Just to reinforce the idea of making your home more user-friendly, the ''trend'' is called Universal Design. It's described in Wikipedia this way: ''Universal design refers to a broad-spectrum solution that produces buildings, products and environments that are usable and effective for everyone, not just people with disabilities.'' We did this in 2005-2007 in the kitchen and bathroom. Along with those UD principals like raising electrical outlets, light switches and lever handles, we added some distinct architectural elements to the rooms like picture rails with rope lighting, a coffered ceiling, transom windows, etc. Also very nice are things that add comfort like heated floors, extra lighting (whether you think you'll use it or not, because you will), and organizational infrastructure. One of things I like most in my bathroom is the no threshold, open curved shower. With no glass door to clean, my small bathroom is much more open, not to mention easier to use. The heated floor goes into the shower which dries it quickly so no mold issues makes a nicer space. Regarding stainless steel appliances, I agree they are fingerprint magnets. Ugh. Paneled appliances seemed ''ultimate'' to me, which I knew was the right way to go when I caught an old movie one night called ''Broadcast News''. Charles Grodin had a paneled fridge in his kitchen, which still seemed current for the 1980's. We added our space to the kitchen, and kept the bathroom and garage the same...very small by today's standards. What was ''green'' about it was making one large(r) bathroom more luxurious for the whole house (instead of adding another). As far as the garage goes, we just downsized a car, for More Space, and Better Gas Mileage!

On my last house, I had to decide if I wanted a frameless tub enclosure door or a shower curtain. I weighed the options.....we have hard water...and got the shower curtain. I can throw it away inbetween renters. A door would have protected the tile floors better than a shower curtain. And...there's a HUGE window above the tub, a door would have limited the light coming in the dappled glass. Curtains pull to the side... I also put a single canned light in ALL my showers . How much space between the top of the shower door and the showers framed in opening? We install shower heads @ 74" -84"....I usually look at windows and tile borders to decide on the height. Here.....labor can be 75% of a quote.....easily! Depends.....say on a tile job for instance. I got porcelain tile @ Lowes for .10cents a sq foot.....the labor to install it would be the same even if it was $20 a sq foot for the tile......unless I wanted every tile cut into 16 pieces and a picture of the Mona Lisa on the shower wall....then the labor might be 99% of my cost...:0) (DH jokes I cut my tile into too many pieces to get different looks....)

julieste So far things have held up great. I will absolutely use IKEA in my next kitchen. I forgot to mention in another rental unit we had planned an IKEA kitchen, but got caught in the switch to Sektion so we went with Diamond cabs. The IKEA boxes were far better quality. The Diamond cabs boxes used lower quality chipboard and were basically covered with Contact paper rather than high pressure laminate; the full extension/soft close hardware was a big upcharge. IKEA boxes are rock solid and the Blum hardware is amazing. I love the full extension drawers! We are planning on moving the kitchen in our new home in a couple of years and it will be another IKEA kitchen unless I win the lottery in the meantime. Even then.... maybe just custom fronts? :-) Good Luck!

Wow what a nice cheerful kitchen. The setting area off at the end is so cozy too. The green living room that I see in one picture is a nice contrast to the kitchen. Thanks for posting the Link to this reveal. Love seeing this and hearing from you!