Thanks - It's funny on the peg board. These ARE new, soft-close cabinets but part of my rationale to the pegs is "a place for everything and everything a place." My daughters have emptying the dishwasher as one of their chores (when we get one back after the remodel - now it's all by hand and they HATE that!) - if we don't use pegs, I'm afraid that a nicely organized system will disintegrate into a randomly piled mess, especially since one is envisioned for Tupperware. The girls have to take a trash-free lunch every day so there is LOTS of use for the little tupperware containers and lids. We will have banks of 27" drawers (under the microwave), 36" drawers under the (oven), 33" drawers (under the island), 24" drawers and then two sets of 21" drawers. I was thinking TWO peg sets - one for the 33" (pyrex, bowls, etc.; would have to cut the 36") and one for the 27" (Tupperware, would have to cut the 30") All the rest would be completely open. Does anyone think this makes sense? On the second issue, I hear you on the knife block. I'm still going to order it in the 18 and will have hubby fit a piece beside it if it slides around. We have a rather rag tag-looking set of knives and an inexpensive knife block now so no need to have that sitting on my pretty granite countertops. Any other tips before we order (tomorrow!) :-) Thanks!

Shades, I sincerely hope I am up to it. I'll be in the way of every subcontractor on the job. I picked up enough of the American Olean 2x4" subway tile squares yesterday for the backsplash at Lowes. I already have the tiles for the exterior wall behind the shower outdoors. I used those tiles in larger format for the master closet floor, and in the mosaic 2x2 sq ft format on mesh for the master bathroom. I like them. They are Italian porcelain not glazed, just total same color all the way through the tile. The hardness on those are rated 5, the very hardest, for public spaces indoors and outdoors, and they don't crack with the cold. Not that I have to worry about that here, I'd be more critical of that rating if I lived in Alaska or some place really cold. I think the most critical parts of the whole remodel will be the roof, the quality of the floor installation, the upgraded electrical system, the quality of the cabinets as well as their installation, and the quality of the windows. Suitability I guess. And I know what I want the windows to do--echo the style and design of the sturdy Lexan window walls of the sun porch. The windows will be something I am super careful about. They must have that open sunny feeling. In my head I have a vision of keeping my cottage style, with a cross between industrial and homey casual. All cleared away, everything with a place to go but relaxed, not all of it visible at one time. That's why I have a galley kitchen with a "L" shape to it. The original kitchen is the galley, left and right. Then the new end with be sort of right angles to it, and thus kept hidden. Sort of fool the eye. The original kitchen footprint is 8deep x 12 wide, with 6' opening when the dining room wall is mostly removed. It T's up to the new portion of the kitchen which is 9deep x 16-17 wide behind that. Part of the long view down the outside wall will be broken, so you don't get the full picture of the washer/dryer (stacked) and the cabs either side of the counter depth fridge. Likewise, you don't see my baking side, and the toaster oven and pegboard where I'll hang stuff a la Julia Child's kitchen. Sigh, I do so adore Julia's kitchen! That hidden part which faces the back deck, sort of has its free end (like a finger) pointed at the fridge, My "work triangle" is according to my own way of preparing and cooking meals. Still a triangle, but it has a twist to it. Eight feet between sink and range, directly across from one another. I guess it is about 8 to the fridge from the range, and then about 6 to the sink from the fridge. The end of the baking peninsula can serve as a countertop to set stuff going into and out of the fridge, which is about 4 feet across to that appliance from the peninsula. Works for me. The cabinet man, James, will be building the window seat as a low cab, heavy duty vertical file drawers two of them beneath. I'll have the right thickness of a cushion/mattress/whatever to complete the dining height bench seating. Just deep enough for sleeping so-so comfortable but not TOO TOO comfy. I haven't ordered the barn door hardware to mount the old heavy cypress louvered door to the master sitting area yet, but it won't be long. I had an estimate 2 years ago, when my plans were just beginning, and as soon as the new/current price is known, I'll order them to be shipped. The real issue right now, is the two exterior back doors I want will take 3-4 weeks for delivery. I want fiberglas, full double pane LoeE high impact with blinds in the middle. I have that now for the front door, and enjoy the amount of light coming into the house. The all-window wall across the back needs to have the two exterior doors onto the deck look the same, so I won't be reusing the old back door. Presently, I am cancelling the part of the remodel which will give me a front entry. It is a matter of slicing off that to stay within budget, or omitting some parts of the job that will give us a really nice kitchen that satisfies my desire to break out of this BOX. If I had gone with IKEA cabs as I originally planned, I could have the new front entry. However, my DH wants good cabs and to keep him happy, that is the option. Oh well, I am big enough to handle great cabs by a good cabinetmaker! The base cabs will be on legs, shaker style doors/drawer fronts. Painted white. Did you ever have any doubt that I'd want a WHITE KITCHEN? With YELLOW OCHRE LIGHT walls? Wish I had the old sign used to be along Highway 90 in Louisiana for THE WHITE KITCHEN.....near Slidell, and where my brother lived until he died in 2013. And beside Honey Island Swamp, where he and I ran swamp tours for a couple of years after I quit working in the oil field offshore. Personal and very nostalgic for me. Perhaps I should paint such a picture myself and hang it near the kitchen. Hmmmm. Why not. More to come. Stay tuned. :^)

Butt doors for every single cabinet under 36" should be a "standard", even though in reality it's an "upgrade". Check any of your other double cabinet doors and do away with any stiles if possible. They are a huge PIA. But, also know that there will be a tiny gap in between butt doors to allow them to open without rubbing the other. That can be an issue on uppers with glass that you light, or if you're OCD about such things. In that case, adding a dust strip (T astragal) to one of the doors will cover that gap from the rear. But it will mean that you always will have to close that door first in sequence. There are positives and negatives for every type of cabinet and door choice that you make. You just have to figure out which negative is the least negative for you.

"But while reading, I noted some people imply 2cm stone needs support from the subtop plywood. I wonder about that. I don't know enough about stone to know if it needs the support nor enough about plywood to know if it's effective in providing a meaningful amount." With the exception of fragile stones, full plywood underlayment is filler under 2cm stone and is unnecessary for support when the stone is properly installed on leveled cabinets. It is a waste of material as strip underlayment would work better in reducing the amount of dissimilar material contact. Try getting stone to lie flat on cheap CDX. See Chapter 3. Check appliance specifications when using 2cm without a built-up edge. Sometimes the feet on a slide-in range won't go low enough to eliminate an unacceptably large gap between the stone top and the bottom of the cooktop flange. Mitering stone edges is relatively expensive and should only be utilized on stones with lots of movement. A built-up edge on the right stone is more inconspicuous.