Ah, the fluorescent prejudice strikes again. To all those that "hate" fluorescents: please take another look at what's available. The vast majority of semi-flushmounts and flushmount fixtures we put in are fluorescents using CFLs, and you cannot tell the difference between them and an incandescent. We also make custom tube-type fluorescent fixtures covered by hardwoods that IMHO are gorgeous. You can get bulbs in every flavor you want (warm to cool), and dimmable bulbs and ballasts are increasingly available now as well. I know that somehow recessed cans are considered "decorative," but all I can say to that is that in the '70s everyone thought that lowering their ceilings was decorative too, and now everyone is tearing them out and putting the ceilings back up to full height. Recessed light also gives poorer light quality and quantity, meaning you will always have to pay more for them to get the same light as a fluorescent. Finally, missymar and others, all you have to do is take out those horrible wasteful incandescent bulbs in your existing fixture and replace them with CFLs, and you have a very efficient fluorescent fixture. Saying that all fluorescent fixtures are ugly is really the same as saying all fixtures of any kind are ugly, because these days pretty much all fixtures can be retrofited with CFLs.

We're going to put oil rubbed bronze hardware on our wood doors, but we are building a log syled home (not a primitive interior but a more refined farm look). We are putting mostly all pocket doors in, so it'll be whatever the nicest pocket door hardware is. We're still in the process of building, but getting close to being finished. I wasn't trying to discourage anyone from mixing oil rubbed bronze items with chrome, or any other finishes in a room. I mix and match all the time, as I buy what I like when it comes to curtain rods, lights, etc. that I like. It all always works and looks personal and homey. It's sort of like when I enjoy wearing a silk blouse with a pair of jeans. What I meant was if you have a certain shade of ORB on a sink, and that is near another matching sink, or a bathtub, etc. that if you ever need to replace the faucet it may be hard to make them blend to satisfaction. It sure is a shame to feel one has to replace other things not broken if they don't like how the differing finishes work. However, that might not be an issue with many people. And even though that has happened to me before, the chance of ever having that happen is probably low and would happen so far down the road you would want a total change by then anyway. I'm not a matchy matchy person, but when I tried to imagine if I had to mix and match the ORB faucet fixtures I didn't like it. I'm actually considering a vanity light that has oil rubbed bronze even though my faucets are chrome. All the magazine pictures show the vanity light metal matching the faucet. I don't think that is necessary. It all boils down to going with what your gut is telling you what YOU like. You need to feel happy every time you walk in the room. Just double check the warranty on the finish. Some companies won't warrant that. Sandy

General thoughts: I agree with the poster who commented that lights ought to blend into your overall design -- they should enhance your overall look rather than jumping out at you. I vote for "standout fixtures" in the places where they'll really show (probably the dining room table and the kitchen island) and moderate fixtures where other things will distract from them anyway (like bedrooms and hallways). I personally would match metals. Right now the trend is eclectic, but that won't always be true. I think matching is especially important in a small room -- like a bathroom -- but less important in a great room. If you want to go with something trendy -- like the birdcages or industrial-looking light fixtures that seem to be popping up everywhere -- they are something that can easily be changed out in the future. But if I were buying something trendy, I'd look for an inexpensive knock-off, knowing that it's going to look dated sooner rather than later. I wouldn't worry too much about lights in hallways, etc. -- those are small details that seem important at the moment, but really aren't going to be noticed in daily use. I absolutely want low, background lighting in a number of places: I want a rope light above the crown molding in my dining area ceiling. I want rope lighting under the edge of the bathroom vanity so we don't have to turn on lights in the middle of the night. And I like dimmer switches for the major light fixtures. This is a small thing, but it's a goal of mine: I'm trying to avoid specialty light bulbs. In my house right now -- in addition to plain light bulbs, of course -- I have big, fat bulbs over my breakfast table and bar, candle-looking light bulbs over my dining room table, small round bulbs in the overheads in my office, and "Hollywood" bulbs over my sink. The upshot is that I have to keep a variety of sizes of bulbs on hand! Admittedly, with the new, long-lasting bulbs, this isn't the headache that it was a few years ago, but I figure that if I choose better for our next house, I can have only ONE TYPE of bulb that'll work everywhere. Yes, I've already bought the dining room chandelier, and it has "upturned" globes that hold . . . standard bulbs! Another of my goals: Though every room needs an overhead light, I want to minimize the number. For example, I am putting a wall sconce at the top and bottom of the staircase instead of an overhead pendant that I can't reach -- even with a ladder. As people go higher and higher with ceilings, it's important to think about how you're going to change those light bulbs! Admittedly, I'm not quite 5' tall, so this is maybe more important to me than it is to other people.

I like your house the way it is. I do feel the large shrubs on the right side look squatty and the squared off ones by the step don't look natural. I really like the yuccas or whatever they are on the left side under the tree. They add texture. I would add something else to the other side, hosta or small rhodo and evergreen planting. Add larger lights by the door and move the too small flowers. Maybe flower boxes below the two upper end windows could reflect a front door color. Betty