Avesmor...you described exactly my thoughts/feelings/experiences! We're also a tall family...ranging from 5'10" to 6'6" and still growing. None of us have an issue w/bending down to access the freezer drawer. Our bottom freezer drawer (1-drawer model) has 4 compartments... Deep bottom drawer the entire width of the refrigerator, Middle shallow drawer the entire width of the refrigerator, Ice maker + ice cube bin on top, and Deep drawer on top (next to the ice maker). The bulkier items fit in the top or bottom bins/drawers and the shorter items (like meats, rolls, "keep cold" things for coolers) fit in the middle drawer. As to crisper drawers...no, you only need to open one door to open them (at least in my GE Profile refrigerator)...one one each side...smart design! The only time I need to open both doors is to access the meat/deli drawer...it's the entire width of the refrigerator...which is OK b/c I don't access it nearly as much as the crisper drawers or the rest of the refrigerator. You do eventually get to know where you store things in your refrigerator...we rarely open both doors b/c we all know the milk, OJ, & Jam are in the door on the left; butter, condiments (ketchup, mustard, relish, etc.), BBQ sauce, maple syrup, etc. are in the right door; fruits are in the left crisper drawer; veggies are in the right crisper drawer; eggs, other juices, etc. are on a shelf on the right side; etc. "you get a temperature gradient in the fridge compartment like I described in my previous post" ...Previous post: "where dairy products on the top shelf sour before their BB dates" First...the "temperature gradient" you describe applies to any refrigerator/freezer combination & configuration! Second...the location/configuration of the compressor(s) (2 in many cases today) is(are) different in bottom freezers than top freezers, at least CD refrigerators, so your reasoning does not apply. Third...my dairy products last at least 7 to 10 days past the sell-by date whether in one of the doors, top shelf, or bottom shelf...so I have no idea why you're having so many problems. What temperature do you keep your refrigerator at? That may be the real issue. As to top vs bottom... In a top freezer, you can't "bring the items to you" since they aren't drawers...you have to reach all the way inside and dig around. With bottom freezer drawers, you don't have to "stoop" to access anything...that's b/c they're bottom drawers and pull out. You would only have to "stoop" if they weren't drawers (like stooping to access a base cabinet that has stationary shelves instead of drawers or roll out tray shelves.) But, they're freezer drawers...so no stooping! You pull out the drawer or bin you need, get what you need, push it in, and you're done! Why has the top freezer configuration been around so long...well... Factories are setup to manufacture them in the top freezer configuration......so it costs more to make something different like a bottom freezer configuration......which means it costs more to make a bottom freezer......which means bottom freezers cost more......which means fewer people will buy them (most people, especially in the past, look at price first and convenience & efficiency as very distant seconds & thirds)......which means there's a higher demand for top freezer (cost)......which means there's less incentive to re-tool for bottom freezer which means......(start at the beginning!) Just b/c "it's always been done this way", doesn't necessarily make it the "best"...it just makes it habit, familiar, etc. Obviously, just b/c something is "different" or new it isn't necessarily "best" either...but since people have varying degrees of comfort w/change (and most people don't like change at all...especially as they get older), people generally stick to "what they know" rather than trying something new. In the end, it really comes down to your preference and how you feel about what you currently have (and, to some extent, how comfortable you are w/change)... If I had it to do over and I had the room, I would probably go w/an all-refrigerator/all-freezer pair (24" freezer & 30" or 36" refrigerator). But, I don't have the room for 54" of refrigerator/freezer space (or even 48"), so it wasn't really an option for me. I have a 36" wide, cabinet-depth (CD), french-door, bottom freezer refrigerator. Here's how my freezer generally looks (I actually have a lot more in the drawers now...they're packed): All three drawers: Bottom bin/drawer: Note: ice cream fits in all three drawers. Middle drawer: Top drawer: Yes, we eat a lot of broccoli! LOL!

I want to clarify something for anyone reading this. People think they are getting the best prices by going to NC or shopping online. Experience has shown that all is well that ends well but there is more to this story. If you do have a problem, it will cost you far more than you ever dreamed. But I'd like to suggest another scenario for consideration that hasn't been addressed here. What happens when there are no more storefronts to go visit to see the product that you are then ordering from someone else? If everyone patronizes the online stores only or the furniture places in NC, what happens to our local business? Cheapest isn't always the best. And one person hwere was correct that the local stores are supporting your programs through their taxes. Why would you want to take your business to another state? Just a thought...but a good one. And good luck to you if you do get furniture shipped. You may get lucky...but then again, are you willing to risk it? I'm just a consumer, by the way, who has made mistakes like this before. I speak from experience and now wisdom.... Help keep our storefronts in business....it is good for you and our economy.

I just purchased 2 Cisco brothers sofas and am very happy with the clean lines and quality of the work. I needed 2 of the same and wanted good quality...I found a local designer listed on their website and she told me that their quality level was higher than than prices would suggest. I got the Delancy sofa,which I believe is from their Harmony or Habita collection. I really wanted clean modern lines and found most of the sofas available in my price range had some design features I didn't care for -these were dead on. I ended up getting a Kravet fabric, not one of theirs, as I wanted a particular shade of orange not available in their fabrics. Another CA furniture maker who's work I've admired online is John Charles Design. I'm from Massachusetts and very little of this modern design makes it up here, so I've resigned myself to ordering from elsewhere in the country. It's either low end or very high end imports.

Boy oh boy, you all really have me thinking (really, obesessing) about this. I am really torn. I want nice quality things but at what cost? I need to be able to sit on the pieces before purchasing them and we really don't have many furniture stores in my area. I'm going to another store tomorrow, about an hour away. I'll see what they have to offer. I did find a Drexel Heritage sofa that I love (the Kerry). It has a tight back, exposed feet, and low arms, but it is too deep, too high, and too long for my room. Plus, Rose, Boyles and Lexington don't sell Drexel. The local price is $2400 for the sofa. Ouch! So a sofa and a loveseat would be close to $5K. I wouldn't have the space for the chairs and ottoman I wanted. I would have to find one smaller accent chair. If I go with the Norwalk which is smaller in scale, I could get a sofa, loveseat, two chairs and an ottoman for $5,100. In both cases, this is a large amount of money and I won't know if I made the right decision for years to come. Let me ask you this, how important is it, really, to have a frame and springs that will outlast the style and potentially the fabric of the piece? If I spend the money for a high quality sofa and the fabric wears out or is out of style, I would probably end up spending another $1K (at least) having it reupholseterd anyway in 10 years. Why not just buy a new sofa then? If the frame style becomes outdated (which mine is), then what? I am not the type to get rid of something that is in perfectly good shape just because it is dated. I have two young children so I don't expect ANY sofa to last for the next 20 years. I'm shooting for a good 7 - 10 years. My current sofa, loveseat and chair are Schnadig --with sinuous springs and I have no idea what type of frame they have. They are 11 years old. I've had to replace the piping that became worn on the sofa and loveseat seat cushions. The piping on the pillows is also shot. Then the fabric started to wear at the corners of the center seat cushions (where they get the most use). Granted, the springs on the loveseat are starting to go - but this is the piece that the kids have removed the cushions repeatedly and used it as a trampoline for the last 5 years. The loveseat has also taken other abuse - not to gross anyone out, but if you have kids you'll understand - it was "christened" by my kids in more ways than I care to explain. The springs and frame on the sofa and chair are in good shape, as far as I know - no squeaks and good support. The seat cushions have not lost their shape at all. The loose back cushions look very sloppy and have definitely seen better days, but I think that's because of the style of the pieces. I LOVED the fabric when we purchased the set, but now I DETEST it. Plaid, plaid, plaid, yuck! I would never think of reupholstering the pieces because I don't like the style anymore. But if the cushions weren't ripping, I would have a hard time justifying purchasing new pieces. I don't even think the Salvation Army will take sofas that have holes in the fabric, so they will be put out at our next yard sale then thrown away if noboby buys them. I never put this much thought into buying anything before. All I know for sure is the old stuff has got to go soon and I need to stop obsessing. Sorry for my long rant. Thank you all so much for your comments and advice. Cindy