Mayflower, per the link you posted I was pleasantly surprised to read how inexpensively they did that beautiful counter. My goal here is not to break the bank as the market in this area not great and hopefully this redo will be the last and I like what I saw with the 24" square tiles and would surely last a long time. Can I assume that they could over my existing formica a sink could be undermounted if 24" porcelain or granite tiles are used I would love and undermounted sink and what material other than SS? Thanks for the idea and I will look for a source to check out the tiles. I still am working with that last color scheme with the valance and think I want a dark counter. Would that be easier to achieve with 24: granite tiles than porcelain?

OOOOHHHH. AAAhhhhh. I really admire your vision. I love the way you made your renovation "fit" the bones of your home so much. I've been looking at Ikea to create a very similar "pantry wall" - may I ask if you used 15"-15"-24"-15"-15" cabinets/Rubrik doors? Are they 12" or 24" deep? They appear to be 12", however it is difficult to tell. Did you use Perfekt Nexus cabinets on their sides to create the top? I love how it adds to the rhythm. Were you able to use Ikea pieces to finish the ends/top, or did you need to head to a lumber store? It is just beautiful. Thank you! Hestia Here is a link that might be useful: Perfekt Nexus cabinet

I hope y'all are ready for my list! For two years, I've been 'on hold' while the planning and implementing of a huge construction job in my yard. I had to dig up a lot of my roses, didn't dare plant any and of course kept 'collecting'. Now the work is done and I have a lot more room. Plus with experience, I know what I want. I also lost a lot of roses between the Polar Vortexes and some that I dug up did not survive. I've also decided to get back into Hybrid Teas in a big way, I like exhibiting and doing arrangements, and they are the best for that. I also want to start with minis, so I'm stocking up on them. Ordered from Palantine, on multiflora, just came two weeks ago: Double Delight (was to replace mine that I thought was dead, but it's still alive, I dug it up and am keeping it in a pot) Gemini (I had this years ago, but it didn't make it) Pope John Paul II Rainbow Niagara (this is aka Tropical Sunset, which I lost last winter) Dainty Bess Paradise Razzle Dazzle Dark Desire Lucille Ball From Rogue Valley, caused by a thread on GW about buds and sepals... Won Fang Yon Cesoine Bella Donna Leda Nuits de Young Mystery Rose Ordered from a local nursery, will have in April: Dick Clark New Zealand Moonstone Munstead Wood St. Patrick (had this, loved it, lost it) Picked up at the DSD Mid-Winter Meeting: Mrs. BR Cant (replacement) Tradescant (on Fortuniana, a replacement) Randy Scott (also on fort) Magnificent (also on fort) Glowing Amber (mini) Mini-Floras from Kroger: Flawless Powerhouse Patron Ambiance Classic HTs from Home Depot: Chrysler Imperial Pink Peace Tropicana Gene Boerner (floribunda) Chamblees order through my Rose Society: Darcey Bussell (already blooming!) Southern Peach (mini-flora) Deja Blue (mini-flora) Mrs. BR Cant Crepescule (replacement for one that didn't survive being dug up) Loretta Lynn Van Lear (already has buds and they look amazing) Pearle d'Or (this one I bought 2 years ago but haven't been able to plant yet) Burlington Roses, bought last year, still in pots Power Point Miniflora Merlot Mini Orange Parfait Mini Jean Kennerly Mini Irresistible Mini Twilight Zone (I think this one is gone, I will have to get another one) Additional ones I picked up here and there, many from my rose group Queen Elizabeth Shrub Blumenschmidt Madame Plantier (2) Homere Nastarana Swamp Rose Mutabilis Cramoisi Superieur Alnwick Castle Tess of the Dubervilles JFK Ballerina (replacement, lost to RRD) Reve d'Or (replacement lost to RRD) It sounds like a lot, it IS a lot. If you add in the roses I had that I had to dig up, it's over 70. But I am getting three new beds and I have most of the spots planned. If I don't get them all planted this year, it's not a huge deal. Wish me luck! Almost forgot! I have a bunch of roses that we dug up from a fellow members garden. He went into assisted living and wanted his roses to go to members. In addition to the Reve d'Or and Ballerina, I have Madame Hardy (didn't think it was going to make it, but it's putting on new growth) Polka, a climber that I will give to another member. The rest I have no idea what they are! That will be the fun in seeing them bloom and identifying them based on his lists (unfortunately the tags were gone). I know one is a rugosa from the foiliage. I'm just not sure which one.

Jln333, We actually open up our house more often than most people I know down here. For example since we dried out from Harvey we have had every window open in the house. 85 during the day and 50s at night. Yesterday it got warmer and humid so we did have to close things back up. Starting this time of year we will have dinner and relax on the deck almost every night (mosquitoes are the current limiting factor-hence the expanse of screen porch in the design) The French doors in the guest bedroom are mainly there to offer a secondary egress for aging parents and guests. I think a single exterior door in a bedroom looks out of place so the french doors are mainly for aesthetics. I don't expect them to be opened much at night since they do not open into the screened area. They do open on to the covered deck so should not get direct sunlight. As far as garages they don't bother me. They will be parallel to the entry road so the first thing you will see is the front of house. The house is not visible from the public road. They also serve as a buffer to the existing house. Even though we have 100 acres the prime building areas are limited. The bump out on the end breaks up that wall of siding and gives more room for me to open truck door. I have purposely limited extra space in garage to avoid storing stuff there -- that is what the barn is for!