Update: Called Satterlee's, they're out for the season. They reccommended Precur on 10th/Reno, called them, they have Virginanus, and couldn't tell me anything more about the Cultivar (haven't had great luck with them). Called a place in Richardson that specialized in trees, the fellow there didn't know what I was talking about, but was good enough to reccommend what he sadi was a large tree-farm south of Tyler, Rennerwood Nursery. Called them, they didn't grow Fusiformus. Then called Sunshine and struck paydirt. Spent some time speaking with Steve, he confirmed that they sold Fusiformus from the Quartz Mountain area. However, he believes that Fusiformis reputation for smaller size is probably a result of harsh environment, rather than genetic predisposition (he says that he knows of a Live Oak, presumeably a native in the Quartz Mountain area, whose diameter it would take three men with out-stretched arms to encircle). Unfortunately, he's out of the larger ones: the OKC zoo has some sort of project that involves native species and they've cleaned him out (Post, Blackjacks, etc, at least the larger ones) but he'll have some ready for the Spring. I enjoyed speaking with him so much that I'll wait untill then. That may work out better: after pondering just where I want to plant the Live Oak I've decided that a Cedar is in the way. I'll have to get it out of the way, and now I have a season to do it. shows the front, roughly south side of the lot. The Cedar is visible in the far-right mid-ground, on the flat. Other, perhaps more aesthetically pleasing areas are undesireable: I can't plant the Live Oak near the street, in the fore-ground: there is a power box within 20' or so and the cables radiate out from it in all directions. There's also a culvert (just visible beneath the drive) that drains the entire street: that area can stay damp, and actually soggy, for long periods of time.

Oh, for sure---we were trying to get somewhat close to the brass doorknobs, which is why we chose that color. But since our registers aren't brass at all (some matte silver-colored metal---zinc, maybe, or steel?---they date to 1930 when heat was first put in), the color was just from the paint that was powdercoated on---so nothing to wipe off or not. It was a metallic tone that the place insisted would looked like brass, but in retrospect we should have just gone with black. Ah, well. At the time I had pipe dreams of eventually stripping the baseboards and thought black would look wrong with the oak, but now I know that a) it wouldn't have, and b) I am not going to strip the woodwork in this lifetime. Ah, well.

I agree that it's the orangy-gold-yellowy paint that seems to be throwing everything off. I wonder what a warm blue might do for the room? It may be a bit tricky to get the right shade - you need enough warmth for the cabinets, but your counter reads slightly cooler. With the garnets that are in your counter, you could pick up the reddish-wine color and use that as an accent...that can work well with a blue. Usually with colors it seems like it's more about getting the right undertones rather than the right color family. You've got oak cabinets - I'm assuming they aren't going anywhere for a while, so you need to make peace with them. I think that with the right paint color, you can make the cabinets and the granite work. There is always the gel-stain option and if changing them I'd probably look that route. I don't think that painting the oak is a good idea since it tends to look like...painted oak. And that's a look that I really don't care for. You mentioned that the ceiling is changing - does that mean that you're putting in some can lighting as well as the pendants? I like the linear tiles...but not with your cabinets. Their style is more contemporary/transitional than what I think your cabinets can muster...the cabinets have a much more traditional look so you might do better with something a bit more classic in the tile line.

Russ J, my house was built in 1988 but it has that ubiquitous golden oak throughout it too. My hall bathroom entrance door and closet door are 6 panel golden oak, the 96" vanity is golden oak and the window is trimmed in golden oak. I will be remodeling that bathroom in February. I am replacing the vanity with a painted one. I am removing the 96" long plate glass mirror and replacing it with 2 framed mirrors. I am removing the fiberglass/acrylic tub/shower and replacing with a cast iron tub/shower. So I'm almost gutting the room but I am keeping the doors and trim as they are. I am going to use a MSI's Pietra Calacatta matte porcelain tile for my floor and tub surround. I chose the Calacatta version because it has golden streaks in it that I think plays nicely with the oak. The painted cabinet color that I picked out is called Cashmere. I guess it would be considered a greige with green undertones. Here's a couple pictures of my choices. Here's how the tile looks against the oak door. Here's the cabinet color. The countertop will be either Cambria Kirkstead or Cambria Whitehall. I know mosaic is not favored by most on GW but I am going use it anyway for the backsplash. I love the bit of sparkle and contrast it will add. It is Crimson Dusk from Daltiles Lucent Sky Series MSI's website has a visualizer on it that gives you an idea of how their tile will look in your room. Check it out. Good luck with your remodel.