dmlove: I don't see your other thread. What is the exact title? Yes, we have the washer-left dryer-right setup. My exhaust vent is out the back wall. So I need to maintain approx 4" behind the dryer for the rigid aluminium duct to make a 90* turn at the dryer exhaust and at the wall vent. This required me to choose a dryer with no more than a total 30" depth, including the front door handle and anything sticking out of the back which would contact the duct. This requirement kept us from considering the Duet Sport dryer, or frankly any other FL washer dryer mates. I did consider modding the laundry nook so the doors where out farther, but it would have looked like a "hack". Since the washer/dryer are out of sight most of the time, we really did not mind going with a traditional, non-matching dryer which fit the nook depth. We got the Maytag MDE4608A which was half the price of the Duet Sport Dryer, but still had a 7.0 capacity, moisture sensor and drying rack. I did not see anything else in the sub $400 range with a moisture sensor and drying rack. I also liked the way the Maytag introduces heat from the back of the drum and pulls it out thru a front vent. Much like a GE in this regard. I would also note our dryer has the option of routing the exhaust vent out of either side instead of the back. As I understand your setup, you need to maintain 4" in the back of the dryer, and then raise it up so you can route the duct to the side wall vent. Correct?

Rebunky - will do. Contractor is sending someone out tomorrow to take measurements. He did tell me that he sent my sketch (the one above) to the builder, and that the builder confirmed that it could mean significant savings. Of course, I have no idea what "significant" will mean. No, I understand what you're saying about the transom, and that could work. I'm not sure that I'd do it only because, well, I think if I try to make the window & door match too much, it might end up looking stranger - like, trying to make two things that are clearly not the same look the same, but I'm not sure. The other though I had was just leaving the existing window, and cutting out the bottom to put a second, stationary window right below the existing double hung. The stationary window will be bigger than the transom above the door, but maybe it could actually be a point of interest, if not symmetry. I wasn't clear, earlier - it's not that the slider would cost what I paid for the house, the entire project would. If I went for the big slider, transom, and all bells & whistles (under cabinet lighting, etc) the project would cost close to what I paid for the house. House is worth a lot more, now, but still... My compromise sketch is really growing on me. I find sliding doors to kind of be a pain in the butt, for one. Maybe still talking myself into it, but, if so, that's pretty good, eh? If only I could talk myself into preferring cheap wine, cheese & chocolate... I agree with you about the grids - time for them to go! I bought this door at Lowe's some 5 years ago for $200, it was the only glass door they had in stock at the time, so I got it. I may get rid of the security gate, too. Maybe remove the bars on the back window, too. I hadn't thought about that, whether it makes sense to do so in terms of security. Hmmm. That's a questions...

WOW! Thank you all soooo much! You all have made me so much more zen about everything. And you're all 100% right--it's not as dire as I thought when I first got the photos. There IS room and I know I can make it work, with lots of help, of course! Desertsteph, yes, I understand about not being able to get down and get to stuff in the back of base cabinets! So much space is wasted because I never want to use anything beyond about the first foot or so. Apartment base cabs are the worst! You have to use them because usually you don't get enough uppers, depending on the apartment, of course. I like the two big windows too! One thing I will say about this little place is that it has a LOT of windows. The previous owners have replaced the LR window, the LR bay window, and both kitchen windows with the good double pane ones. I will need to do the bedroom and bathroom windows. Historian, thanks for the recommendations; I'll be sure to check them out! Omelet, thanks for the kind words. I'll get out there ASAP to take measurements, photos, video, the whole works. Scone911, so true! NYC is maybe the worst, but if you don't have a lot of money, renting in any large urban area can be challenging. There are still some good deals in the Seattle area if you know where to look or have connections. I'm lucky to have those big windows! I remember the first little apartment my husband and I had in 1980...full of huge jumping spiders, no natural light...but I guess when you're 20 and in love you make anything work. ;-) bpathome, smiling, practigal, I think an induction cook top is a good idea. Also, I saw an oven hood/microwave that also can be used as a convection oven. That might be worth considering. Dhygarden, indeed! People in much of the rest of the world work with much smaller kitchens than we do here in the U.S. Haha, that often seems to come up on "House Hunters International"--Americans can't fathom the tiny kitchen. And you're also right about not having an electric appliance for everything. I can't wait to tell my best friends in Zambia the phrase "appliance garage." (They both work for American diplomats, so they'll just shake their heads and laugh.) I recently bought this really cute Jamie Oliver knife set; it's just three knives, but really you can do everything with them. I've always sort of dreamt of the European way of walking to the market every day or every other day to buy everything fresh. Though there are reasons I like the location of my new house, one disadvantage is that the closest grocery store (or anything, really) is about 10 miles away. Believe me, I never pictured myself living in the tulies...I always thought I'd end up in some downtown flat in a big city, but life is funny. I really do want to get a freezer if I can figure out where to put it...we can get snowed, or iced, in out there and it would be good to be stocked up on a couple weeks' worth of meals. I'm still holding out hope of getting a year long visiting professor gig in either in France or the UK, because I'd love to live in Europe for a year. Writersblock, first of all, let me just say I loooooove that cat!! What breed? Is he (she?) named Batman? If not, why not? ;-) Thanks for the advice on staying away from the 20" ovens! I haven't purchased my own appliances in a couple of decades, and I'm really not familiar with what's what out there. I like your under cabinet lighting too, very nice! My daughter and I are long overdue for a trip to Seattle, so we'll have to head over the mountains this spring--I'm a wuss when it comes to driving over the pass in the winter, haha! I kind of thought the same thing about the IKEA cart; I'm glad you've seen it and could tell me about it. I can't shop at the Evil Empire (Walmart) for political reasons, but I do know there are options--I can check out Fred Meyer, Lowes, Home Depot, BB&B, etc. Also, thanks to you and everyone for tipping me off to the "Little Paris" show! YouTube is completely awesome. Crl, ah to be tall! :-) I'm barely 5'1", and can't stand up straight because of my arthritis, so although I really love the hanging pot racks, they probably aren't the best for me. I think a microwave with oven or convection oven would be OK, at least for now because it's pretty much just one quick move to put something in and then take it out. Crl, also thanks for the suggestion of the toe kick drawers, and thanks to Chicagoans for the illustrated version! Very, very clever! Amazing how much space we have in houses that we don't think to use, like whomever came up with the brilliant notion of recessing things back between the studs. Chicagoans, I'm assuming you're from or live in Chicago, I have enjoyed visiting Chicago twice in the past few years for an academic conference. It's a beautiful city. Although I must say I've never truly known what cold was until I walked around in Chicago! :-) lferg92, I was looking at a super susan the other day; I think it was on the KitchenAid site. They look really wonderful. I'm glad you're enjoying yours, and thanks for the recommendations! Funkycamper and everyone else who mentioned the dishwasher issue, thanks for your honest assessment! You're probably right. Our first dishwasher when I was a kid was a portable--we lived in a tiny little house and it was a tiny kitchen. When we finally moved to Seattle from California we thought our built in dishwasher was the coolest thing ever, lol! I will seriously reconsider a smaller built in. And cpartist, point well taken about the stackables. The w/d that are there now are about 7 years old, I think, still in perfect working condition. But they are monsters; I've never seen such big machines, and both top loaders, ugh. LOL when I was staying there with my friends I practically fell head first into the dryer one afternoon trying to get stuff out. I have to use my little grabber/reacher tool, but that's OK. But as soon as I can afford new ones, they'll definitely be front loaders! Cawaps, "truly awful clutter management," haha! If you knew the half of it, but I'm going to remember that phrase! I'm very anti-clutter and kind of a minimalist. I really like the clean counter look, nothing sitting out. And you're right. When everything is moved out of the house, a feat I still don't know how will be pulled off, except they're getting another storage unit (in addition to the two they have now), and when the extreme cleaners have worked their magic, and when the ghastly china cabinet is knocked out, I know the space will look much bigger. Thanks for the encouragement! There was recently a huge debate, but I can't remember if it was this forum or something else, about pull-out bread boards. I'm pro-bread board, for the record. :-) buehl, thanks for the link. I'll be sure to study the instructions! Desertsteph, that makes a lot of sense, sitting at the table to do prep work. I have a wooden stool that I have used in my last couple of kitchens and that has worked pretty well. Sounds like you got a great deal on the bisque appliances! Ilovered and practigal, you've pretty much talked me into an 18" dishwasher! :-) Thank you all again so much! I'll get a floor plan up as soon as I can! I hope I can overhaul the whole house, roof to subfloor. The yard is also a mess; it's not actually a yard, it's more dirt with weeds. Since I'd like to be a good neighbor, something's going to have to be done next summer on that too. Luckily, the bones of the house are good. No leaks, siding and skirting in excellent condition, etc. The eat-in kitchen and living room will be my biggest and most expensive projects, and I want to do them first because that's where life is lived. I'm very much looking forward to getting your community wisdom! :-)

It's funny because I live "outdoors" a lot more when I go down to Florida than I do up North - because of the giant lanai! I can spend all day outside by the pool. Up North the mosquitoes just keep me miserable almost all hours of the day. My inlaws live in an HOA (golf community) and I'm sure they must spray because the bugs really aren't bad outside at all. Not sure about the pesticide implications for human health. I only visited Sarasota once in the summer (July) and yes it was hot, but AC everywhere, gorgeous beach weather and cooling rains every afternoon were nice for me. It was maybe 95-100 highs but it was mid-80s the whole time I was down just now in February anyway! Up in Nova Scotia it only gets that hot for a week or two in the summer, but few people have AC so it ends up being a lot more unbearable. At your price you might be able to get a canal-side home if you want to be near the water. I'd love that, but of course with it comes flooding consideration. My inlaws happily come home in April: they prefer the snowbird life.