Okay, well that's a whole lotta function in the lamp. I know you probably researched this to death, so I say okay to the chrome. Maybe a few hits of chrome here and there across the room to balance... As for matching the color to the table lamp...I see there are infinite color choices. You could get the lamp and then get the RGB info and do the match that way. I have to confess, I don't actually know how to manage that computer/technical part of color. (Funcolors could probably help.) I don't know about cat hair, but I can tell you that microsuede holds up well to kids. It might be a reasonable compromise...the practicality of leather with the softness (and potential for a bazillion colors) of fabric. Or, there is Crypton, which is kinda pricey, but comes in some great contemporary prints. Or Sunbrella style fabrics for indoors. All this implies custom, of course. But, depending on what you're after (parson's chairs?) it could be done. WOAHHHH... I just scrolled back up to see what you said about chairs. What about your chairs? Would you consider keeping them? They are the most comfortable things on the planet! I love that the low backs don't take up much visual space in the room. You would have a world of fabrics to choose from if you recovered the existing chairs. So much fun! And then there is the chrome to balance the light fixture. Not to mention the money you could save spent on something else. And your friends and neighbors would think you're terribly clever to incorporate what you already own in such a stylish manner... ;-) I don't remember if you discussed chairs in another thread. Perhaps you don't like those chairs and can't wait to have something new. But, I see potential for them, depending on your tolerance and their condition. If you don't want them, I'll be right down...

You know I feel just the opposite. I have never seen so much creativity. When we were growing up, people just had furniture by necessity and homes were not really decorated, they were just well, functional. Now I see young people doing all kinds of things, painting, learning new ways of doing things with what they have, going yard sale and fixing up. I'm so amazed and proud of them for finding something that looks like it could go to the dust bin and they make it into some really great and useful item that is distinctly unique. I've seen them make an ugly place into an amazing abode that just says so much about them. Even people who had never had any training learned how to faux paint or stencil (not the ugly stuff or bunnies or ducks but sophisticated patterns) wallpaper like motifs that look really great. In my mom's day they never did stuff like that or even thought of it. The odd person here and there did but were often thought of as eccentric! I don't see too many cookie cutter PB houses around here, some will incorporate pieces here and there and I do love some of their accessories such as the pewter or faux silver pieces and some of the mirrors and bedding, pillows. There is no doubt that TV is what changed the world. You can view the same programs around the world and people are so easily influenced by it. But I don't feel there is a hard line about what furnishings are in or out. I think cookie cutter neighborhoods are the result of builders coming in and throwing up a bunch of homes all at once. It's cheaper for them and less risky to stick with something they have had success with, they don't really care, they just want to sell them. I do lament the feeling that no matter where you go you could be anywhere with the malls all being the same, this holds true around the world actually. It's surreal to be overseas and see the same things in their malls! The one class I wish they would bring back to high schools is Home Economics. I learned to sew, design and cook, grocery plan and shop and how to write a check and balance a check book, etc., in home ec. Those are the things that helped me the most once I was out of my parents home and living in my own apartment going to college. Of course the core curriculum of the math and sciences did too but the practical truth of home ec really saved me. My high school was pretty good looking back on it even though it was a small town and county school. We had languages, art, art history, literature, writing, phys ed, Latin, speech, drama and home economics ~a lot of these things have gone by the wayside to make way for the almighty computer classes which I will never understand because you could teach computer in an afternoon. I will never understand all this emphasis on computer literacy especially since it becomes outdated so quickly. To actually think of giving up cursive writing classes because they don't have time for it? How is that possible? I'm sure it is frustrating for teachers as well.

hi OB2B, so nice to meet you today? did you enjoy the tour? I had a chance to see a few of the houses this afternoon. It was a great day. steph2000, thanks so much! i think you are right re: the semi-flush. right now I am going to take a breather until the hood is ready. I pushed really hard to get this done for the tour today -- there were so many people here this week. will be nice to take a little break. deedles, I purchased the wolf 20" riser with shelf for behind the range. it isn't up yet. the guys were having trouble sliding the range out. the riser has to attach to the back of the range (i would have assumed it could just attach to the wall) and so the range has to slide out. The marble countertops are very tight to the range with really no gap at all so it was difficult for them and they were rushing so much to get so many things done that I suggested we address it later when they can slow down a little (I was a little afraid of them damaging the doors on my range ... they were pullling on them trying to slide it out and that was definitely not okay with me!).

Hi. The least expensive way and nicest looking would be to dry wall in the wall and hang the tv on the wall. If you have a lot of components, they could be housed in the current niche space and accessed from the stair wall side with a small door. In the future (or now if you have the funds), an even better idea would be to again, dry wall in the niche, buy a linear fireplace and then mount the tv on the wall above it.