There is the long running UCL continuation thread on this forum. If you want dimmable lights, it will most likely not be fluorescent lighting. Here is a link that might be useful: UCL continuation

Wow. First off, suggest you also cross-post on both the kitchen, and the bath forums. It sounds to me like you haven't really fixed on your goals. How much can you afford to spend? How long do you plan to be in the home? Do you need to revise they layout, or simply change out from old to new? Why are things falling apart? Age, neglect, or are there underlying structural or quality problems? Do you need to plan for future family changes? More/fewer kids at home, aging parents moving in? My personal opinion is to think about how it all looks LAST. That is just decor. FIRST you should think about structure, function, and the physical space. Also, what don't you like about your current kitchen and bathrooms, and how will this be fixed? Buy a few books/magazines on kitchen remodel plans. Look for kitchens that have similar physical size and layout as yours, and think about what you like and don't like about the function (not how it looks) Same thing for bathrooms. For example, when we remodeled, we knew we would be expanding the footprint of our existing galley kitchen with 5 doorways into the back yard, making a more squared up space. But 4 of those 5 doorways would still be in the new space. I scanned the design materials for kitchens that had this type of constraint, and saw how others had dealt with it. This has nothing to do with white cabinetry vs wood, or marble vs quartz. It's about getting the layout right. Then you will need to explore who is doing the work for you, and do you need an architect or engineer to proceed. We used a contractor, and needed an architect and structural engineer to get the plans stamped by the city permit/code department. And no matter what your budget is, plan to have an additional cushion amount of about 10-15%. Something always comes up. Best of luck.

Wow thanks for the quick responses and great ideas. You guys rock! megpie77 - exactly what I was thinking about the old white/off white color for the cabinets. Thanks for the link to the blog. I love reading those and am addicted to reading the decorating blogs. Absolutely, positively getting new lighting for the tray ceiling. That ceiling fan is obnoxious as are the florescent lighting. I saw redroze's kitchen. Awesome. I am thinking white marble for sure on the island and something else on perimeter. I also like the idea of gray to pick up the grout colors in the brick. They are brick pavers but fool everyone who sees them thinks they are real brick. I don't want to play up the earth tones too much in them. Thank you for the info! Lascatz - yes i can fit a 36" in either the oven space or the existing fridge space. We actually are talking about flip flopping the ovens and the fridge for better flow. I am worried about the Shaw sink because the cabinets. How much room does the 36" one take in height? I really don't want to tear much up in the way of cabinets. I do love Allison's F&B french gray island and have tested that paint color and may use it. toomuchstuf - love your screen name. I can relate. Yes, i am going to add a custom hood or chimey hood to vent the wolf cooktop out. heistaflames - great, great suggestion on the long cabinet run. I hadn't thought of new doors with glass on the top to break it up. I also like all of your other ideas especially using 2 or 3 colors. If I painted all those cabients white - it would be horrible. andrea - the flooring is real brick paver and they are really pretty. Not usually a choice on this site but, very popular in my town in Louisiana as A. Hayes Town architecture prevails all over here. It would be too expensive to take them up. They are traditional and nuetral so I am keeping them as they also run down both hallways and are in my living room. I hadn't thought of putting a whole range where the cook top is but, am considering now. I will be getting rid of over the cooktop microwave. Don't necessarily need 2 ovens. We really grill out more than we cook. I definitely don't back unless it's a holiday or I cooking slice and bake cookies. Thank you all. I soooo appreciate the input. more to come later. Anyone have any suggestions on a blue paint color that is not too pastel. I am testing Farrow & Ball Light Blue with a dark glaze for the island and I like it but I wish it just had a little more brown or gray in it. Blue is soooo hard. I never knew that... I am in love with the color of my linen fabric that I am using in my living room with is Swedish Blue in color. It is a green/blue. F&B light blue is close too it. I'm just so scared too have it come out too pastel.

3) I've heard that it's a good idea to buy all one brand of appliances so the stainless steel matches. After reading lots of reviews, I'm leaning toward Whirlpool Gold. Any experiences? I'm especially concerned about the wall oven as Whirlpool is not known for ovens. No! No! No! NNNNOOOO! The same brand generally uses different factories to produce different appliances. The sheet metal will come from different suppliers. Even if the same factory with the same supplier produces two appliances in the suite you are considering it is probably a different batch therefore slightly different. The reason some people buy a suite of appliance from one brand is for a rebate. In general you are buying some good appliances and some bad appliances.One brand does not make the best appliance in each category therefore not much of a bargain. Some buy a suite of appliances to match handles,dumb reason IMO to buy from same brand. You can buy DW with integrated handle and cooktops don't have handles. It it best to buy each appliance on it's own merit; just take care you are not buying an appliance with such a unique handle or style it clashes with the rest. My recommendations A) Frigidaire SS 27" Double Oven FFET2725LS $1343 +$166 for 30" http://compare.ebay.com/like/360395237582?var=lv These are better than Whirlpool Gold and as good as any in the mid-priced category. The reason they are cheaper is Frigidaire's brutally efficient factory not cheap parts. The next signifciantly better oven is Electrolux at twice the price. B) Samsung RF263AERS 26 cu. ft. French Door $1452.55 http://www.wdcappliances.com/ProductsDetail.php?SKU=RF263AERS&cse=4 Samsung four-five years in a row JD Powers #1 French Door. C) Bosch evolution 300 series dlx $619 http://www.abesofmaine.com/item.do?item=BOSHE43P25UC&id=BOSHE43P25UC&l=FROOGLE Whirlpool Gold is a nice DW that uses a food grinder. This makes it loud. Before enzyme based detergents,you needed a food grinder.Almost all modern DW detergents are enzyme based and work well with DWers with filters. Bosch is a quiet DW with filter. Bosch has been at the top of Consumer Reports rankings and near the top of JD. JD ranks Miele #1 but that outside your price range.CR says you need to spend $500 to get a DW that does its basic function well. I say $600. That leaves room in the budget for a premium cooktop. D) BlueStar RBCT365BSS $1800-$2200 You have to get this local.It depends on local dealer. If your local dealer has a price match policy then abesofmain.com has it for $1800 with free shipping in it's area. Below is a vid about BS burner. Total $5214.55-$5780.55 What are you doing for range hood(Ventilation)? 4) For the amount of money I'd spend on a cooktop and double wall oven, I could get a really nice range. I bake and cook a LOT so the double oven is appealing, I think I may be romanticizing the idea of a double wall oven. Thoughts? Is it worth it? If you like baking in your toaster oven and think it is the greatest thing since sliced bread then you may find yourself only using one oven and the toaster oven. If you find the the toaster oven bakes uneven and dries out food you will probably turn on both ovens. I would get the double ovens. BTW Did I mention I think it is a bad idea to get all appliaces from one brand? I know someone will post they got all their appliances from one brand and they just LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! Still a bad idea IMO. You should get the best appliance for your money not just appliances that are much better than the old appliances they replaced. BTW II I will leave questions 1 and 2 to someone else. Here is a link that might be useful: BS Link