With the "givens" in your bathroom of teenage boy, oak windows, oak floors and a vintage tub, I immediately thought of a navy blue and white color scheme. I'd love to see navy towels, but I learned the hard way that teenagers need WHITE or nearly white towels because they use acne products with benzyl peroxide which will bleach any colored towel. Even if your son doesn't use that stuff, some of their friends do so don't go there. So what about White Wainscotting, Navy rug, Navy on the outside of the tub, Navy/white stripe walls? Maybe some Khaki?Tan color for accent? Or reverse it and have Khaki/Tan with a little Navy for accent? Does your son have any vote on this?

I am new to this site so I will try to scan my layout and figure out to post the proposed design. I appreciate the comments and suggestions. Is there a way to directly respond to each posting or is posting like this the only way? I had really hoped to avoid having the microwave on the counter because my current counters have basically been "unusable" for decades because they are storage space instead of work space. The model ankh posted is interesting: it might eliminate the need for a 28 inch corner cabinet. My big concern is the size of that cabinet especially after I drew it out on tag-board. There are several models that will fit on a 12 inch deep shelf...my current one will, and I am okay with the lack of options in a small microwave. My husband is the one with "issues" with the blind corners and corner access in a 90 degree corner. I have read all the threads on them here. I was hoping to find a solution that would appease him and eliminate a 28" wide corner cabinet because of my concerns about its size. Does anyone have a corner cabinet this size? Does anyone have a corner cabinet that is 16-18" wide? Does anyone have a microwave in a lower cabinet...mine would have to be in the small island...I only have two places other than the corner with more than 12 inches of space. I need some input on how these option work and effective use of space. Today was my first day of back-to-school; I have a meet-the-teacher open house tonight but will try to post scanned plans when I get back. This post was edited by Ranton on Wed, Aug 28, 13 at 23:24

I like what judrand05 said. I'll add one caveat to the Philips Hue lights, the bulbs only go up to 800 Lumens. For larger rooms, 1000+ Lumens is better if you use fewer bulbs. Also, a ceiling light would typically create more light. I'd still try them, they are easy to return if they don't work for you. When my Uncle re-did their whole kitchen area they installed rows of high-intensity white LED lights on the ceiling. As a result, their house is as bright as day during the night. My aunt claims it helps her read at night as her eyesight is not as good. Been jealous of that light setup ever since :). Most apartments/houses I've seen are underlit.

If you need to sell the home in a couple months you may want to have a pro do the work on the entire floor. Especially if you have not finished wood floors before. If it does not turn out well after you do it you will need to hire a pro to "fix" it and there may not be enough wear layer to refinish again. Just some things to consider.