I would not use any sort of open shelving for the models, which no doubt took many hours to build. I would go "cheap" (relatively speaking!) with Ikea's Billy bookcase and attach the optional glass-front doors. A few months with the models on open shelving and they'll be covered with dust. You don't want to have to keep feather-dusting them. And you want to protect them so your son can have them for years to come. You could go buy clear acrylic cases from a place like Michaels, but they are pretty costly. You have plenty of space for a bookcase or two on the wall where there is now the floor lamp and armchair. Simply pull the armchair (or whatever replacement chair) out a few feet in front of it. If more than 2 boys are going to be hanging out in the room (sons plus friends), I wouldn't even get a recliner. I'd get another sofa for more seating. And some beanbag chairs. To jazz up the place, I might even suggest hanging a WWII plane kite in the room!

But lirio, you didn't answer number 9 ... nobody likes me? ; ) *wink* We're a family of just two as well. AND we eat out or to go orders almost every meal (except cereal). Talk about a fish out of water planning a kitchen !! But thanks for the kudos. Maybe I did learn a little something in all these years. By popular request, here is what we have for the plan for the rest of that floor so far. Nothing special, a couple bedrooms, 2 baths, 1/2 bath, and an elevator (a "must have" as it's 25 steps just from ground level up to the first floor!!) . . . Next floor up has 4 bedrooms, small office, 4 baths, a 1/2 bath, laundry, and a 2nd small living area (basically a sofa facing tv - a great area we will have set up for kids to hang out and play XBox). The office and the 2nd living area have Murphy beds so they can do double duty at night. Top floor is lookout/3rd living area, and 12x18 deck opening to roof (8x18 covered porch with table/chairs and 4x18 open deck). Please note, per local Bldg Code, the footprint of this home cannot be changed or increased even one inch. LWO, I also thought the island looked kinda spindly and top heavy. That was one of the things that I was feeling a bit concerned with. The wings on the working sides remind me of the Flying Nun. It might be hard to make a beverage bar work at the end of the dining table as we have 5'4" between table edge and stairs on left side at the half bath and as you can see above, that will be a thoroughfare. Plus, this area needs to be clear for times when the tables have to be split, also wide enough for a wheelchair to pass (house is not 100% ADA, but it is wheelchair friendly). As far as cooking goes, when it is just us the answer is "no!", there are way too many great restaurants to explore there. Other families do to varying degrees, there are even some families that eat pretty much every meal at the house. Yes, there will also be a great grilling/tiki bar/picnic area on the ground floor (code is no grills on decks). I really appreciae hearing from those of you who do rent places at the beach and how they work (or don't work) for your family. Control, where do you guys vacation ? Most of the time when people say Outer Banks, they are referring to somewhere between Kitty Hawk/Nags Head/Hatteras area. You should give the southern beaches a try ! Our water temp is 10 degrees warmer than Hatteras, wide easy sloping beach with gentle waves and no drop offs, public beach access every 500ft, very family oriented beach (almost all houses, a few 2 story condos, and only one high rise all the way at the end), easy ~20 minutes to North Myrtle tourist mecca if you want a day trip, but lots to do nearby if you want to stay local. In our other house, we have 14 at dining table, 4 at bar, and 6 at patio table right outside the door next to the dining table. So 24 all right together (plus 2 picnic tables under the house). This house will have enough dining if you count the additional dining on the other levels, but definitely a shortage on this level ! Ideas to gain aisle space between stove & island: shorten depth of island cabinet to 22" instead of 24" (wasted space behind back side of drawers anyway), shorten overhang to 13" instead of 15", overhang on front edge of cabinets 1.5" instead of 2" = 47" aisle counter to counter Ideas to gain aisle space in 2 aisles from sink to fridges: can elevator shaft be narrowed any?, fold-down or pullout overhangs. One of those slap forehead, duh why didn't I think of that moments. (note to email plllog, anyone else have fold-downs in their kitchen?) = 46" aisle on each end NKBA suggests 48" aisles for multiple cooks. Can we get away with any less ? Group of moms: I am imagining people lined around the wall - 1 on left of big sink, 1 on right sharing water, 1 at stove, 1 at prep, possibly even 1 to right of prep = 5 workers and nobody has to work butt-to-butt. How much is minimum space we could get away with and still feel comfortable "enough" with a person working at a counter and allowing enough room for another to walk past behind them ? I found on BH&G ... "A 42-inch-wide aisle between opposite countertops is fine, but 48 inches is best where appliances compete, two people work back-to-back, or stools pull out. More than 48 inches is overkill." Noted 3 votes for moving prep sink to island. Where is best place for prep sink and pros/cons ? My original thinking was right of range to avoid butt-to-butt at range and prep in island, but I am open for changes ! Thoughts ? Bigger window at cleanup sink = Yes ! How about 44" wide and coming all the way down to the countertop, with granite going into the window sill ? The house is oceanfront, which is why almost the entire living and dining wall is all windows. I agree the window at the prep sink looks a little out of place. I am open to removing that. I had put it in because this is the view out the prep window . . . Appliances: I am pretty sure that range has 5 burners. I really do think 2 fridges are needed. It can be 90-100 degrees in high summer, which means it takes a lot of space for sodas, milk, juice, water, beer for 20+ people. We usually use one fridge for food stuff and the other whole fridge for beverages. Complete with magnet labels that say "Food" and "Drinks", so you don't have to open both to find what you are looking for. By my measurements, DW open does go into the person at the range's space, but very little, like 1 inch (so range person has 24x29 personal space instead of 24x30). Not sure if the ice maker is crucial ??? What do you guys think ? I wonder if the 2 freezer ice makers can keep up ? Also, would there be enough room if part of the freezer space has to be for store bought ice ? Small Appliances/Pantry: Pantry is planned to be the space for all of the small appliances on the 14" deep shelves to side, a little locked area for us to use as pantry & liquor when we have to leave for a week for an incoming guest (not carry everything all back home, only to carry it back the next weekend), recycling bin, and for pantry space for guests. I have seen groups of guests in the grocery store walking out with 4 gallons of milk, 6 loaves of bread, and etc, so "enough" pantry is important. It doesn't have to be this layout. My concerns/questions: - the look of the island (too small, tall & spindly, top heavy) - DW's/sink/trash layout - sink, then DW, then trash? or sink, then trash, then DW? but need space on right side of DW to unload into uppers - ice maker - yes/no ? - where to locate prep sink - where to throw trash at prep sink - window at prep sink ? - which way to hinge pantry door - aisles width - dining shortage ACK !! I tried to keep this short & concise. Ha. My husband says I talk too much. (and my friends laugh because they all tell me in private they think he talks more than ME!)

I would hang the largest one 5" above the fireplace mantel. The 2 little tropical villages on the right would tuck into a spot in the kitchen. Frame and mat the two larger horizontal street scenes to match and stack them vertically left of the FP where you have the tree. The gap between them should be a hand's width and should be centered 5' above the floor. The green matted portrait could be interesting in the powder room or guest bath. The pastel one behind it needs a frame. It might look good in a special small spot by itself. The remaining 4 should be framed to match and grouped over a table on your large wall. Hang them one frame's width apart with the bottom frames 5" above the table (which should be 25% wider than the group of pictures. That's my opinion; I'm sure there'll be more options offered.

Since it is for kids to play in, I would choose something a bit brighter, but, not so bright, that it cant double as a guest room too. I see a peacock painting against the wall, pick your colors from that painting, and a darker area rug, would be nice also, and wont show dirt or stains as much as a light one, when you have kids playing on it. Sherwin Williams Blue Iris, may be an option for you. It will go with the lighter aqua in your couch, and the peacock picture will look amazing with it.