Ashley, I am like ChreyIM, just email noticed me that Tamela updated her list or something. So, I came to see her trade list. Hi, Tamela_Star! Can you clarify this if you updated and are open to trade? I am a newbie, joined Houzz last December. I still couldn't find the pages I looked at and took me days and days to go back UNTIL I book-marked the pages. Most time, I just got lucky to find the pages for I didn't find them b.c I knew how. Yes, I agree with you that it is not easy to get used to this website. I call it Houzz, Maze! I don't know how it was back when you were active. I DO hope you come back.

ok,,so lets start w/the kitchen. well, paint colors actually. it's ok to do different colors in other rooms,,,if you can see both rooms, slightly, then either do the same or do similar coordinating tones. The rest of the advice is if you plan on keeping what's there. If you're going to rip it out and get a new kitchen in a year, then live w/it if you can. If this is all you can do for many years, then see if the changes, below, are something you can do. if you plan on keeping all of that wood trim (if it was me, I'd prob paint every thing except the beams on the ceiling, and maybe the trim going up the staircase. In the kitchen you have so many dark and heavy elements, I feel you need to lighten it up. I can live w/the black tile, for now, but that brick? hell no. that has to get painted. You can paint the brick on the island, or, I'd cover it up w/panels/trim and paint it a soft charcoal to match the floor (or whatever color you like) Grab some thin wood or mdf panels from HD or lowes and cut to fit the 3 sides. Use construction adhesive to adhere to bricks (or get some masonry screws and screw them in) then get some 1x2 primed trim pieces and secure all around the borders..like so if you want a bit fancy, do the stiles along the back (above,,the vertical pieces) otherwise, just do it like pictured below. see how nice and clean looking it is? More ideas, search "trimming out kitchen island". you could try doing it in this color or if you feel like you want to have a painting party, do all of the cabinets in one, two or all four as they've outlined. This combo would look great w/your flooring. you kitchen ceiling needs to be skim coated and smooth out. or, have it retextured, primed and painted in a flat bright white. if you will be getting some retro fit recessed lights (Costco LED's,,,great price) then wait until the holes are done for those. Minimum of six 6" cans (8 would be better) , and two spots for pendants over the island. BTW, replacing the top on the island is a piece of cake. either check a granite fabricator yard for a remnant piece (you have a slender top so it should be easy to find) or look on craigslist for a remnant or even an entire island, or get an inexpensive butcher block and cut it yourself to fit. Whatever you get, leave an extra couple inches off the back end for an overhang. you could do a few more inches. The brick around your oven? paint it. white, black, gray, pick one. use a satin paint for that. clean and scrub that brick very well before you PRIME it (if using a dark paint, prime it with a gray primer. white for white,,,but don't skip the priming part) as for baseboards, if they're all small and short, pull them and replace w/these. Any questions? and yes, if you have the budget, call in a designer to help you out with what needs to be done, what should be done, etc.

1.) Are there conditions of light, soil, water etc, that will cause Philo to grow only small leaves and thin runners? Yes - root congestion causes smaller leaves, thin stems, and shorter internodes (leaves closer together), but it also saps growth potential and diminishes o/a vitality. Bright sun causes small leaves but causes stem structures to thicken faster. Fertilizing with a synthetic fertilizer which is low in N and doesn't derive it's N from urea tends to keep leaves smaller than fertilizers which derive their nitrogen from urea. For what you're asking, Dyna-Gro 7-7-7 would be the best choice. 2.) Are there perhaps varieties of Philo that only grow this way? Doubtful, but perhaps. I don't know of any. 3.) What other plants might I try, having many small leaves, thin, flexible hanging trailing growth, that can remain soaked (NO drain holes in the pots!), that are easy to care for and tolerant of north light? Hedera (ivy) will adapt to forms of water culture, but they are often fraught with problems related to spider mites. Ficus pumila is a 'maybe', but make sure you buy the species plant and not one of the other cultivars. Do a search for 'indoor vines' or 'vines that can be grown indoors', go to images, and see what you find. Almost all will adapt to forms or water culture. No matter what you decide on, you'll need to change the water regularly, fertilize regularly, and prune the roots as needed. Al

As @Lyndee Lee pointed out, these mirrors produce 300 lumens, which is the equivalent of only a 40 watt bulb. These are meant for accent lighting, not task lighting. For both baths, I recommend additional sconce lighting. Also, a Solatube is great for the daytime, but at night, the shower will be dark. I recommend additional recessed lighting in the shower. In general, for very good vanity lighting, I prefer sconces flanking a mirror instead of lighting placed above. I aim for over 2000 lumens total per mirror (dimmable) and a color temp of at least 3000k (the mirrors are 2700k).