Glad you got some answers. Scarabs are in U>S. also. I just wrote & asked if anyone knew what my deep turquoise green beetles were, look like a huge bumble bee & they don't want me under the apple tree. I wondered if they would sting me. They get quite noisy they also die under the trees, I thought they were getting drunk on the few apples that cook on the tree. someone said what a way to die & that they lay their eggs & then die so I have several,unless the mower got them up. Hummers had been feeding on the mushy apples too. I opened 1 that critters hadn't & ate a bit & it tastes just like you baked it. Same person said that hummers wouldn't be hurt by them. They are very pretty pests!! And you don't have to go to Africa to find them.

We just installed a very small-scale Carrera herringbone backsplash in our small galley kitchen. I really love it (despite the fact that the installer chose to orient it differently than I would have liked.) But our counters don't have much movement - they are Silestone Lagoon, so you can't really see the pattern unless you're right on top of them. I was still concerned about things looking too busy so I used white grout. This is a pre-grouted photo I think, and the sun makes the counters look lighter than they actually are (in reality, they're greyish.) I'm not sure how something like this would work with a more dramatic countertop like your beautiful superwhite. It's a lot easier to figure it out once your counters are in place, obviously - for me, the materials really looked different in place as compared with shopping around with samples. FYI, for the epitome of marble herringbone backsplashes, you must look at one by GW member @enduring. I don't know how to incorporate multiple links, so here is one to paste into your browser: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0818045826117.html So amazing! I've also included a link below to a recent reveal posted here by @sonny_h that is probably closer to your color tones. These photos made my decision on the backsplash for me. Good luck with yours!! Here is a link that might be useful: sonny_h kitchen reveal w/marble herringbone backsplas

Hope you enjoyed your cruise cpartist! I valued your opinions in my previous thread so I was hoping to see what you thought about my newest change. I've pretty much already come up with a concussion and an attempt at the drawing (pretty poor attempt!). Hardest part is the uneven ceilings between rooms and the need for the deco panel on the kitchen side. I think by making that wider, eliminating the cubes and turning the flanked cabinets into two cabinets (with the upper the same size as the ones that go across counter), I have accomplished what I was trying to achieve. More glass on the kitchen side since the passthrough cabinets became so short when I raised them and it allowed me to keep passthrough opening at 66". I hope!!!!

Thanks for your comments. The inspiration picture was for light placement. I had not noticed he mirror was backlit...but it does look very appealing that way. Hmm, will have to think about that. Correct about the color scheme, although the inspiration picture is quite nice. Sedona beige is an off white and BM White dove is a very soft ivory color. The base neutrals in the house will be a soft ivory and black for the upstairs, and soft ivory and navy downstairs. Chispa, I guess to each his own. All of my fixtures in previous house were Kohler ivory. In the current house the walls are creamy tones and the white fixtures look stark and a bit cold to me. So, for the next house, going back to ivory.