Thanks so much everyone for all the nice comments! My primary goals in doing the kitchen remodel were to update the look, improve functionality and to warm up the color scheme using vibrant earth tones for a slightly Tuscan feel. I have been very happy with the transformation. Its amazing how some paint and granite can make such a difference. I had to look up my old notes to find the names of several of our materials used but here is the short list as requested: My Granite is called EL DORADO and is from Brazil. My Backsplash tile is a Mexican Travertine 3x6 Subway called DESERT CREAM IMPERIAL from Florida Tile Kitchen Sink is a Blanco 1-3/4 Anthracite Silgranite Kitchen Faucet is the Lady Grohe Cooktop is the Thermador 30 inch Induction with the Popup Vent system Double Ovens are the 27 inch Kitchenaid Architect Series II Microwave is the GE Profile model PVM2070DM1BB Beverage Center is the MARVEL 15 inch BARM-BB-G with the all black framed glass door Original 20 year old dark cherry cabinetry custom made by Dutch Mills in Goshen Indiana. Under cabinet lighting is Seagull Ambiance Xenon Low Voltage Linear Lighting on dimmers. Kitchen window shades are Graber brand light filtering pleated shades, Lucia model and the color is Elderberry 4050 We used all BEHR paints but some of the colors were custom mixed. The yellow kitchen walls and soffits were a Restoration Hardware color called SAFFRON which we had color matched in the BEHR paint The burgundy accent color used on the kitchen windows and on the powder room walls was BEHRs CURRANT JAM The Sunroom walls were BEHRs WHISPERING PINE The Sunroom Ceiling was a Restoration Hardware color BAY LAUREL that we color matched in BEHR Hallway to laundry was BEHRs CUP OF COCOA Laundry room walls were BEHRs AUTUMN GOLD Regarding the questions about removing the light box over the island. My neighbor did most the remodel work for me. He is a licensed electrician and just removed the wood box frame and fluorescent fixtures. We luckily had an intact drywall ceiling under the light box so it just involved installing new pendant and recessed can lights in the ceiling by repositioning the original wiring from the light box and installing the new fixtures. There was minimal drywall patching required. We upgraded to dimmer switches also.

I've been travelling -- enjoying the freezing cold weather of San Francisco :-) ... (actually, the last week was gorgeous) and missed a few comments in spite of adding a prior one. The bin blocks will weather out and look fine as planting around them is finished. Merely suggesting a material is a drop in the bucket insofar as whether the finished product will look great or crappy. There are innumerable details that go into making a wall look good. I would put the team that came up with bin blocks on it and think they would do a fine job. Just need to come up with a compatible look. A single course of bin block would be a good solution. If that thickness won't fit, then some facsimile or concrete could work out fine. Brick or pavers near the entrance would be nice in order to add a decorative quality to it. But really, since all the other walk seems to be concrete, there is nothing wrong with that either. The layout is just as important as the material. If there was a nice fabric awning over the door, the whole apartment building would look better.

Bobbie H, did you have to go back a couple of times to scrub off more of the limewash paint to bring out the brick more??? we just did the lime wash yesterday and it is drying more white and I"m thinking we need to to scrub off more. DId you just use rags? or did you use a wire brush or anything??

Thanks for all your comments everyone :) Marylut i dont think the wall is actually blocking any light really, its just that with the door closed (even though the room is light enough) its really quite obvious that there is a closed door (if that makes any sense!), we thought maybe with the wall taken out it would just open it up some more. Jan, yes an exterior balcony. The balcony you can see from the pictures wraps around to behind the wall behind the fire place and meets up to a sliding door which opens into the dining area. Elizabeth, it would be amazing if it were a lake! But its actually just the view of the valley and houses below us. The lounge connects back to the entry way. So if you look at the first photo "View from the front door" just to the left is the door into the lounge (that goes down a few steps to meet the dining room again. There isn't anything under the floor, its a stilt home so underneath is dead space where we store our fire wood :) gnu36- If we swapped the dining room and lounge then the area where the dining room is now will have two lounges as in the picture you can see little stairs going up and that goes into what is to become a formal sitting room. Sonni1- thank you, we absolutely love it and are so excited at all the possibilities of improving it! Zmith- thank you too, as above we do love it! Thank you for your opinion, we would definitely need a balustrade otherwise I dont see how we would make the stairs safe from the dining room side. So all in all, i think the question has been answered- we will not be consulting a pro as it seems unlikely it would make as huge a difference as we hoped and its probably better to spend our money in other areas. Thanks again for everyones comments, despite feeling some of them were pretty rude and too abrupt than necessary i will definitely be posting again if i need some more help with other areas. Thanks all.