We chose really large tiles; 24" x 24" on the floor and 12" x 24" on the walls with a 6 x 24 "border" throughout - and it looks great! Before we did our bathroom I had only seen this kind of tile in magazine pictures or in a large showroom. So yes, I was a bit scared if we made the right choice for our much smaller bathroom. But even my very old fashioned stepfather who tried to discourage me before he laid the tiles for us was amazed by the effect and loved it. That is a really big tile so I wouldn't recommend to lay it on the diagonal or you'll have a huge amount of waste. This is a picture of the wall tile.

Hi folks! I am one of the "oldies" too :) Have had some great folks here that I traded with :) I have not had to change my name each time Garden web went through management changes thankfully. You are right- trading has plummeted drastically. I used to trade regularly, most often with familiar names, and helped quite a many newbies as well by sending plants for postage. I did get burnt quite often, and kinda got tired of having to do a lot o homework before I traded...and of course postage rates certainly are a killer. Many folks here ask for plants for postage, but don't want to pay for Priority flat rate . I my opinion, it is not worth my time and effort to dig up, packages and take packages to the PO to mail them if they are not going priority (most will suffer due to heat and small packaging) ! A small flat rate box will hardly hold anything, unless it is a few rhizomes or bulbs and it costs ~$7. I can see why people are hardly interested anymore. As for myself, I am open to large trades, will happily pay for shipping or swap a plant in exchange. I am into tropical fragrants. I have a large batch of Canna intrigue and Orange daylily (no id) that I will have to divide , so if any one is interested for a big box full of these...let me know what you have to offer. Happy gardening!

yes all one shade helps cut the "noise" that is a risk with lots of breaks between floor/cabs/backsplash/appliance finishes. However all medium tones or all dark tones achieve the effect too. It's the sameness that you want. If you do not want white, find what cabinet you love first. Java oak shaker with darker stained oak floor and a granite stone counter, and maybe granite tile panels for backsplash can give you the goal. that is a small space.

Main floor bedrooms is a really geographical thing. In some areas not having one really hurts resale value, so consult with a local real estate agent. The ageing parents is something to consider. Removing a bedroom will also hurt resale value, but if you can put one upstairs then it's fine. Like Jennifer said, most people don't use formal dining rooms anymore, and it looks like you have an eat-in space plus island seating. I'm going to guess that the wall separating the living room and kitchen is loading bearing, so there will be extra costs in opening that up so be sure to factor that into the decision. I'd say this is a personal/lifestyle choice. Just do some research before deciding.