Hey feisty! Long time no see. What great progress you've made. And, yours is not the longest reno for a small kitchen. I'm right there w/ you, still! Don't start a new thread. Keep this one going so everyone can see the progress over time. I love love the tile! I actually chose blue like that for my backsplash. However, I haven't put mine up! So, as you can see, your reno is no longer than mine! I was moving along & doing well & then I brought it to a complete halt about 8 months ago. I'm now thinking about tearing my whole house down & building 2 on my lot! Keep one for me & sell the other. I'm still not sure if I'm going to do it, but I hate to put anymore $ into the kitchen, & whole house for that matter, if I'm going to knock it down. Still iffy on doing it, but am thinking seriously about it. We'll see. You have come a long way & it looks great. I think you should do the tile. I don't think it's going to be trendy & date the kitchen down the road. I thought the brass was going to be trendy, but it's still going strong. Go w/ what you like! I can't wait to see more!

I think you made very nice choices in the end. I like the backsplash you picked, because as others posted about the glass.... it brings down the quality of the kitchen..... The flooring...I think it will work out fine. We are having the same problem. I actually like the wider plank but either would work. I do like the color you choose and it was my first choice....then it would have been a brown picked up in your original flooring. I hope you post pics when you are finished! Oh just as an afterthought....did anyone suggest you do the backsplash in the same countertop granite? That might have worked also, but it's a different look and maybe an outdated look also?....I think you chose a good product...bet it's gorgeous! Best wishes on it's completion!!!

Thanks, everyone! Wow, I really appreciate the thoughts, and the example kitchens, both of which are gorgeous. I'm going to be installing undercabinet lighting. And I may install recessed lighting and/or a pendant over the peninsula, but I'm waiting on that. I'll keep looking toward light counters... some of the granites that I have found i like in photos (kashmir white for instance) aren't readily available in my area (I think that its quarry closed down anyway). I've been having a difficult time finding a light granite that I really like but going out to look again today. I don't want to go too gray as an undertone but would prefer balance of warm/cool in the mix of colors. Or just quartz... So any suggestions on that, based on your experience, also appreciated! (Organic white Ceasarstone- check, I'll look at that one!) If I can't come up with a definite on the counter by tomorrow, I have to give a cabinet color.... given my Super White trim, and the fact that the kitchen has no light, I'm thinking something that blends with that but is not so stark white. Decorator white sound good?

houses14, my Imperial range hood is not an insert, rather an under cabinet ss hood. However, the materials used, and the quality of construction, the fan motors, are the same with minor variances to allow for space restrictions within the smaller size of my hood. Construction wise, it is all that I had hoped for, was easy to install, and has functioned beautifully. Packaging and shipping were excellent. The ss is marine grade. This means that the amount of chromium in the ss will prevent rust from forming in the interior of the hood over time. The electrician informed me that their fan motors and switches appeared to be top quality. The warranty for my hood is 7 years, which is almost unheard of in the industry. Their specifications and installation instructions are right on to allow for optimal operation. For example, my duct is 8" from hood to roof jack and had to have a certain rise in height from the hood before the first angle in the duct work. Baffles remove and reinstall easily for cleaning. It was a joy to call Imperial direct with technical questions at their manufacturing headquarters in California. Someone was always immediately available to answer my questions regarding their vent hoods or recommended installation. My installer was promptly referred to their engineer for technical assistance as I requested that the wiring that would automatically turn on my hood once a certain temperature below the hood was reached be disconnected as I did not want that feature. To me, having that level of service available when answers are needed means a great deal. I found that the folks at headquarters were always honest even if it wasn't the answer I wanted and that they knew their stuff. Their light and fan switches are continuously variable which is rare on vent hoods. This means that they both function like a rheostat with a continuous increase, or decrease, rather than clicking up or down discreet notches, such as level 1 to 4. Also, I liked having the option of installing the switches wherever I wanted remotely, rather than being mounted to the underside of the hood. The hood easily handles removal of odors, steam or grease beneath it's surface. I've found that if the hood is allowed to run for about 10 minutes prior to cooking that it can be operated at a lower level and do a good job. The hood on low is fairly quiet but is noisier than I had anticipated at higher levels with having dual fans and baffles. Also, highest cfm level is 1000 which is a factor. However, I used a different size led bulb than Imperial recommended. I now have a gap around the bulb that needs to be filled with a rubber gasket. Also, the temporary roof jack is too large, and the correct one is waiting to be installed so the jury is still out on the noise issue. Noise level was quite an issue for me, but even if it remains unchanged, I would still buy the same hood given how pleased I am with the overall operation and that I can easily live with the noise that I now have. I'll have to look up the name of the online vendor I used and will add that information tonight.