Mine are mostly small things -- like using a glass compote to hold cotton balls in the bathroom -- or a cut glass tumbler to hold q-tips. A hinged CD holder (similar to the tissue box above but a double version) used as a spot to store extra TP. I have a dresser that is a TV stand for our exercise room and the drawers have my gift wrap rolls and ribbons. A home office armoire that was going to be my craft and gift wrap station became a china cabinet when my dad moved and I suddenly acquired another set of china and crystal and I wasn't ready to make decisions on getting rid of anything. I have an old radio cabinet that I cleaned up and planned to put a new shelf and door in the top, but the stained glass panel hasn't been made. I'm thinking about painting it and redirecting it's new life for another room now. Another one I haven't done buy we've talked about a couple of times is to put a pull out bed in a window seat to add a guest bed in our gameroom. I think the inflating mattresses are going to keep that one from happening -- take less room and are probably cheaper and more comfortable now that we no longer have a sofa with the pullout mechanism to repurpose. If a new thread is started, we should try to link this one at the top so these ideas and photos aren't lost -- st least as long as we can.

Yes! I have an island (induction) cooktop and I love it. When i posted a draft layout on here a while ago, some people told me to go with it, but most advised against. Gave me a lot to think about, but we decided to go with it and love it. I think it depends on how you work in the kitchen -- many who advised against said that most prep work is done at the sink, so the sink should be in the most favorable position. (Our island looks out to a large window). But, I observed how I cooked for a few evenings and I tend to wash veggies at the sink, but then chop them near the cooktop. Our fridge is opposite the cooktop on the perimeter, also very handy. Our hood is stainless but we looked for a relatively clean-lined one, and definitely low-mid price. Ours is a Lux-Air (no-name, i think!), made in Italy, and was $850 reduced from $2000 (although i think all of their models are periodically reduced to this). Link to their webpage below (ours is the 36" curved). We are happy with it, but I don't use it heavily as i don't fry or grill meats/fish often (i'm vegetarian). I find the lowest setting enough to clear steam from boiling/steaming. Its not quiet -- definitely the cost of going cheap! Here is a pic of the island in our semi-finished kitchen: And an older one of the hood (in the middle of renov chaos): Hope this helps Here is a link that might be useful: Lux Air

Huruta - Thanks for responding. I'm getting a French Blue Chagny. Lacanche colors are wonderful and look even better than on the web or the brochure. If anyone is considering a Lachance, try and get to the showroom to check them out. I have a question about your vent a hood. The Lacanche website says that the vent should be a 24-27" deep and vent a hood only comes 19 or 22" deep. To be honest, I'm having an very hard time finding one that is even 24" deep let alone 27" deep. Is the minimal depth been a problem or issue for you? This has been the only hold up on finalizing the kitchen and I'm wondering if I'm being overly worried about something that really isn't an issue. Our vent will be installed at the same height as yours since I, too, have a tall husband. I'm also trying to figure out if it can be wired so that I can regulate the vent from a switch on the wall so that I'm not reaching over a hot oven to turn up/down the vent while cooking. I have some height issues and it is definitely as stretch for me to reach that high. Our designer hasn't been of any help in this area and says it "should" be fine. This is going to be my forever kitchen and my husband has already made it very clear that there are no re-dos so I need to get it right the first time.

With the Legacy 44, I can fit four shallow half-sheet cookie trays in each oven, although some pans of that size are a little tight to fit. I like that the trays are interchangeable between both ovens. Being somewhat smaller than a full size, they do heat up to temp faster. Probably the only limitation I can think of is a jumbo turkey wouldn’t fit, although I would prefer to make that in an electric roaster. The power burners of 15k have been powerful enough for my needs, like a good sear on a steak. My local higher end appliance store sells Aga, Wolf, and Viking, and the owner told me out of the three, there are the least frequent service calls on the Aga, in his experience anyway. I was convinced I wanted a Bluestar from reading gardenweb posts, but I’m nowhere near a distributor. Thought I had to have those ultra power burners they are known for. But once I saw the Legacy in person, my heart sang, so to speak. I don’t regret having the less powerful burners. I do love walking into my kitchen every day and seeing the shiny enamel and chrome of the Aga center stage!