the industry, eats at these very top-level restaurants without having to pay for it), you are paying for two things: the very freshest ingredients and exquisite precision of execution; e.g., the cutting and placement of food. She pointed out it does not actually taste any better; it is simply beautiful and consistent with no flaws, plate after plate. You need never worry that somebody else's caviar with oyster foam is a little bigger or less salty than yours; the food will be the same no matter who is receiving it that night. Now...that kind of experience may well be worth it, just as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Nothing wrong with that - every gourmet/foodie has their own memories that they hold dear! I can only say I've given up trying for FL. It just isn't worth it to us. We've eaten great food in Northern CA for 45 yrs, and would rather spread my $$$ around elsewhere at restaurants we can get into, that also have truly remarkable food. We're retired and can spend as much time and $$$$ as we want up there. That said, your friend might try for Meadowood. Chris Kostow is not the household name that Thomas Keller is, but unlike Keller, Kostow remains the ExecChef, hands-on, at Meadowood, which holds the same # of Michelin stars that FL does. Talk amongst local foodies is that FL is still very good but Meadowood is better and more exciting. If it was my $2K, this is what I'd spend it on (but I could do it because we don't drink, which saves a lot of money!). Opinions are STRICTLY MINE, ymmv: - Auberge du Soleil - Upscale resort with glorious food and an even more glorious view IF, and only if, you can snag one of the four tables on the outdoor patio. Sitting there overlooking the Napa Valley, eating a lobster and veal sandwich on brioche and finishing with an after-meal French brandy, is one of our favorite memories. It's the only restaurant in the Napa Valley with a high-hill valley view. Worth every extra penny it’ll cost. - Ca'Momi @Oxbow Market - Brilliant authentic Italian cuisine in a noisy, uncomfortable market hall. Try to get a patio table because the tables inside are small and smashed together. Bring a cooler and ice for those luscious pastries! - Etoile @Domaine Chandon - Stunning. Wonderful. Worthy of LVMH's Dom Perignon (they own all three brands, and more). If I had to pick only one dinner in the Napa Valley, Etoile is where I'm going. Perry Hoffman is a genius, with the masterfully understated touch that only terrific talent and classic training (French, of course) can produce. Try the Chandon brandy, 24 yrs old and only available for sale at the winery - phenomenal stuff. - Solbar @Solange Resort: A Relais & Chateaux property, and worthy of its siblings. Too many people miss this phenomenal restaurant in Calistoga. The service is excellent and the food is exquisite. The heartier side of the spa menu is surprisingly carnivorous as well as generous. But don't miss the spa dishes; they aren't your usual rabbit food. A chicken pasta soup from the spa side was downright stunning; a rich dark brown from roasted bones, full of juicy shredded chicken breast and mini-farfalle. I drag my DH all over to eat and he said this was hands-down the most amazing soup he'd ever had, simple yet utterly perfect. After that splurge you need something cheaper. Cheese and pate and good bread for a picnic: - Bouchon Bakery- Croissants a little saltier than Parker-Lusseau in Monterey, but crisp and lovely. Chocolate budino dessert cakes are a winner. Baguettes are extremely neutral in flavor, excellent for a cheese tasting. Note they get very crowded at lunchtime and sell out by 2p. - Dean & Deluca Delicatessen/Specialty Grocery - The goose mousse pate is worth selling your soul, or more probably all your arteries, for. Come with ice packs and your cooler, and stock up! - La Foret Chocolatier - Opened by the former pastry chef at the French Laundry, she makes fairly salty chocolates (and still supplies FL for their chocolates). But we did like the white chocolate macadamia ginger bar, which surprised us since we don't like white chocolate or ginger. Hidden in a very obscure, tiny residential strip mall outside downtown Napa. Look for Browns Valley Market which fronts the mall, and BVM also carries Bouchon baguettes (but skip BVM's deli offerings, Dean & Deluca are better). And yeah, I'd make time to visit the Castello di Amoroso, Sattui's own personal folly. I'm a sucker for brick buildings, and a series of wine cellars with double-vaulted brick arched ceilings? There are only 7 brickmasons in the world who know how to do that kind of artisan work any longer, and Sattui had three of them working on it. Their wines aren't top tier, but they offer a cabernet and chocolate tasting that is a lot of fun. Loved the tour and recommended it to my role-playing Renaissance Fair friends! It's hard to get bad food in the Valley but it's possible. I'm not a lover of over-the-top, "throw in the kitchen sink" cooking that many young chefs do. And we avoid Napa in summer, when service is more amateur (the summer temps are hired in May) and everybody is crushed under busloads of visitors. Good for more casual meals: - Angele, Napa - Bistro Jeanty, Yountville - Lucy @Bardessono Resort, Yountville - Market Restaurant , Yountville - Redd, Yountville Avoid: - Bottega, Yountville (gone downhill) - Bouchon Restaurant, Yountville (go to sibling Ad Hoc instead, casual American food) - Brix, Napa (new chef just started) - Don Giovanni, Napa (tired oldie) - The Grill @Meadowood - Note this is NOT the upscale FL competitor, Meadowood Restaurant, which is sited upstairs above the Grill. Too expensive for a casual place. - La Toque, Napa. Erratic. - Mustards, Napa. Sloppy oversized plates - Oenotri, Napa. Same as Mustards but Italian - Siena, Napa. Corporate blandness Anyway, no matter what your friend does, I'm sure she'll have a great time. Just don't schedule too much in one day -- common first-timer error. Distances are long, traffic is messy in summer, heat is tiring. And remember, bring a jacket for cool evenings! 64 degrees may sound great but when at 3p it was 103, it'll feel surprisingly cold. Here is a link that might be useful: Sattui's Castello in Napa Valley This post was edited by jkom51 on Tue, Jun 10, 14 at 11:29

I think you have done a beautiful job. You are obviously not a lost design soul! For 2k, I wouldn't try to do a lot of little things, or the quality of each will suffer. It is also an issue of focus. I think you had it right with the counters. If you like granite, that's great, as others have said, maybe a marble remnant for the island. But even a plain laminate would be an improvement. It's become too much now that you have the textures of the tin backsplash and the curtains, which are nicer. I would also consider lighting. Not just "more" but considering the overall lighting scheme and the quality of light. Having all the light way overhead means you make big, harsh cones of light. So when you lean your head over, you cast a shadow, like an eclipse. Then people say "This kitchen is so dark, I can't see anything!" and keep upping the wattage, til they come on here asking where to find 200 watt bulbs, when it's really because they're blocking the light with their own heads! Too much overhead light also really unflattering -- it casts shadows in peoples eye sockets and makes tiny shadows out of every wrinkle. I'm serious! So having light at different levels is the way to go. You might try this right now by plugging in a lamp (somewhere away from the stove or sink) and see if that improves things. Then I would suggest a pendant in the place of the can you have over the island, to bring the light down to a more human level. But what you've done already is really beautiful.