After my furniture fiasco with Stanely Manufacturing in which I was shocked that my furniture arrived so damaged and mismatched in color, and after reading this post and many other posts where companies are now producing their products in China, I will never buy furniture made in China again. Thank you for the warning. Sorry about learning the hard way like I did. I ended up buying solid Maple wood furniture from Durham that only costs a litte bit more since I added an Armoire. I was amazed that the prices were not that different and the Durham Furniture was quality made in Canada. Also I had a great experience with the Flemington Department Store in NJ. I want to not be known for just complaining and have learned to give praise where praise is due but warn others when there are problems to help others like they have helped me.

Dear All; Got a call from our cabinet man this morning: they'll deliver the rest of the cabinets Wednesday and begin installation Thursday. Of this week! Thank you so much for reminding me I am not odd for having second thoughts! I specifically remembered sweet marthavila's post about her lusty red Aga but didn't equate it with what I'm feeling because, well, you just didn't seem "crazy" in your post. You seemed rational. I was feeling crazy about second guessing everything, not rational (it's so much easier to correctly and kindly assess others!). I'm not crazy, I'm human! I'd forgotten that .... Note to self, channel marthavila. Maybe it's just me, but it seems as if there's been a panoply of drool-worthy finished (or nearly finished) kitchens lately, and with each one I find myself thinking "oh wow, now there's a kitchen!" When I see the kitchens which are strikingly different from our (proposed) kitchen I'm able to just love them and move on. But it's the white kitchens which all appear to be a v. creamy white which have had me second-guessing, even though I nixed every creamy white out of our kitchen months ago! But in these pictures ... yummy. Pass the spoon! (And yes, I am talking about you and your beautiful cabinets here, buffettgirl. I guess the white cabinet grass is always greener in someone else's kitchen!) In truth, our kitchen has ended up costing more than we'd thought / planned (name one whose doesn't, right), but as each decision was made so carefully and with so much validation behind it I don't begrudge it, necessarily. It's that we cannot afford to do this kitchen over any time soon (if ever), so that's why my worry over "what if I hate it and we spent so much on it?" Again, thank you for reminding me a) I am definitely not alone in that regard and b) that it is better to spend more to get what I really, deeply want and which makes my heart sing than have gone with the "oh well" or the "whatever" choice. ricklish -- so what sink are you going to get? I love the look of your mom's sink .... Thanks for your supportive words. Carla, thank you for the exercise. You're right! pcjs, holligator, mollyred -- thank you for sharing your own second-guessing stories with me. I love reading how much you love your beautiful new kitchens. Rayna -- boy, you and I will totally get each others no-sunlight kitchens! I'm excited about seeing your space -- thank you for your bright encouragement. These are my sunglasses, and they should look fabulous in the kitchen if it is too bright! Thanks for reminding me, rhome410: You and your sister are wonderful! plllog -- you made me laugh and I love the analogy. That's how I feel about so many of these beautiful, artful kitchens here on GW. I'm going to love my counters! organic_donna -- coming from you and your incredible home (because I've seen your bathroom, too!), I really appreciate your generous words. your home is stunning. tinker_2006 -- I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing all your pictures and reading your posts. You have such exquisite taste that your home, with its combination of stained and painted finishes, is going to be a thing of beauty. I know it! amck -- congratulations on your daughter's wedding! What a wonderful way to start the summer, with a beautiful bride in the family .... Thank you for reminding me that we each have our dreams and there's nothing wrong with pursuing them, and in fact it could be just plain pound foolish to not do it. sherilynn -- I always love reading your posts! You are an incredible and generous font of information and boy do you have a gorgeous kitchen. Thank you for talking me through your different whites and the wax ... an interesting thing to keep in the back of my mind. The trim in the rest of our house is a v. deep cream (BM Calming Cream), it almost looks yellow. It reminds me of the trim of my youth (in GB), really old oil-based whites which have yellowed over time. I'm going to peek at your whites to see about using them on the kitchen ceiling. Thank you! daki -- do you like your new kitchen? I guess the second guessing never really goes away. It sounds wonderful. akchicago -- thank you for the important reminder to not sell any part of this process short. Don't forget the budget; don't forget the utility (both short- and long-term) and don't forget my pleasure with it! Important for all of us to keep in mind. cat_mom -- thank you, Friend! You know what an animal-lover I am but how stupid is this? After looking at your kitchen I realized "holy cow! We forgot a pet feeding station!" And your kitchen is so incredible -- I'm just so happy to have seen your pictures! Lynn -- I've thought of you as this has been going on, remembering your post from last autumn about how you work from home and that the noise and confusion just got to you. Without your knowing it, you've already comforted me! Your kitchen is so pretty, it's definitely a(nother) comfort to know you cried over the door. (That sounds bad, but I mean that someone with a visibly gorgeous kitchen also fretted about it along the way.) When looking at your pictures I saw your chopsticks and that made me think of Mu Du Noodles on Cerrillos (in SF) -- we love Mu! (esp. my 1.5 year-old son, who loves Mu cuddles) malhgold -- the v. first time I "saw" you on GW I misspelt your user name. I've felt bad about it ever since. (We "met" when talking about the Thermador Freedom Columns. Did you end up getting them?) Thank you all, and a Happy Presidents' Day! -Brooke

Looking at the BM deck, I think the Straw is fine in your kitchen, including with the sensational backsplash. The mass of the backsplash does look a little stranded on that wall, however, so you may want to think about shallow open shelving or maybe a large framed poster to the left of it. I would just try every piece of art you have or can borrow in the space, or cut faux shelves or other bits out of cardboard or posterboard or even tack pieces of fabric or clothing to the wall to try to gauge what scale of thing might work for the specific goal of balancing the backsplash. When you have a scale that works, you can explore for color or texture of design. I am mindful of an alluring poster that mtndredux and marthavila both have a big crush on. I went to the site that sells it in reproduction, and now I have a big crush on it too, as well as on several others offered on the site, although I have no wall space. Anyway, you soooo did NOT make a mistake with the glass backsplash. Just take your time figuring out what will make it look less stark in situ. Best of luck Here is a link that might be useful: bath house poster and its kin

I too am looking at couches and my choice so far has been Ethan Allen. I have two matching Thomasville sofa’s in my den that are about 18 years old. Fabric is still great but the springs are now getting worn. My Living room has a four year old Thomasville and I absolutely hate it. I did not know they were sold When I bought and so regret it having paid what I did. I have replaced cushions and the back cushion twice already. The quality is terrible. Its not what used to be So I would definitely stay away. I can’t decide if I buy Ethan Allen or reupholster the den couches that I have loved and still do.. I have been told by reupholsters if its old Thomasville it is definitely worth re-doing.