Taggie, the snack center by the MW is a clever idea. I think I need to keep our "real" dishes close to the table, but I'll keep the MW area in mind for disposables. That'd make grabbing a quick snack nice and simple. I've never kept my bread in a drawer. I can be a "out of sight out of mind" kind of person, so I wonder if I would remember to use it before it started grow fuzzy in there? It'd be nice to have it off the counter, though! Hmmmmmmm.... Thanks for posting the pictures Aliris. It's always nice to see KIA shots. I like your open area for being able to get the collanders and compost containers (and cutting boards, too, LOL) quickly and easily. 7 kiddos means we are constantly cycling things out of the house. We don't have a big place or a lot of storage, so we have to make hard decisions on what to keep and what to let go. I stopped at Sears last night and spent a good while reading through the manual to a Kenmore Micro-Convection combo unit that sells for about $300. (It was nice there was a rocker recliner across the aisle from the Micro display!) Frankly, I came away from it unimpressed. The chair was nice, but the combo deal took precious little time off the cook time, and it only had 1 (1!) bake rack, which was round. Bah. Did find a Nesco 18 qt electric roaster on clearance there. Whoo-hoo. : ) That'll take care of roasting a turkey and a bunch of other big jobs, relieving pressure on our big oven. Also, I found an Oster convection toaster oven (at Wal-Mart) that will toast 14 slices of bread at once (Cheers!) and it will fit 9 x 13 baking pans. It actually has 2 racks, too. More pressure off my ovens. Rhome, it's funny you mention putting drawers under the table top. I was discussing the dilemma with my Dad yesterday and he suggested the same thing. : ) I've also wondered about bucket style containers that could be hung from the pegs under the uppers, or even those wicker syle containers that picnic plasicware goes in. I don't want to toss out this plan for lack of traditional flatware storage. It certainly has been work getting this kitchen plan to develop. It was much harder than I ever imagined it would be. I appreciate the honest assessments of what works and what doesn't, even if those were hard to hear sometimes. Then I'd have to go and let it rattle around in my brain and try to format a plan with more of those qualifications in mind. Sometimes the criticisms ended up being the most constructive. : ) Question: Would it be a good idea to build a tall stack of 2' deep cabinets to the right of the top window? They would house the MW and Convection toaster (it's HUUGE, 21" across and about as deep), and then maybe tray storage above and some drawers below? This would shorten up the counter run by 2' and would help in substantially in cutting down the countertop cost. Good idea? Bad idea? Ambivalent? My reasoning follows: [Somewhat related, I had posted about doing a DIY solide surface, but when I did the math and factored in the glues, gun, router bits, sanding supplies, yadda, yadda, it's still way up there in price (about 3k for the whole kitchen.) and still is susceptible to scratching and staining.] If we keep the back counter to 6' or less, we can get a pre-made granite slab for around $200 for that spot. If we make it 8'long, then it would have to be custom from a fabricator shop, and the price jumps to $950. Thoughts?

You have a lovely home - I covet those porches! Love the green on the walls, too. Having the TV cabinet so far left does create a bit of a seating issue, and also a visual balance issue. First, the balance issue. I am thinking that perhaps down the road, since it sounds like you can still get things done by the woodworker that created the built-ins, I would think about running columns up the wall above the fireplace that match those below, and then crown across the top that matches the crown on the cabinets. This will give a more cohesive look to the built ins, imo, and make it feel like one unit. The wall space above the mantel would still be open to allow you to hang artwork. I would also see if they can run plugs into the mantel top so that you can add a lamp or lamps up there to bring light to that side of the room. I think I would look for a pair of upholstered or leather chairs to sit in front of the window. Putting chairs there won't feel like it is blocking so much of the windows. Move the couch to the right, and put an end table on the left end with a lamp. A fabric or leather ottoman in front of the couch will work as a table, footrest, and also as additional seating when needed. Over by the stairs, if you have to keep the recliner, I would think about leaving it where it is, and moving the floor lamp over there. Then put a console table or chest on the wall with a lamp, and another chair to the left of that, with an ottoman. A mirror above the console would be nice to bounce the light and view from the windows. If you don't have to keep the recliner, you could easily do another couch over there with end tables and lamps. I think the rocker kind of creates too much of a busy feeling with the fireplace, french door and the chair all in one spot. Perhaps that could be relocated to the sunroom, and easily pulled into the space when needed? Your rug size seems fine to me, at least from the perspective we have with the current furniture. It helps define one seating area with the fireplace and entertainment center. Then the seating by the stairs can be another area. Before you make any plans about the couch, you might talk to a re-upholstery person about whether it is worth doing that for your couch. Sometimes by the time you pay for fabric, new cushions, and labor, it is cheaper to get a new couch. You might keep that in mind as you pick out things for the room. For now, a slipcover from a place like Surefit might be a great solution as you entertain on the holiday. Something in a neutral would look very nice and show off the rug and great wall color well.

aprilneverends -- I sat on the fireplace step today...and the ONLY piece of furniture I want to keep in there is the couch! Yikes. I told my husband how I tugged at the wallpaper to see if it would come off easily, and he begged me not to do that again. Not for 2-3 years when we're ready to redo that room. I also suggested a big storage ottoman as a coffee table, and he said we have so much room between the couch and TV that we can just stick the coffee table between whatever large new ottoman and the TV. Egads! Makes it worse!! The thing that really bugs me about this room is that it's so... garage sale. So many pieces, no coherence. I'd like to ditch the two red leather chairs and replace with upholstered swivel chairs. Replace the big desk with something smaller, and get nicer desk chairs. The big desk could go into my son's room. We lament not being able to ever eat and watch a movie; our last house had an open layout. Maybe having a tall console table behind the sofa (if we move the sofa to face the fireplace) would work. Something like the Stickley Gathering Island. My husband has always been the one to drive our home decorating/rearranging. He's not ready to move forward with this room, yet I'm impatient. I took down the wallpaper in our bathroom and removed our staircase runner without consulting him first and he was pretty upset about both. I wish I could talk him into letting me take down the wallpaper and paneling!

Things change quickly with a baby. I wanted bright and colorful so all these subdued pastels have me ready for a nap. My nursery had nothing on the floor a toddler would want to climb on or pull over to be used to help climb. That shelving with the lamp on top--DANGER DANGER WILL ROGERS. What feeding accouterments? LOL I nursed all mine until they slept through the night. We had a dimmer switch on the overhead light--the only light in the room. At night feedings I could quietly in subdued light nurse and change baby with little or no noise or activity. Baby went right back to sleep.I had a soft sculpture (Noah's ark and several animals velcroed to the wall above baby's changing table. Language learning was important to me so baby and I did a lot of animal noises and descriptions of fur and size etc. They came on and off easily for baby as they grew and needed something to keep them busy. I too would have your chair kiddy corner. I hope it rocks. I second the no time/need for feet up but everyone is different. No cords, on drapes/shades/lamps. Safety first. Love the fun knobs idea for the dresser. I would find a shade and go with a valance. I know they aren't THE THING--but they are safest for baby. Before you blink drapes will be used to pull himself up. Drapery rods pull away fairly easily. Have fun, I so miss those years!!!