If you see a backing on the rug (as opposed to seeing the weave and pattern on the underside) then it has adhesive. The back of the rug is coated with adhesive and the backing is glued to it. That is what you smell. The latex adhesive deteriorates over time (avoid sunlight, this makes it worse). I read one comment about using an iron for creases - if the rug has an adhesive this will melt the adhesive and cause staining and smells. The first 3 days are worst for new rigs with an adhesive, but VOCs can off-gas for years. Recently, PB has started using a manufacturer that uses "synthetic latex" adhesive to combat this deterioration, and latex allergies. They claim it doesn't break down but I don't have long-term experience to know how it performs. It theoretically should have low VOCs and minimize smell issues. I'm curious if anyone has experience with their rigs made of recycled water bottles. They are more affordable and are surprisingly soft.

Great you told the designer ahead of time, so they have time to let cabinet supplier know. They can usually get drawer or door front replacements ordered in a reasonable time for situations like that. It also gives the designer the heads up to know how install is going & keep things in order with the hired installer. Best of success to your new kitchen ;)

We put in 3/4" hardwoods this year. My sister chose vinyl back in mid-2000s. My Dad chose Coretec brand LV planks in 2018 bc his house is a ski/mountain house and he wanted waterproof and low maintenance. My brother chose tile bc it's a beach place and they wanted easy vacuuming of sand. What is your personal preference as far as the look? Also, do you have pets? Does your condo have any rules about what you are allowed to put in (such as no hard surfaces unless you install a noise barrier for you neighbor below). There are a lot of choices and pros and cons to each choice. Maybe get some quotes from some flooring places for options and then see what makes sense financially in terms of the value of your condo, resale, etc. You wouldn't want to be upside down in terms of putting too much money into it if there is a possibility you will sell in the nearish future. But if that's not going to happen, the investment is less of a concern. If there is a possibility of resale, perhaps consult with a realtor to get an idea of the value and how much investment makes sense.

I completely agree with Patricia’s point about making sure you have service in your area. Every brand of appliance will, if it is serviceable and not disposable, (like some of them are these days ), need to be serviced at some point during its useful life. If you decide to purchase one of the luxury brands such as those you are looking at, just remember to investigate not only the geographical availability of repair service but also the.QUALITY of the customer service that the manufacturer has. While certainly not perfect, Subzero-Wolf is known for exceptional customer service; going above and beyond for the customer. I’ve had the same high standards experience with my Apple digital products, which is one of the reasons I pay a super premium for Apple. Thermador makes some compelling products just like Subzero does, and their price point reflects this, but their customer service leaves much to be desired. When I spend that much money on any appliance, I very much appreciate being treated well by the manufacturer when an issue of service inevitably does present itself if you own an appliance long enough. Just remember how much your own time is worth to you when you reach out to a service centre that may give you less than a 30 minute wait at the most to speak to someone(Subzero), or you’re waiting for two hours, having your call dropped, or leaving messages with no call returned because the customer service is so poor with the vast majority of appliance brands out there. High quality customer service is not cheap and running call/support centres with highly trained reps is a big investment, which almost every appliance manufacturer no longer budgets for at a premium level. Even Miele, according to the number of posters here on the forums, has slipped in the quality of their customer care, and this is not because they don’t know how to administer high standards of service. They have done this, to reduce their costs. One of the things you pay for with something like a Subzero is the support behind the brand. I don’t know the official number of years, but Subzero keeps parts available for repair of their appliances for longer than most brands. after they discontinue a model. Thermador, being owned by Bosch, is far less supportive with a model that is out of production. This matters because when you pay a premium price for a luxury brand, one of the benefits you “should” be getting is longer service life, along with the specific features that compelled you to purchase that appliance in the first place. Also, the cost of storing and warehousing parts for appliances affects a company’s bottom line.. When a manufacturer no longer sells a specific model, they are no longer motivated these days to keep parts for that model for very long. All appliance manufacturers do this kind of “sunsetting“ on their spare parts, production, and Bosch is notorious for running out of spare parts so fast, it’s hard to believe they had much of an inventory, even when a specific model was still in production. The pandemic, not withstanding, it is extremely unscrupulous for manufactures to not keep parts available for appliance models for more than a bare minimum amount of time after they are sold. It is one of the most unsustainable things these producers do, and it accelerates “the march to the landfill“ for all of these new appliances we purchase. There are some countries in Europe that are initiating “right to repair laws“ that start to specify, at least a minimum standard of time that manufactures are required to support the repair of products they sell, whether it be appliances, or any other manufactured consumer product. So, I ramble and say all of this to suggest that, if you were going with one of these two brands, I would choose the Subzero hands-down!!