I'll reinforce some of the others' suggestion, and maybe change some. If you're looking for the cheapest possible way to create a landscape, try the following: Go to your library and check out some books on garden design. While you're there, get one or two about plant propagation. Read, read, read. Take notes. Plan on paper. Keep in mind when you plan that what you're planning isn't cast in stone. If the yard is completed slowly -- to accomodate your budget -- then you'll have plenty of time to change your mind. And in the end, there's something very satisfying about seeing a plan become a reality. Also, it's not necessary to buy nice paper or colored pencils. Printer paper and crayons work just fine. Or notebook paper (you can draw lines the other direction to make a grid and use the grid to approximate space in your yard so you're not overplanning the space). And if you have a computer, that's even better: I don't know about Macs, but the IBM version of the Windows operating system comes with a very basic program called Paint which works just fine, and you can change the layout to your hearts content without throwing away a scrap of paper. If your soil is heavy, start collecting leaves and plant material scraps *now* and create impromptu compost piles. Get stuff from your neighbors: grass clippings, fallen leaves, trimmings, etc. If your yard is unplanted you have plenty of room to create piles for composted material. With time, patience, a lot of hard work, some indulgence from your neighbors, and a few large and unsightly piles, you can have a decent amount of soil amendment for cheap or free. (Though you may have to compost for as much as a year to generate enough for your purposes). I definitely second the getting-cuttings-from-your-neigbors approach. Or drive (or walk) around town and find plants that really strike your fancy instead of limiting your selections to your neighbor's tastes. And make sure you understand propagation (getting and using cuttings) before you go, not just so that the cuttings survive and thrive, but in case the owner of the plant you lust after takes some convincing because they don't understand propagation and need it explained that what you're after won't damage their plant. For pots to grow cuttings in, yogurt containers work fine, and you can pot up to gallon milk containers when you need to. The things that will be tough to find for cheap or free are the hardscape items. One recomendation I have is for mulch paths (or mulch in general): you can usually get mulch from power companies when they have to cut down brush or trees for maintenance purposes. If you tell them you want the mulch from the next job, they'll make it and drop it free of charge (or exceptionally cheap), though you have to be willing to accept an unknown (usually large) amount and you'll have no control over the timing. If you're worring about getting too much, try making arrangements with your neighbors for taking any excess off your hands. With patience, time and (sometimes huge) effort, you can have a nice landscape for the price of rooting hormone, soil-less sterile mix (for the cuttings) fertilizer, and some hardscape materials. Now, you may not want to go about it in this bare-bones a manner, but I took my suggestions to the extreme just as a reminder that landscapes do not need to be store-bought and expensive. Good luck!

All perimeter cabinets are simply white. My island will be stained oak. With the black top. However there will be an island table that is attached next to it that will have the white quartzite. I have pieces saved at the stone yard that are what I used in the kitchen so do not want to deviate. I originally wanted soapstone but not to be found here in my price range and when I found the quartzite, I could see my kitchen needed to be light countertops but I wanted the bulletproofness of the granite. Plus they didn't have enough quartzite for the whole kitchen. So I have a mix. Its all good. I would post photos but the computer isn't cooperating. Can you use the island top you are replacing for the wet bar? Or are you repurposing it elsewhere?

I'm wondering if the kitchen can be placed elsewhere. I say that because your dairy kitchen will be a walkway through between garage/family room to stairs/living room. So imagine the kiddos running through as you're standing at the cooktop at the dairy or trying to prep something. Also while the kitchen is the "heart of the home" here, it definitely divides the house in half. You have a huge dining room which I understand you probably need for large family get togethers. However, I'm wondering if you could also use the dining room for nightly family dinners, and instead of a separate dinette, create some sort of island seating or a small banquette against the island combining the kitchen/dinette space into one. Yes it would mean reconfiguring the downstairs but right now it reminds me of my aunt's old brooklyn house with the rooms somewhat disjointed. I'm not a fan of all the foyer room for example. If you're amenable to the idea, I could play with it over the weekend in trying to reconfigure the downstairs? I would need to know if your square footage is set as it is, what are your parameters that are must haves and if you could send me a larger pdf. You can click on my name and message me and I'll send you my email address.

Consider undermount LED strips for kitchen cab lighting or other areas where you want accent lighting. Not that expensive but you need to plan as it requires a transformer. If you are doing entertainment system, dedicated 20amp circuit where equipment will go. If you have fans in beds make sure you space cans from fan to avoid strobbing. Also keep in mind there is a difference between accent lights, work lights, and lighting to generally fill a room with light. If putting cans in kitchen for work lighting for example install so they are in front of the person cooking. Otherwise you will cast a shadow based upon the direction of the light. This is one of the reasons why I like LED under cab lights. Also pay attention to the color of the light. Especially with LED. I find that most people ignore this when they finish there house all the light is different colors/tones. Make sure you like the light output of the 3000k lamp and get your other lights to match if in the same room. I also like putting walk-in closet switches on inside of closet and on occupancy switches. My son leaves his closet light on all the time and it drives me crazy. Instead of cans over island I would put pendants. Can lights should really be reserved for walkways or to provide general lighting in a room. Consider LED work lights in laundry areas. Similar to old fluorescent but better. If you don't work in the garage I wouldn't spend all the money on those can lights. Sorry for the verbal deluge. Going back and forth from lighting plan to comment. Hope this helps. Good luck.