We will have one of each - ie one with a drawer and one without. The one without will actually have 2 sets of cabinet doors - one 18" high with a 42" high set on top of it. And it will be 18" deep on top. The 18" high set of doors will actually open up and in to high a microwave. in essence it will be similiar to an appliance garage - but with the look of a regular cabinet door (really don't like the regular appliance garage type rolling doors). In terms of cost - yes, these can get costly. We have two - both 8' high. One is 36" wide, the other 33" wide. Both have the strip of granite in (we prefer that look) rather than being one tall cabinet. They will be in a painted, distressed finish. Off the top of my head, I think they were about $9K for both

Properly designed frameless cabinets should have no problems with out a pole. I have a super susan in a frameless cabinet. It posed no problems for the cabinet makers or granite installer. It is wonderful storage space, especially since I picked up the idea here on GW of storing things to the sides and even under the susans. Make them take out that pole and supply shelves with susans attached. I suppose the cabinet makers might be skimping on the sides and back, but you should get what you ordered. Storage is so much better with a super susan. Sandra Sandra

thx marti... maybe I should just leave it like that - lol! it'll probably look much like that most of the time. the cab finish is that stuff like pickled something. It photos pinkish but is a greyish blue IRL. I don't think it's even real wood. I plan to use a door from the cabs in my bdrm (that will be moved to the craft/store room anyway) to try to refinish and see what I can change it to. The innards of most of the cabs are in really good shape tho. I'm thinking that even if it doesn't refinish in a good way that it'll be easier to paint the edges and buy new doors/drawer fronts. The sink cab is a mess underneath tho. that one needs pulled out. Can't even image doing that kind of a thing til next yr. After I've had time (months) to re-coop from moving. At the rate I'm going I won't even be moved for about 6 months or so. that silly dog! she's crazy. wish I could post a video clip. I got a few clips with her chasing her own tail! If she hears a weird noise (like a hammer pounding, fireworks, a motorcycle) she'll stop whatever she is doing (even running) and immediately start chasing her tail. Where does this come from? it's hysterical tho. She reminds me of a mixture of my boydog and my girldog. She's a little stinker -but often very sweet and usually very silly! sure is entertaining - lol! Now if she'd just learn to bark at someone. About 2 wks ago my tire guy came by to fix a tire on my car. He pulled in with his big truck, fixed the tire (all within about 10 ft of her) and she didn't make a peep. He later told me she just watched him. He remembers my boy - he said 'oh, I remember him. You'd pull in and stay in your truck til you came out'. He scared people - lol! I keep hoping this stinker will realize she is to protect our land - and me, not just be cute!

Unless you are going with custom cabinets or a custom sized fridge, don't drop the bottom alignment more than 1" or you WILL have problems aligning the rerigerator cabinet with the other cabinet tops and having room for the refrigerator. Standard large sized fridges are 36 x 70, and with a top alignment height for 30" cabinets at 83" (add 6" for 36" or 12" for 42" cabs) then you've lowered the fridge space to 71" rather than 72". There are some "regular" sized fridges out there that are already taller than 70", and the trend is for them to get taller. That's going to be a problem with lowered standard sized cabinets. If you are short enough that the standard height of upper cabinets is difficult to reach, then more planning for staggared height cabinets across the bottom is recommended. Have some sections lowered 3", and others raised 3" (for a small appliance section clearance maybe?). You can also use some open shelving underneath enclosed uppers to vary height of accessible items. But, the bottom line is that cabinets have standard sizes and clearances to all work together as a system, and creating a nonstandard aligment affects more than just being able to fit a coffee maker under the cabinets. This requires VERY careful planning, not just for the "now" kitchen but also for the kitchen owner 6 years from now that may need to replace an appliance or be 6' tall. That is why standards were developed. They work for a wide variety of the population with minimal discomfort to those at both ends of the spectrum.