Yes, I was concerned about grime too. Like you, I wanted a hood that "rested lightly" in my kitchen, so I wanted it to match the cabinets. So I took a chance that it would stay good looking even after being lived in, and so far I'm very happy. I'm not the most enthusiastic housekeeper, so I try to clean as I go, and I think that using the ventilation blower really helps. I have a Vent-a-hood BH228SLD liner in a custom cabinetry hood. The liner is 28.375" wide by 19.25" deep, and the decorative hood adds about one inch all around. The hood is flanked by 12" deep upper cabinets. The blower is vented with an 8" round duct straight up and out the roof. I'm happy with the Vent-a-hood, but I should disclose that I didn't do much research on brand since the Vent-a-hood was what was offered by the cabinet company. My advice is whatever hood you chose, make sure to use it. The blower motor draws air at up to 600 cfm. I know there are those who post here and in the Appliances Forum who can give better advice that I can about this sort of thing. I relied on an article about choosing a range hood to select the cfm rating based on the potential btu output of my range. The decorative hood and cabs were made by Crestwood, Inc. in Salina, KS. They're an off-white color called Antique by Crestwood. I found it closely matches BM Cream Silk. We have a freestanding GE gas range, 5 burner, standard 30" width, 27" depth. Hope this helps! Here is a link that might be useful: How to Choose a Range Hood

I have a lot of stuff. Mantle - 100's of little bits and pieces like cardboard sparkly houses, wooden house, Hallmark houses, figures, trees, etc. Some things are scale others are bigger or smaller. Just something fun to look at but a pain to put up. LOL Garland and poinsettia lights in front of the mantle. My tree is huge and I have a ton of decorations on it, plus about 8 stings of vintage beads. Not a theme tree by any means. My tree is filled with decorations that bring back lots of memories when I decorate it. I decorate at the base of mantle too - wooden snowman, ceramic Santa boot, big Santa doll, poinsettia. I have all the Christmas 101 Dalmations figures from McDonalds so I put that up on the buffet in the living room and I will add lights to that. My Miracle of 34th Street poster stays out all year round but this year I put it over my mantle instead of the usual wreath. I hung the big wreath on the front door this year. I have a wooden painted street sign that says "We Believe in Santa" and I have that hanging above the buffet. I usually hang a decorated artificial pine garland draped in candy beaded garland over my front window but this year I might move it to the kitchen because I need some extra decor in there. I have a some nice Santa figurines so I put one ontop of the fridge, not sure where I am going to put the other one yet. I have the Hallmark stuffe snowman and snow dog ontop of my tv but it needs batteries. In my kitchen window I have a beaded sun catcher that is in the shape of a Christmas tree. I love it. I have a big basket of red, gold, and white poinsettia flowers on my kitchen table. I put Christmas bulbs that have lost their hangers in a crystal basket at the end of the hall. I put a small Christmas tree in my bedroom and decorate it with my Mom's favourite decorations and some that were made for my Mom when my 33 niece was little. I have a tiny brass decorated trunk that goes on the top of my tv and it contains pieces of frankinscense, myrh and gold. My sister Lizzie brought it back for me from Saudi Arabia. I have a beautiful Christmas doll, all decked out in vevlvet fur trimmed clothes and long brown ringlets that sits on a tricycle on my small table in the living room. She has the most beautiful face. Her little tricycle has a basket carrier on the handlebars and is filled with decorated greenery. From the back her little coat has a red bow and a jingle bell hanging from it. LOL I decorate my table with a nice holiday table cloth and my Christmas Royal Albert Christmas china cups and saucers, plates and serving pieces. I just need the tea pot and tiered plate to complete my collection. I have Christmas snowman mugs and nutcracker drinking glasses. I tie red bows outside on my mailbox and railings. I used to drape a pine garland around the front door outside and decoate it with lights but not this year. I have an extra string of poinsettia lights that I usually string over the kitchen window above my sink but I don't have curtains on that window yet so may not put them up. I have to find something for my bathroom, maybe some Christmas potpourie. I have some small Christmas hand towels I received in a swap so I will put those out too. My Mom used to hang foil garland in the living room over the mantle and from each 4 corners of the kitchen so it meets in the middle. I still have the garland but I won't be doing that. It was nice with her decor at the time. I've got so much stuff up in the attic, I've got to find places to display it. Even my cats have Christmas porcelain bowls. LOL LOL My Christmas decor is cluttered, eclectic, makes the house cozy and holds lots of memories. I am in the process right now of putting on my tree lights. I can't avoid it any longer. Waaaa, I get frustrated putting on the lighs. I just might close my eyes and toss them on and not be such a perfectionist this year. LOL Anyone is free to stop by for a visit. Anne

The sofa I bought is this one from Ethan Allen. The upholstery is called “stone” but when I picked it out it read more “camel” to me (up close the pattern is a very small herringbone with tan and really light gray threads— from a distance I guess that looks like stone). I know I probably should’ve gone with something “slimmer” like a midcentury modern sofa, but I will (sadly) be spending a lot of time on this sofa so I want it to be comfortable. I’m guessing I should find thin legged tables to offset the heaviness of the sofa. It’s 78 inches wide so it’s not huge or extremely deep.

I'm not really sure what a "maximizer" is ... indecisive? Maybe trying to make individual items do too much heavy lifting? A room is more than the perfect curtain, or lamp, or paint color, it's all those items working together. Sometimes it can be hard to envision the final outcome, especially when going slowly. That's why I like design boards, and even use them for my own home decorating projects. Anyway, you definitely need a headboard, nightstands and lamps. While I think the gray nightstand is pretty, I also feel it is a bit too delicate for the more rustic look of your bedroom; I'd pass it along to your daughter. Here's what I would suggest otherwise: The wood panel headboard and nightstands gives a nod to your husband's love of wood, while also being pretty and practical. They also have enough heft to stand up to the wood paneling in the room. An inexpensive pair of table lamps will add symmetry and balance, while also echoing the brushed nickel curtain rods. A taller headboard centered on that window will look fine, as long as you balance it on each side with nightstands and lamps. (I prefer panel or upholstered headboards for anything other than a guest room, they are much more comfortable than metal ones, especially if you like to read at night.) While the current comforter set and the blue drapes look fine, I like the idea of going bolder with a navy bedding set. It's a six-piece set, and comes with two throw pillows; one of those could go on the glider. If you already have Euros, you could do navy or natural shams. Rather than navy blue drapes, I'd go with a natural linen style blackout drape. The ones I pictured are from Walmart, but most big box stores carry them. And while I prefer drapes hung higher, I think those in your bedroom are actually a little too high; I'd lower the rod to be about halfway between it's current position and the top of the window frame. Finally, I would advise against a faux fireplace in this room. First, I don't think you really have the room, and second they never look very natural. If you are wanting it for a heat source, something like this Dyson heater/fan is much more practical. We have one in our house. It can be used for heating or cooling, plus it has the added benefit of being able to be tucked away in a closet when not needed.