Quick update... I ended up ordering a spoon and fork from Target.com. Here's a pic of it installed on the back wall. Also finished up installing my DIY under cabinet lighting... these lights are bright!!!! So glad I used a dimmer switch...this is the dimming level I tend to keep it at. Also forgot to mention that one of the pantries is a broom closet. After living in my new kitchen for almost of month now, I feel like I got everything right and did the best I could with the space I have. Trash cabinet, baking tray cabinet, broom closet, sink drop down tray, spice rack, plus all of the additional cabinet space makes me one happy camper. :) My only regret is not putting in pull outs for my pots/pans and lids. It's a bit of a pain having to bend down and look back into the cabinet to find what I'm looking for. Maybe at a later time... since it's still possible. Another thing I'm finding an issue with is our fridge. We bought a counter depth so we could have additional room, but it's been tough living with the limited space. Luckily, we still have our old fridge, so we're thinking of keeping it now to store larger items.

birdly... makes total sense that you had to redo stuff if it were that one employee - you should have heard the subcontractors complain about that employees work :) The nice thing is Mark had them redo stuff without argument - a friends contractor fought him and tried to charge him on every little thing that he asked to be redone (and we are talking some obvious things) If you want I can let him know that my glowing review of his work was slightly tainted by a deck that took too long - he won't like that! Its sad that he was late for yours becuase both the person at international kitchens and the person I got the sink from commented on how hes on time. For me he was about 1 month late but given the circumstances that was not bad. Its surprising about the communication - he was great for me. It does sound like he was putting all his effort into my project - did you let him know that you were doing a kitchen and becuase he didn't handle the small project well he misses out on the bigger one? (FYI the contractor that was awful for my friend was Chermak construction - it was a 100k+ project and they tried to charge him when the electrician put in a 3 bank switch that only needed 2 switches so the electrician left a switch that did nothing - they told my friend that a "do nothing" switch was an "acceptable solution" - that was the worst example but there were tons of things like that). I am 95% sure Mark got the doors through PCS Millwork. They were WAY cheaper (talking less than 1/2) the cost of the equivalent doors through the lumber yard he normally uses. gwent, nightowl was asking about the dining lights - if you search (ctrl+f) the thread for "nightowl" and read those posts you should get all the details on the lights. For the pulls, believe it or not we got them at Loews. I went to all the fancy shops for a couple weeks stressing about hardware and finally stumbled on them at Loews of all places.

Wow, Kevin, your home is beautiful!!! Wondering if your house Is a trinity? Whatever, it's gorgeous. I met you in the bathroom forum. BTW, I live in central Jersey. I've called around to lots of stores and no one seems to have the.models of tubs I'm interested in. I did see the Edenton today however, so no need to post a close-up. But thank you anyone for the thought.. It is a nice tub. I was surprised how slippery the Edenton bottom is even with the texture (and I was looking for no texture at all!). I'm concerned since I need a tub/shower combo - but I really want a comfortable tub as part of that combo. Now I'm wondering if a bath mat will stick to the textured surface of the Edenton when I shower or will the texture prevent it from adhering to the bottom of the tub? Any insights, anyone?. You mentioned somewhere that if you had to do over, you'd choose the Hydrosystems Lacey. Can't seem to find one of those on display. Is the bottom of the Lacey textured like the Edenton or is it a smooth bottom? Where in Philly did you see the Lacey and other tubs you were considering? Thanks so much! Guess I should post 2nd part of this in Bathroom forum- maybe tomorrow.

pllog thanks for the food for thought. This is the layout i have to work with, and i DO have a budget as well. If i COULD have moved the kitchen to another part of the house i WOULD have...If I COULD have added 1500 sq. feet to the back of the house and added a totally new custom layout with 4 walls that made sense, I WOULD have....if i COULD have moved 2.5 feet into the dining room i WOULD have, but a sewer line from upstairs and structural wall prevented me from doing it, and $$$$ prevented me from doing the previous 2 options...coulda,woulda, shoulda. (what i do have is a fixxer upper house that hasn't been touched since 1950 on a beautiful street, in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the city, with a park around the corner, and friends nearby, and a large yard for my 2 beautiful children to run in, oh and a huge garage for my DH) if the kitchen is a little on the disfunctional side so be it, i am a little disfunctional myself:):) with that said, This kitchen is going to be way better than the 9X13 that was there before, and bigger than what i had before, so i am happy with that. AS far as the entrys are concerned i have measured all of the entrys in the house and they are all 33", the 1920 bungalow i am in right now has 32" so if they could live with them before i am sure we can live with them now.... I appreciate your concern, I have taped out the kitchen design and have walked through everyday for the past 2 weeks...i am almost at the point of no return, the plumbing is in and the electrical will be finished tomorrow... The things that can't be changed at this point are the sink, the walls, the frig, and the lighting. I can change the island design, and that is about it... I also don't think it is very constructive to say I would tear the whole thing out.... Just out of curiousity,what WOULD you do with what i have to work with???