We have friends who wanted some of the old cabinets. They came by last week to pick them up. They wanted them for their basement. The rest will be donated to Habitat for Humanity Restore. Removal of the cabinets was pretty easy. We had everything out within a week. We did get to know our electrical panel pretty well over the week as we removed the oven, cooktop, dishwasher and disposal. I am planning on 8-10 weeks without my kitchen. After the cabinets go in the granite countertops will need to be measured, slab picked out and installed. After that the backsplash tile will be installed. Once that is done I should be able to start cooking again!!

Ravmd, your layout is very similar to mine (love my kitchen!), including windows wrapping around the corner. I plumbed my island for a sink, but in order to beat deadlines in getting our certificate of occupancy, I told the guys we'd put the sink in later. We never have. It's sitting on a shelf in the basement waiting for me to feel a need for it. My lovely deep 30" wide sink right where yours is serves well. In your position, I'd probably do just what I accidentally did here--keep my options open by plumbing for a prep sink toward one end or another (cheap and easy), but wait to see if I actually wanted a sink there at this time. My island's hard working, I don't maintain it for looks, but I do love the elegantly uncluttered expanse it presents when not covered with a a meal in progress. Also, my one kitchen splurge, aside from all the windows, was to have our carpenter build a custom hood over the stove. It is the focal view on looking into the kitchen (even before eyes move on to check out the view outside). All a way of saying that for me that key position was far too important for a microwave, which is not the most handsome item in any kitchen and we just use for heating and defrosting anyway. My hood insert, a bottom-market special order from Lowe's for

It keeps asking me to sigh in...I don't have a Yahoo Account (and don't want one). I think you will be better off posting the picture in the Message than a link. Besides, you usually get more responses if people don't have to go searching for your layout! If you don't know how to post a picture in your post, check the "Read Me" thread (linked below). Scroll down to the post with the subject "Posting Pictures". You're also probably not receiving emails of follow-up postings, even though you checked the box requesting them. This is b/c you don't have the email option turned on in your profile. See the "Read Me" thread for more information about this as well. See the post w/the subject "Getting Emails Sent To You...3-step Process". Here is a link that might be useful: Read Me If You're New To GW Kitchens!

We moved to Florida from NY. The house we bought was so dark inside because of large overhangs from the roof which blocks sunlight and a large lanai running across the back wall which has a roof, no sunlight. We liked the house, but I couldn't stand how dark it was inside. Before we moved in, I call a Tubular Skylight company to get an estimate on installing them in the house. Recommendation was a large one in the kitchen ceiling ($500.00), small one in a bathroom off the hallway($250.00), a medium size in the family room off the kitchen ($325.). I can't tell you how bright this area is now. What I liked is they just go through your attic, make the openings and can position the tube (in the attic) toward south so we get bright light from sunrise to sunset. Over the past 6 yrs when we could afford more, we added to the laundry room (no windows), another bathroom (small skylight), the dining room. My house is so bright when you walk in you think there are spotlights all over the place. It took me a while, initially when the first ones were put in to get used to the high level of light. Looked like a new house! Before putting them in, we had to have our overhead lights lit all day. That costs a lot of money. I feel these tube skylights have paid for themselves in 5 yrs. Plus the house looks like a bright, inviting home. Everyone who walks in comments on how bright our home is. I would look into installing at least one large one in the kitchen, maybe a medium in the hall. So much less expensive than 'real skylights' and keeping the lights lit all day. Jane