Jeff: I re-read your post. One thing that jumped out at me was your estimated r numbers. Who gave you these? Dense pack cellulose is around 3.8-4 per inch r, so x3.5" is right around an r-13, plus 2.5 r for the .5" XPS (r5/ inch) giving you around a r-16 CAVITY. Your studs with the XPS will be somewhere around an r 6. Take all of this into account, and your clear wall with cellulose will be around r-12-13 range (without doing the math, your .5 XPS helps you slightly for a thermal break on the framing), less for batts. However factor in infiltration, and you have about an r-0 (truly) no matter which system. For my projects I like to focus on u values, and not r values. The companies that product the stuff (dow, Owens, etc) have done a great job at marketing r value, even though it tells a very small part of the story when it comes to the walls performance. I would say 80% of the people I talk to see an r-21 stamped on the fiberglass batts packaging and think they are going to have a really energy efficient house. This is exactly the marketing game they play, and want you to believe. They are not all evil of course, as they make some super products to use in sealing and high efficient construction, its just a lot are not readily available off the shell nor does anyone do the research on their site to educate themselves. U values focus on the wall assembly. Get the u values down, r will go up. But like I said, for your area, kill the air infiltration, and that will make a huge starting difference. I would also be curious to hear the feedback your architect gives for ZIP sheathing.

Finally have started to be installed, and I'm excited to finally have some photos to share. More in the album I just created on Photobucket, but I will drop a few into the post here: Bookcases and windowseat in library. The seat has shelves in front and storage behind. Also in the library are cabinets, TV/media space, and more shelves: Kitchen cabinets are in. There is a spot for cookbooks at the end of the peninsula. Wood will wrap around the peninsula. Stove with vent hood above it goes on the back wall. Some of the mud/utilty/laundry room cabinets are in: View of the living area and kitchen from the master bedroom showing the 5" oak floors: Going on Monday to template the granite and they hope to install that at the end of next week. Here is a link that might be useful: Our house pics

I wouldn't add a third wood. It will be a "just missed on matching" choppy look and lessen the continuity between the rooms even more so than adding a completely different material. If you can't do the whole downstairs at once in the same flooring, then I'd suggest going with a porcelain tile that mimics brick or slate. And do underfloor heating with it. Daltile Hyannisport Daltile Fransciscan Slate in Terrain Marrone If that would be too hard of a surface for you, then consider something like Forbo linoleum in a vintage look checker pattern.

Yes they are painted from Shiloh. I love them don't get me wrong, I just can tell they are going to scratch easy. My husband just tried to open a cabinet without the pulls and scratched the corner:(. My old house had oak cabinets. That is what I was meaning. Thank you on the light fixtures. I searched forever and I couldn't find anything I liked until I found these at a local lighting place. They are Kitchler Lighting 65408 Crystal Ball Mini-Pendant.