Goodness, thanks again everyone! Thanks, Mama , Arapaho, Roarah, Sochi, Pipdog, Yvette, Merry, Maryanne, April, Bethpen, CLblakey, Irish2,Schoolhouse, GWlolo, Sis2Two, Desert_Solitaire, Texanjana, Walnutcreek Lynnein NM, what a nice compliment! Thank you. StephF, LOL, I may still be nuts! Thank you. Desertdance, In re the curtains, you are going to be very happy. They are from West Elm, come in many sizes and are dirt cheap! (see link below). They don't have a great hand and provide almost no privacy, but there you go. I still have to put up the pair on the double window and the doors. The industrial rods (also West Elm, very happy with them) were back ordered. Luckygal, Tuesday_2008, and Beckysharp, Thank you! In re the dark table. One thing I had kind of "learned" on the boards here is to balance dark and light in a room. I was thinking the table had no tonal counterpart, but I am glad you mentioned the ladders. Yes, you are right. Dad, I will not be "ruining" the table. Bee, Thank you! You remember the silver tray hunt! I ended up getting one very cheapo from ebay --- i think like 80 bucks. It has irreparable damage in spots but it is perfect for this use. Patty cake, Yes, it is a folly. Certainly a per-sq-foot folly! I seem to be folly-prone. Thanks. Nini804, aww, that's so cute! I'm glad my target demographic likes it, too! Cyn427, I think the exterior looks a little like a toll booth, or worse yet, those security booths in gated McMansionvilles. I know dirt and a faded roof will help! And as you can see in one photo, we are starting vines to encircle the doorway. Any other ideas for the exterior? I need something that makes it look less tall --- like a big horizontal stripe! Ideas??? Mclarke - really? What a coincidence. I really wanted to wait until the vines grew in and the roof faded, but ahh what the heck. Glad you like it. It's actually prettier in person because in the photos you can't tell that its next to the pond and that is the view from most windows. Kitchendetective, Hmm, no, but there is actually a new bee box you can see in one of the photos! Not a bad idea to at least plant a butterfly bush. You are right about the setting. These types of mini vistas are why we fell in love with and bought this house, despite having no intention of moving and knowing no one here. You can't create some of what's here. I have always loved the moss-covered, fern bedecked, meandering, pond-view path to the stonehouse, and now we have a reason to go down it! Annie, i thought maybe it was because, in the thunder, you won't want to make the trip to the outhouse? lol BronwynsMom, Leave it to you to "pen" such a clever and charming review. It means a lot to me to earn your accolades, with your talent! Thank you! Jab65, Thanks! As for the ladder. I don't know if these pictures below show it better. The ladder is attached to a metal bracket drilled into the wall. When you want to use it, you lift the ladder upwards, it disengages from part of the bracket, and you pull it out. When you are done it goes flat against the wall again. All we did was show the carpenter the ladders and he figured out the rest. Here is a link that might be useful: Curtain source

This is a great thread. We're not remodeling but building a new house, and man, can I relate to a lot of these. ...you know every lighting fixture, faucet, sink, appliance by memory because you have endlessly researched each one. you freak out your own GC because you can discuss minute details about your house/kitchen from memory down to the 1/8". you have more e-mails from your GC/subs than you do from your friends. you wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat about some critical detail and then go downstairs to e-mail your GC about it right at the moment before you forget.

Things that are authentic. Real (or correct, high-quality reproduction) Chippendale, Hepplewhite, Regency, Stickley, Eames, Knoll, to name a few. Trench coats. Blue blazers. Perfectly fitted fine wool trousers. Camelhair coats. Good cashmere sweaters. Genuine pea coats. Brown & cream spectator shoes. Chinese bronzes Japanese obi patterns French copper cooking pots Real silver and gold leaf frames. Wedding ring china. Certain silver patterns (1810, Fairfax, Old French, Tiffany Audubon, Craftsman, to name a few) Georg Jensen anything Linen slipcovers Mohair velvet Ticking stripes Old Hermes leather Red leather Mark Cross datebooks Heavy ivory letter paper Beeswax candles Audrey Hepburn Gregory Peck 1955 Jaguar XK140 Roadster A bobby pin holder made by your 8-year old from an old Sucrets tin with a bobby pin glued on top, and some awful pink paint .

Ever since I joined this Forum and had been looking at kitchens and floors, I always have a tape measurer in my purse and a bigger one in my car. I also notice every counter and cabinet wherever I go and told a tax client of mine that his house is not selling due to the outdated kitchen in a rich neighborhood and he has to either update it or offer a large credit at closing so new buyers can buy a new kitchen. It has now been a year and his house has not sold and he has since bought a new house. He is finally agreeing with me that I was right all along since he loves the kitchen in his new house.