Momtoblondie, I see that you have learned a lot from your first homebuilding experience. So many people see various features that LOOK beautiful and they get those put into their homes only to find out that they are impractical for real-life. I applaud you for realizing that you should put your dollars into features that you will actually enjoy and use and are not for show. People like you are educating me, so keep telling us what does and does not work. A big pet peeve of mind are overly complicated rooflines that (as you mentioned) suck up dollars that could be put into space or features inside the house. I also concur with you on the too-open floor plan, the fact that the family/living area suffers from noise in the kitchen in open plans, that a wide open entryway/foyer lets people at the door see too much of your entire house.

I'd make all the choices around how they will look with white appliances -- flooring and granite especially. The paint can be decided later. Can you take some pictures with the samples all together next to a white appliance so we can see them?

palimpsest, I didn't mean to offend you if I did. Everybody's experience is different. I come from a large family. My step mother has exactly that setup with the island, the size, the seating, the relationship to the range. Every time she entertains for any number - every single seat is filled and the person in the center behind the sink has to stay pulled back. There are people and dogs running up and down every aisle and clogging everything. And I'm talking about the adults! The bar flys wish the island was deeper. In her setup, the appetizers end up on the island while the rest is cooking and the bar flys would like to be able to reach all of them without moving. As kids grow, they get playmates and perhaps siblings. They all hang around the kitchen - get drinks and snacks, make their own sandwiches and become independent chefs. I regularly splash all over the my 15" tall backsplash. If I had that type of island - a permanent pond would develop back there complete with tadpoles... And I right now have a sleeve damp to the elbow and damp places across the tummy zone - prep for split pea and ham soup. This doesn't mean I think everyone splashes water everywhere (altho dh is actually worse than I). It's a simple statement for the op to hear or ignore. It's the same thing with prep time. If I entertain, nobody sees me do more than a last minute thing - like whipping cream. (might mean I'z control freak) But others in the same family do most things after the crowd arrives and usually with one or two others helping. The thing I like about this kitchen is that all that is possible. I never know if its possible to for anyone satisfy all the needs of whoever is posting until stuff is suggested and the poster accepts it.

Well, one sister died before I could visit her. She was not the one we thought would go first...but had many good phone calls with her. I was able to visit the other. Full family wants to get together in a month or two for a full memorial for the sister who died. Unfortunately, I'll be in the middle of my recovery time for my surgery, so I may not be able to make it out of state to be there. (3 planes to get from Fargo to that area of Florida.) My surgery is in one week, and I am busy trying to ready the house (and me) for recovery. So much to do -- just have to bite off one thing at a time. Hopefully I'll be able to return to work (at least part time) by March. A comfort in my sister's passing is that she was not in pain due to the brain cancer. Her body functions just began malfunctioning and that was it. The other sister with ovarian cancer is not having that easy of a time, therefore the visit with her was not pleasant -- she is very bitter and surly. I'm hoping it is only her meds talking. It is draining to be around her. I'm making a mental note to be kind to all my nurses and doctors - no matter how I feel. I'm just glad I'll be in good hands. I'll keep you all posted.