@littlesmokie: Thanks for your thoughts and ideas and the link to the great blog! They were all helpful! Do I love the green accent? I like them, but I'm not sure if I love them.... @ :Having green in my kitchen was my sister's idea, and it took a little time to be okay with the thought until I saw the glass green tile. Still, I've had reservations. Do I wear green? Not so much. FYI, if it says anything, I have dark espresso hardwood floors; Coir color walls in living room; bathrooms with ivory travertine floors and walls and espresso shaker style cabinets and caesarstone countertops (Behr brand, I think; khaki/tan with a green tone); and pottery barn looking bedrooms for the kids and my husband and me. ~ Below are some better photos. You should be able to click on them now to enlarge them. https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/CZJqP94oax5I9afOlszJlA?feat=directlink https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/oR2_YYrhKhMhRbuRRCQ_9g?feat=directlink You can see the sage, beige and grayish tones. In the lower photo, you will see the a sample of the caesarstone jerusalem sand, the mini light green subway tile accent I was thinking about using (third one from the bottom) and the crisp white 3 x 6 subway tile sample (third from the bottom...originally, I was going to use barely beige). Do the clearer photos change your thoughts about our design which includes white cabinets and stainless steel appliances? Or, do you think I should go with the classic white look, maybe with all white subway tiles? I just want my kitchen to be beautiful, clean and crisp, yet with some warmth, and be worth the money spent. I've always dreamt of a white kitchen like this or even a more classic white cabinet kitchen (I'm sure you've all seen them or even have one like them): http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_pCtYBqw7SEE/SSInWgWSbFI/AAAAAAAAAaA/RJjsK1XwD58/s1600-h/white+kitchen+old1.jpg If I decide to use white glazed subway tiles for the backsplash, what size of tiles should I use? Also, if going with the classic kitchen white theme, I've always liked the calcutta marble countertop look, but would prefer to use a granite or caesarstone. Have any ideas, or would something similar in color match with the floor tiles that I have? Any thoughts or ideas would appreciated! I need to figure all this out this week! With a busy schedule with 3 young kids and a hubby who wants the kitchen finished with the next couple of weeks, I'm pressed for time! Yikes! :) Hope you all had a great weekend!

If you're not going to water in the summer, then anything but St Aug will be better than St Aug. It will die if not watered once a month or so. If the zoysia does not do well in the shade, then St Aug is the only option. So then, in prep for sod, no need to rototill or aerate. Just rake or scrape off the surface dead growth. Then lay the sod. Make sure they leave no gaps between sod pieces. The sod pieces should be staggered meaning that it should not look like a checkerboard. They should roll the sod down to ensure good contact between the roots and the soil. Then start watering briefly (5-10 minutes), 3x per day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner times), for the next 2 weeks. Then check a few pieces to see if they have knit to the soil. Try lifting a corner. By then the roots should be biting into the soil. Then you can back off on watering until you are watering deeply (1 inch) and infrequently (once per week max during the hottest heat of summer). That watering schedule may be much different from what your neighbors say and all your local advice, but their daily watering schedule does not develop a great root system. Daily watering also encourages every weed seed to sprout, and you don't want that. So as soon as the sod knits down, start backing off on the watering frequency. Are you interested in an inexpensive organic fertilizing routine. Here is a picture of a zoysia lawn with a handful of alfalfa pellets (rabbit chow) applied a month earlier... You can see the improved color, density and growth. Alfalfa is usually applied at 15-20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. You can buy it at any feed store in 50-pound bags. You and your daughter might appreciate organic.

Thank you for all responses/advice. Very helpful/useful. Excavation is supposed to start this week (that's how early we are in the build, no dirt has been dug yet). Cabinets have not been ordered yet (but need to decide/order soon). I do not like the idea of having the kitchen in the front of the house (where the dining room currently is), irregardless if a wall separates it from the entry foyer. What is most important to me is an open concept between the kitchen and great room. Moving the kitchen to the front of the house is not an option. Additionally, I do like the idea of having a more "formal" dining room, rather than a common eating area shared with the great room. I spent anywhere from 1-3 hours in the kitchen daily between cooking/near the stove, prepping, and washing dishes by the sink. I want to see the great room and converse with whomever is in there. Having said that, I don't like any plans with spending majority of time staring/looking at the staircase, either regular staircase or stairs down to the basement. I've asked before - can't move the porch or add bay windows to the front of the house. :)

Is this a redo of your 100 year old house? https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5556457/reno-add-on-ideas100-year-old-house