Thanks Soaht...I actually mostly grow my mango trees inground...but I do have a couple I'm growing in pots now and a couple of lychee trees as well. My recommendation for you plantlover (if it were me) I would pick Pickering over Nam doc mai...mostly for the reasons that I've heard a lot of people that grow NDM have issues with fruits "splitting" due to inconsistant waterring and because its going to be in a pot I think it might be harder to keep the consistency of the water harder than ones inground? again, this is just my own personal opinion...I have Pickering and it is a very nice tree and it fruited the very first winter I had it...although mine is in the ground...I know a lot of people that grow Pickering in a pot and it fruits well for them... As far as Lychee goes I think Emperor is a slow growing variety and some what semi dwarf...but if you want to try Hak ip and keep the tree pruned yearly you should be able to grow it in a pot. I have a Mauritius planted in the ground and have a Hak ip and Brewster in a pot as well... Definitely do some research for either Ohiojay and Lycheeluva both members here in GW...they both grow tropical fruits in NY and the other in Ohio...Good luck!!

Illegal means against the law. Deed restrictions are usually enforceable in civil court, not criminal court, and are normally placed on the property by a former owner, and may never be enforced. Do you really have deed restrictions, or does a local law or regulation prohibit that extra bedroom? If it is the former, in my non-lawyer opinion, a contract to build that way would be enforceable, if it was written correctly, at the risk that the holder of the deed restrictions would attempt to have them enforced. The first thing you should do is haul everything you have to a local real estate and/or construction law attorney and get a legal opinion on what your options are. There may be ways to deal with the situation. Without that information, you risk making matters worse or running into a dead end.

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I couldn't see enough to comment on in the other thread, and since you are getting comments here, I'll post here also. I have my refrigerator on a wall with tall pantry cabinets and find that it is very functional to have all your food starage together. I saw that as a possibility right off here -- that narrow counter trapped between two pantries either has to have a planned special purpose or it will tend to become a wasted space zone -- a mail drop and clutter magnet or just a forgotten space. I had one in my "before" kitchen and Ive seen a number commented on here, so I don't think you will be losing function by filling in that space. The other option for filling in that space mentioned is the oven stack. That could work, and you would have landing space to the right with the sink run. But is that exterior door one tat is heavily used? If there is much traffic there, I'd prefer not to put the oven there. If there is not much traffic, you could look at putting the oven there -- possibly the oven, fridge and one pantry (food storage) and a second pantry where the ovens are now (small appliances, less frequently used items). I like wall ovens, but if a range is possible for you, I'd go with a range and put a micro on the end where the fridge is drawn now (upper, lower, drawer) or in one of the pantry talls. That would give you maximum counter space in the largest and most useful sections, all your food storage together and your cooking would still be in one area. You mentioned the peninsula for your husband. Do you anticipate that he would help with prep work and such there, or is it more of a sit and join in conversation purpose? If he might be helping with prep, you might want to plan some things there to help that function better than a bare counter.