No, sorry, I don't know how to post or even scan photos. And our kitchen won't be started until the end of Aug at the earliest. I do have great plans drawn. I'll try to verbally describe. Kitchen is in the front, looking out to the street. We have three doorways in the k, one to foyer, one to dr, and one is the back door. Entering from the foyer- is the cooking half of k-with cooktop, double ovens, sink, dw and peninsula-the peninsula kind of divides the k into halves. The fridge is a tad down on the double oven wall, 18' long. I know, I know, the problem is where to dine. I thought we'd have to eat standing up! So on the fourth wall, in the eating area, which is 10' long, and also has the back door, we will have floor to ceiling cabs built, about 15" deep. They will be slapped up on that now blank wall EXCEPT there will be a 31" wide space with only partial cabs on the top and bottom, and open to the wall. The wall opening will have the 30" side of a 30 x 66 rectangular table-kind of looking built-in. The table will jut out from the wall. On the open part of that wall, will also be a flat tv. Just above the table will be two shelves spanning the 31" open space, and they will probably be 15" deep. I will put my laptop there and probably salt/p. The shelves may turn out to be a clutter collector. Summarizing, four walls. 10' wall, doorway entry from foyer, has cooktop and otr mw with cabs. 18' wall has sink, dw, peninsula end, and three large windows. There are 17" between the end of the window and the tv wall. 18' wall has double ovens, fridge, 2 15" pantry pullouts, cabs. At the end of that wall is the doorway to the dining room. Just next to that doorway will be 4 feet of upper and lower cabs, giving us 4' of counter space. The peninsula will stay but tucked into the end of the sink run, and facing the eating area, will be an undercounter fridge.--in what would otherwise be a dead corner. And the fourth wall, 10', includes the back doorway to the outside, and the new cabs and tv and 30" side of dining table. I know I've been repetetive but I'm trying to be clear. oy oy

The kitchen and the baths are oriented off-axis at an angle to the house. There are a few reasons for this. As large as these houses are, they are very long and narrow, about 16 feet wide partway back and 12-13 the rest of the way back. The original plan would've had dark narrow hallways the length of the house. (The buildings I lived in had a 50 foot hallway on the first floors with a door at one end and maybe a window at the back somewhere) The off axis allows for a light well down the middle of the house and relates the kitchen and baths to the rooms in front and the rooms in back while allowing them to be a bit wider without squeezing the other circulation between front and back into a narrow hallway. There were no lights on in the house, it was overcast, and had actually rained a bit on our walk there, and the house was very light on the inside. The kitchen doesn't really meet today's criteria, but I think it looks better in person. I think it could be reworked a bit even in the uneven quadrangle shape. To put this in context, kitchens in these houses were often relegated to the very back wing along and behind the stairs, or put in the basement. This has relatively direct access to the hallway, the dining room and the sunken living room, down one part of that stairwell at the end of the sunken LR. If you look at the LR picture toward those steps, the same steps angle off to the formal entry from the hall and the narrow passage against the wall goes into the kitchen, and the staircase is intersected by a projecting wall of the kitchen. It's kind of ingenious.

As much as I love wood-I do agree on a new railing. Lights..I'm good with lights but I'm bad with lights. I mean I'd love to suggest shapes and all but since I'm mad about lights it'll take me abnormal amount of time-and most of it can be still a miss..you need a concept of everything first, to even try and choose between tons of amazing lights..or I need to understand your concept first, to try suggesting even. Add to that the fact I adore modern lights, traditional lights..I mix them too..the only lights I don't like are can lights lol..but these can be very useful in utilitarian spaces of all kinds. I'm bad with everything concerning electricity per se..but I already can tell you that one bulb ain't gonna make it. And just central lighting not gonna make it. I love central lighting, I grew up with it, and now I installed it wherever made sense..in addition to pendants, sconces etc..it's useful to enter a space and see it at night, you know. And of course rooms like dining need it. But it's not enough. It's overall lighting..you need mood lighting, task lighting too..you need to take into account where you want soft light, and where you don't mind shadows..you need to know wattage and what's enough for what..I have two 100 watt bulbs in our dining space (table for six), and it's on a dimmer..so one can do a project there or have a party where everybody seems a tad prettier lol, or leave it very dimly glowing at night-just welcoming somebody home. So whatever you do-add dimmers. 40 watt-won't do it..it's good for a very small light just for creating mood, you need many like these to make a difference. To read , you generally need minimum 60 watt, I'd say more. Add to it that some light is white, some is more yellow, some is more blue..will change colors-or won't, will enhance them, depending on colors..different people prefer differet light too. Say I need mine to be a bit warmer. Otherwise too harsh..it's bright but irritatingly so. So you see, it's the whole big plan that should be developed along everything else..start with looking at lots of lights, whether separate or part of interiors, whether new or vintage..and save the ones that you like. Pinterest, Houzz, Etsy, eBay, websites..however you prefer to save pics. (I prefer Pinterest because lets me pin from almost everywhere). Then narrow down to the ones you love. Keep dimensions in mind (figure this out well in advance) ..what light you need where..keep them maybe categorized "chandeliers", "floor lamps", etc. Maybe you're faster than me, or maybe you have very strong preferences, and it won't take that long..maybe budget's not an issue..but it took me months. I did have to outfit the whole house at once though-we had this final inspection. They want to see everything installed. If you can do it gradually that's somewhat easier. My deep loves were thousands of dollars sometimes. I realized very soon I won't be able to light my house this way:) Went almost everywhere vintage. Hassle like there's no tomorrow, but whole house's lighting cost me in the end like that first dining chandelier I fell in love with. See? You asked one specific short question-but I can't give you short specific answer)) First, that would be irresponsible somewhat. Lighing needs to be considered. Second, I'm too passionate thus making less sense:) But believe me, you want to take your time on that. Few things will make you as happy, and your house, as grateful. As you look at lights-whether you choose them in the end or not-use them as inspirations too..colors, shapes..you name it. Do you have furniture, fabrics you take with you? Something that you love, that will stay in your house? Or do you start anew? Even if you start anew-you probably have ideas what you love..look everywhere..your wardrobe, art in galleries, movies, books, nature around..whatever is inspiring. When we're in the right mood, everything potentially is. Don't miss any opportunity. That's how your vision for the house is born and starts taking shape, growing, becoming more confident. Think of elements-but always in the context. What your house is saying to you, what do you want it to say? It's challenging of course. A lot to figure out. It's exciting too. Gosh I'm so sorry..I hope you had patience to read through that..

For your question #1, the usual answer is go with hardwood over engineered, unless there is a reason not to so so (concrete sub floor to which you cannot put in fasteners, etc.). Since you mentioned Mercier, they have exceptionally nice finishes, and you can specify the sheen (or at least you could in the past). When comparing their engineered vs. pre finished hardwood in the same species and finish, you can even mix and match with no differences if you pre-arrange this with your supplier or distributor. Also, are you using an installer? You should since you are using a higher quality flooring. Your message seems to imply you are doing some of the work DIY. The difference between a DIY install and someone with years of trade/craft experience will be noticeable, IME.