The garage doors in the pool house are my favorite part, I've always wanted to do that somewhere. The rest of the house is pretty but felt contrived. I don't see anything that tells me about the people that live there. But some people do live like this, just not me! My stuff just can't stay that well contained :). The outdoor spaces are really well done.

Oh gosh, I'm so glad that Orion didn't run off, but seemed to know to come right back in where he belongs! I'm a firm believer of cats being kept indoors only, although I understand not everyone shares my conviction. Having let cats roam in my much younger years and coming across my Scooter dead in the road, and having my Skylar come home having obviously been in a terrible fight, I won't subject a pet of mine to such dangers these days. I'm paranoid about any of mine running out one of the doors when we go in and out, even though they've never made a move to do so; in fact, they run the other way when a door opens. Good kitties. ;-) My inlaws live in a fairly densely-populated suburban neighborhood nearby, and tell of neighbors (a young couple) who were in the backyard with their kids and small dog, and all watching helplessly as an enormous owl swooped down and carried off the little dog. Wow. Talk about something to traumatize a person, especially a child who witnessed such an awful thing.

Your description was quite detailed, but pictures speak a thousand words. So please put some up. Go to a big box store and see what appeals to you. Pay attention to price. Also visit a flooring store and maybe a tile store. You will want to take notes on price per square foot, then measure your rooms for an estimate of square footage. I like wood floors, but not in the kitchen. I hate wood in the kitchen, but that is personal.

Thanks @Beth and @RedRyder! Looking at the new colour samples some more in different lighting and positions, I really like the RAL 7037 -- Dusty Grey as well -- I think it's the winner! :-) Thanks for your guidance on the colour selection -- I'm a loss when it comes to colours, whether it's in a reno project or co-ordinating clothes, so it's awesome to get professional help! One more (hopefully quick) question. The table frame is also being custom made and powder coated to any colour of my choosing as well. I was originally just going to make it Matte Black, knowing that the dining chairs will have matte black frames as well. But should I be matching the table frame to my cabinets (i.e. Dusty Grey) or to my chairs (Matte Black)? I've included a drawing below that kind of compares the two differet looks. The actual dining table will have some of the frame under the stone revealed as well (i.e. where the stone overhangs the frame by 1" around the perimeter) but that's not drawn in. And these are the chairs I'll end up buying, but they're out of stock at the moment :-( Thanks!