I got an Ektorp chair for free from someone who was getting rid of it. It is surprisingly comfortable. However their pug sat on the back cushion for several years and this created an unfixable dent. (My cats adopted this dent as their own.) Ikea does not sell replacement cushions. Despite this the chair is still comfortable and in good condition. If I really wanted to I could get new cushions made at a foam shop, because you can remove the slipcovers. In my view this is also handy for keeping the chair clean. Remove the slipcover from the dryer when still slightly damp and put it on immediately, this makes it easier and less wrinkled. I have no experience with the other sofa. However I have had several cheap pieces made of bi-cast leather (a chair from Fred Meyer, dining benches from World Market) and was severely disappointed in how fast the foam inside broke down with use. I mean, crazy fast! And on my furniture, there is no way to replace that foam. So the pieces became uncomfortable junk quickly. So check out the construction and consider that when making your decision. Believe it or not, the Ektorp may win in terms of durability. You might try googling for reviews of each sofa. I am confident you will find many bloggers who have reviewed the Ektorp - it is a very popular Ikea classic. If you are lucky you will find some reviews of the Cindy Crawford too. A few other thoughts: How does it work to have 4 people on a sofa that has two reclining sections? That seems a little tricky. My ex had an old reclining sofa that I absolutely hated - it had sharp things poking out with age and the metal frame was easily felt through the padding. It prevented us from snuggling because the frame was in the way. And it was ugly. And, it was kinda broken in the reclining department. I must say visually I prefer the Ektorp. And theres less stuff to break on it. Hope that helps....

Babs, I think you're a better candidate for a Speed Queen top loader than you realize. I wouldn't try to talk you into it. I'm not into product evangelizing, but since you asked for recommendations... The SQ doesn't have a heater, but you can select HOT wash temperature on any cycle. SQ hot is tap hot, meaning no Automatic Temperature Control. It opens up the hot valve and fills directly from your hot water heater supply. You can make it as hot as you want to run your water heater with safety and energy cost limitations, of course. If you plan to run a heater in a HE machine much of the time anyway, you're already foregoing the much of energy savings. SQ washers have a 3.3 cf tub, which seems small compared to some of the gargantuan washers on the market. In practice, the thinner flex vane agitator takes up less room and a decent size load fits (and washes) fine. A king comforter will not fit, however. The REGULAR/HEAVY/HOT cycle is probably the longest on the SQ because of the extended wash period and the slower hot water only fill. I haven't measured the time of that cycle, but I'm convinced you can easily run two of those loads in the time it takes a FL to complete one. Maybe even three when compared to a FL sanitary cycle. Washers with 5.5 cf tubs sure seem like a win for a large family, but consider the weight of 5 cf of wet jeans and the centrifugal force of spinning them at over 1000 rpm. No washer should ever explode, but the damage is not surprising when a defective or poorly designed one lets go. Using a modest tub size and running a few more loads on the busy days will go a long ways toward extending the life of motors, bearings, belts, and everything else that moves in a washer. My kids were also active with sports and other outdoor activities. They've moved on to college and beyond, but I still like bright whites and clean clothes. I've found a combination of plenty of water (hot/warm/cold as appropriate), proper pre-treating, good detergent (properly measured!), bleach or Borax when appropriate and avoiding overloading the machine has produced consistently clean laundry. SQ washers are at the opposite end of many scales compared to the high tech HE washers on the market. They have switches and electromechanical timers instead of a computer board. I have the AWN542 model with the fabric selector switch (DELICATE/KNIT/PERM PRESS/REGULAR) that overrides the agitation/spin speeds of the cycle timer. There is a separate switch for selecting HOT/WARM/COLD water temperature. Used together, you can select any water temperature, any agitation speed, any spin speed (actually, either spin speed as there are only two), and any cycle length for a wash load. Don't bother with plugging it into a surge suppressor. If you live in an area where water is in short supply, it's hard to make an argument against HE machines. Water is readily available where I live and isn't especially expensive. That doesn't mean we should waste it and we don't. The EPA energy guideline sticker on my washer indicated it costs about $43/year to operate the SQ deep fill top loader, $26/year if you have a gas water heater. I have gas. They are hardly energy hogs. The SQ washer has a 3-year "bumper to bumper" warranty. It also has 5 years on the motor and 10 years on the transmission. It's built in the US for lots of cycles and I've never had a musty smell from it.

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate your feedback. I have decided on Soho - that's what my gut said, and most of you guys, too. I am posting my first mood board so you guys can let me know what you think. I have already ordered cabinets and lights. The granite will be chosen later, but I want it to be light with lots of movement with greys/taupe and some black. I love the delicatus that I have seen in showrooms, but I have had no luck finding it at the suppliers in this area. I have no idea what finish I should use on my cabinet hardware. I think I am going to use a handle or bar on both the top cabs and drawers. What do you guys think? I am using antique pewter hardware on the interior doors of the house, but there are not many doors in view of the kitchen area, so it doesn't have to match. The background color of the board is BM Revere Pewter... That is our paint color of tthe space. I would love any feedback you guys have!

My bathroom layout is the same as yours (for our family bathroom) and I hung the ring above the switches. It really is the most logical place. And many people will be offended by having a supposedly clean item hung next to a toilet (did you ever read the toilet thread? heh heh) Honestly, ours works well. Drips stay on the counter and don't end up on the toilet edge (and when you have wet things on the toilet edge people's minds always wonder what that liquid is). Pretty bathroom :)