Hi Roulie, I was looking at the beautiful blue kitchens in your thread about painting your cabs, and went looking for this thread for more pictures and info about your kitchen. (I would try the SW Naval from Deb's island on one of your trial boards, it just rocks!) I have an opinion about the hole in your counter. I love the idea of using stainless, and if the Jenn-aire that was removed is the griddle next to the big Garland, I would suggest that you have someone come and fabricate a stainless steel cover that simply butts up to the range and covers the whole counter top surface, front overhang and all, for the length of counter top hole in the wood. That will give you a bulletproof landing spot for messy cooking. YOU may not need it, but you have at least one young person, and a messy spill on your butcher block with a stainless steel insert in the hole in the wood will be a lot harder to clean up than on a seamless sheet of steel. Have the fabricator match the finish as much as possible to that of the Garland, and it may not seem so much like another added texture in the room. It also occurred to me, looking at the photo, that there does not seem to be a range hood. Is that a problem for you, or do you not put a lot of grease into the air when you cook? A metal fabricator could fashion one to fit below that cabinet, and you could put the guts in the cab. Just something to think about if you have someone out to see about the hole in the counter. I went looking for your thread about your butcher block counter refinishing. The problem with wood near your sink area made me think of old porcelain 1920s to 1930s sinks as a solution. In my first search result I saw the one linked below, and it fit the one in my mind's eye perfectly. Something like this will better protect that beautiful refinished counter of yours. It prevents any more deterioration where the wood meets the back splash, as well, and does not go very far up the wall. Check out the link below. I think I am interested in your project because it reminds me of my own. I refinished a used bead board kitchen almost three years ago.I have an island top that is 25 years old sitting in my garage that is very similar to your butcher block. I did not use it when I bought it with my Green Demolition kitchen. I refinished my beaded-board oak cabinets from GD by hand sanding and re-staining them with a creamy oil-based stain that my local Sherwin Williams mixed up for me. I could not get a "pickled" stain in water-base. My routed-out lines were far closer together than yours, but you have a LOT of cabs to do, too. If I had to do it again, I think I might paint. I do not have tons of wood grain around like you do, and really like the grain peeking through, so staining was a good choice for me at the time. My problem was in getting the stain to stick to end grain. All my rounded edges exposed me to end grain, but I did not realize that this was my problem at the time. Stain did not stick well on the perimeter of all of my 34 doors and 20 drawers, and I have a rubbed-through look in places. I also have a few pieces that are a different color. Don't know if it was a stirring problem, a real color difference in the first stain can, or what. By the time I was done, I just did not want to know! Part of my problem is that I have asthma and had to wear terrible face masks to keep the VOCs out of my lungs. I had to work outside because of the fumes, too. In the steamy heat of the summer of 2010, I had little patience for problems and just let the color differences get by me. I just wanted it DONE. If you can paint with latex, it is a lot less bother and mess than what I went through! Oil-based stains are still the most common with wood. Here is a picture of my doors before I refinished them. If you want to see my kitchen (minus the missing cab door that we found in the carpenter's shop 6 months after I finished staining everything else), you can go to my website and see it at www.pbase.com/nancyb/image/127230055 Here is Here is a link that might be useful:

Charcoal gray or dark brownish gray roof. Powerwash the rocks, then match a dozen of their colors and the mortar color with paint chips. Then shop for paint with your paint chips in hand. If you get stuck, remember your painters will prime the whole thing for you in white (or gray or whatever) so you can see a fresh new palette without the old colors intruding, then make a final color choice after they finish priming. If you need help, hire a color pro.

Usually the Fall is the best time to renew the landscape unless you live where winters are severe. I would wait to see what you have, walk around the neighborhood and see what is doing well that you like and collect photos of gardens. You could get some big pots and try out color combinations while you wait for Fall. You also need to learn the shade and sun patterns and the efficiency of your watering system.. In very cold regions, Spring is best. Summer heat uses too much water and stresses plants that haven't established a good root system yet. I like your house and your idea of getting rid of that dark grouting. The verdigris is lovely and could lead you to try plantings that play up that color.

We're ready to start planning our project in earnest and aren't sure the order in which we should do the work or how many different types of contractors we need. I'd appreciate any insights you can give. We hope to use the mockup @ourfarmhouse made for us as our goal (see below). Our exterior projects include: New roof in grey, which will require changing the color of the gutters, etc. Architectural elements, such as the columns at the front entry and on the upper dormer windows, and new shutters Painted front door and garage doors (instead of replacing them, for now) Repaired/repaved asphalt drive way 27'x14' concrete patio has a large crack down the entire length that will need repaired, and we're thinking about a decorative finish like acid-staining This same 27'x14' covered patio will be screened-in, and the existing posts might need replaced or refinished; will be changing from brown posts and ceiling to a color that coordinates with the new grey roof. What types of professionals do we need and/or which types of professionals can be used for multiple projects? For example, can we get by with a roofer (roof/gutters), asphalt/concrete company (driveway/patio), and carpenter (architectural elements, screened porch, painting door/garage door, and hanging shutters)? Is there an advantage to using a general contractor?What order should we follow? Thank you!