"Stippling really is a love-hate relationship!" Therefore akin to the feelings people have about spiders or doubles or orange daylilies or whatevers. gonegardening, I saw LOTSA DOTS in that garden, too; I also saw it in a display of off-scape stippled blooms at our club's daylily show later this summer. I was so sure I'd recorded the names of those stippled ones, as some were unusual, and I'd not heard of them before, but I can't seem to find the list. At any rate, IMO LOTSA DOTS was by far the best of the bunch in terms of both bloom size and color contrast....the gardener whose garden had been on the tour was at the show, so, naturally, I promptly ordered it. :)...like floota said, there are people who want what's different.

There's so many variables to that question. It's almost amusing how many people are flat-out liars. They'll lie to get out of saying no, they'll lie to "not hurt someone's feelings" when the person may well do better to know the truth. They'll lie on their income tax. And then wave a Bible and say they're "Christians". LOL I call them "Buffet Christians". Pick 2 or 3 commandments and follow them at any one time. If it's a subjective matter, then I might sugar coat a bit that some might like it and some don't. If they want my opinion I'll give it to them. Sometimes a person needs tough love. They NEED to be told the truth. Sometimes as Joyful said, I'll ask if they REALLY want my opinion. Most know I tend to lay it on the line. I've warned most people enough times not to ask me a question they don't want answered. Some try to rationalize things. Like a time someone got into a fight over a dollar and looked for sympathy. Get real folks. There's times to pick your battles. There's several times both in the forum and elsewhere people looked for sympathy on a situation and when I felt they were wrong or out of line I told them so. I can't believe the people who justify it to make someone feel good. Essentially they'd go, hey, go ahead and rob the bank, that's fine. Or go ahead and not return that to them, they probably don't even know you have it. If someone blows up over giving an honest answer, I'll say something like "hey, you threw a tantrum last time you asked for the truth, you gonna do that again?" No need sugarcoating in that instance. Sometimes I'll even ask do you want the truth or do you want me to say what you want to hear? Especially if it's an issue of right or wrong, I will tell someone when I believe they're wrong. NOW, with all that said, there's one other point to make. I always try to get the whole story, or both sides to give an opinion. People looking for rationalization seldom give an accurate portrayal of the other side. That's what's so comical about a lot of these threads! When wife gets mad at hubby, his side is never portrayed accurately so the henhouse always clucks "go-girl" and same with "I got cheated at the store" or "the neighbor is using my lawn" or whatever. Sometimes they weren't cheated and maybe the survey says it was the neighbors' lawn or the hubby is allergic to the tuna casserole surprise so that's why he never eats what's put in front of him! JMHO :D

I think it is very hard to determine what speaks to you when it comes to art, but I am not loving the pieces you have picked for the side of the thermostat. I agree with the others that they seem to be rather predictable. I keep on going back to the orange pillow which I love. I really would like to see that color represented on that long wall in some way. I am also envisioning some piece of "furniture/something?" on that long wall between the chair and bookcase - as others have suggested. To me the room seems as if there is too much going on in the other three areas especially with those beautiful windows, and this long wall is very lacking. I don't think the desk is really adding much interest. Keep looking. Les, don't mean to hijack here, but I am curious if you are on the east coast like me (CT). It is so peaceful and I have the luxury of sleeping as late as I like. I have always loved seeing the sunrise - not from getting up early, but from still being up from the night before. Like you I try to break the habit, but it is too tempting to read till daybreak. Just want to say how much I enjoy your critiques.

Ok... now I see why I thought your counters had green.... the name alone is kind of a hint! I still like your choices, but think I'd want some hint of green in your wall paint since it is not in the splash (again, hard to see color tones through a laptop monitor to be certain). If those do have a green tone, then the wall color can be anything pulled from your counters. Remodelfla's choice is a really fave look of mine. It takes it in a totally different direction, but it is absolutely lovely while being calm. BTW - since your counters have a lot of action in them, I would not do the mosaics behind the range.