Here are some pictures of my bi-level island. Please forgive the mess on lower part - just got 2 new drawers added and trying to organize stuff, I have things out waiting to buy trays. The top doesn't collect stuff now that DD has a drawer for her art supplies. Though I do need a better place for tomatoes and bananas (empty hanger for now). And wish I could think of a better spot for coffeemaker. Breakfast bar (though I eat dinner there with kids when DH is away - as soon as I finish 4th stool maybe we'll all eat there) From FR (had to shut door to mudroom b/c the bench there collects our things - ignore junk on counter by fridge - more organizing to do, put her art stuff in our old "junk" drawer) Lower level (blue tape marking studs so we can nail in trim under plugmold - I'm finishing side pieces now)

I had edge grain rock maple BB in my last kitchen & I chose it again for my new kitchen, the main reason being the functionality of cutting on it. I use cutting boards for meat, but basically, I think they're a PITA & one more thing to clean. I oil my counters 1-2 times a year & I don't find that they look overly scarred or beat up; a serrated knife will chew up BB & I avoid those. I suspect that dark species of wood like walnut would tend to look faded & dry more than a light wood, but I'm guessing. IMO old cutting boards look particularily bad because of water damage caused by submerging or soaking them or putting them in the DW - all things that shouldn't be a problem with a counter top that's reasonably cared for. Of course, if you want a countertop that looks like fine furniture with an unblemished finish & exquisite grain, cutting on it would not be the way to go.

Does anyone know the answer to this - I have a 2 1/2" mitered flat edge and shaker overlay doors. When the doors were installed I noticed that I only have a 1/8" overlay over the door and drawer fronts. The counter does not protect the doors at all. Now the fabricator tells me that with a mitered edge they can only make a 1" overlay and not the 1 1/2 overlay that is standard with a flat eased edge. They said that when using a mitered edge only an inset door and drawer will do so that you can get enough overhang. Has anyone ever heard of this before? Any suggestions in how to correct this problem? How to add on to a granite edge. I can't rip out the countertop. Could possibly plane down the doors and drawers or make new inset doors and drawers but this is problematic to do.

In the first plan, I do like the closet placement in the master, but both bedrooms limit furniture placement. The Second plan makes furniture placement more flexible. It is unfortunate that as you walk in from the front door, you see the kItchen before anything else; at least the first plan leads you through the labyrinth to a view out the windows. And in the second, entering from the garage forces you to walk around to the bedrooms. If you could combine the half-bath and full-bath, you could have the laundry also be a walk-through to the bedrooms (and I just love having circulation opportunities in a house).