You've made me feel better, which is good because I was told 2 coats of satin are already down. The last coat is done after the painters finish and carpet is in. I do wish I'd thought of semi as a first and maybe second coat and then finishing with satin. I should've checked with you all first! I'll see it Saturday morning when hubby said he could go with me too. We've already wasted a ton of gas driving out there so often (40 miles away). Thanks again, everyone!!

I prefer a satin finish. My floor guy did 2 coats of semigloss and a final coat of satin. A glossy top coat will show every speck of dust and pet hair.

See, I'd just tell my DH that he could enjoy the sunrise while he's doing the laundry rather than while he's making coffee! ;) I kind of like the look of latest rendition, but I'm not loving the function. Leaving the laundry in the MBR would kill it for me. I know you don't mind it, but I can't imagine that it wouldn't be a sticking point for some potential buyer down the road. It would be for me. The issue raised earlier about kids having to come in the parents' room to do their laundry as they got older would be even stickier with the addition of another bedroom--i.e., room for a second kid with laundry needs. Could your stackable W/D fit in that closet area in the mudroom? Also, how will you use this desk? Will it become your home office space? If not, it seems like it would become a clutter magnet, ruining that nice view. I still prefer the rendition above where you reuse your sink and five-panel door. I think it makes the space far more useful in a house where useful space is at a premium.

If your potted lemon survived the summer, or if you are willing to try anew, here is my experience with Lisbon Lemon. It is a tropical plant (think humid air) that lives in the wild in thin well-drained soil. The one I grew in the ground did very well in spite of our alkaline soil, probably because it drained so well. It was destroyed in two consecutive week-long deep freezes about ten years ago. So I switched to a potted tree. Several potted citrus, in fact, that I placed on rollers to bring onto the porch and drape on freezing nights. These have been more challenging, but I've learned a thing or two, viz.: In summer, keeping potted citrus sufficiently hydrated can lead to root rot if the soil is too heavy and the pot is plastic or glazed or dark colored. So, my recommendation is to get a large terra-cotta pot that will breathe. Make sure the interior is not painted. Make sure that you check for pot-bound roots, and gently loosen and spread them if you see this. Plant potted citrus in bagged cactus/palm soil rather than the richer soil usually recommended for citrus. I've come to think that a breathable pot and light soil are key to success with potted citrus in our climate. Most citrus sold in Arizona nurseries is imported from the more humid climate of California where haze provides unnoticed but important protection. Or it is grown in a greenhouse in Arizona, where, again, the air is humid and the light filtered. Once outdoors, in the dry air, it has little protection from our severe sun. So, place it where it will get morning sun but shade from mid-day onward, and rotate it for even growth. If you can't provide this condition, try draping it in cheesecloth raised on bamboo stakes in summer to give it a filtered shade. Not the prettiest sight in the garden, but you will have happier plants. In our climate, any plant in a pot is living a harsh life. The watering washes away nutrients, and there is no alternate source, such as naturally decaying vegetable matter from adjacent plants. So, while feeding three times per season suffices for in-ground citrus (Valentines Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day), I find that potted citrus need a little more. I give them half-strength fertilizer (or weaker) alternate weeks during growing season. With Lisbon lemon, it is hard to find a shrubby tree in local nursuries, but keep looking. These can be pinched at the tips to keep it a managable size. The more tree-shaped single-trunked standard form will want to grow into a tree, and make itself hard to manage in a pot. The single-trunk form is better for in-ground planting. Good luck with your citrus, present or future!