If your existing slider is aluminum framed, then it has a flange that is nailed to the header and trimmer/jack studs of the framing, then lathed for stucco over that. They are typically installed before the house is lathed for stucco similar to windows. The flange is typically 1-1/4" in width. If you are going to trim out the exterior of the new french doors over the stucco, you can remove the existing slider by purchasing a 4" grinder with a diamond masonry blade and cut the perimeter stucco at the top and sides about 1-1/2" out from the slider. You'll know you have cut deep enough when you see sparks off of the blade when it hits the lath wire. The wire wont damage the blade. Traditional 3-coat stucco,( scratch, brown, top stucco color coat), is approximately 3/4 - 1 " thick. After the french door install, you will want to fill in the gap with something as a backer for the exterior trim. Wear a respirator and safety goggles and keep a shop vac with a fine particulates filter at hand for the clean up. If you have a helper, they can hold the vac nozzle close to your cutting to catch most of the dust. The reason I recommend a diamond blade vs a standard masory blade is that you will go through enough masonry blades to equal the cost of the diamond. Plus you'll be able to use the diamond blade for more projects. Good luck!

Hi Ellendi, luckily it is quite a mix of houses around here and the ones I posted are not close :) Good point though, I do not want to copy the color or styles of the houses close to us. Thanks for the link AnnieD - lots of good ideas there. I think I am going to go with plain glass and then add an applique if it is annoying to have the plain glass. I now need to decide whether to do one door with a window on the left side only that opens as a casement or the top that opens like an awning or the single door in the middle with either two fixed windows or two sidelights. If I do the one fixed window on the left side, I was thinking of making the door mostly wood with a window on top. Any suggestions on door websites? I attached a better picture of our existing doors looking straight on. We are going to cover the walkway with a trellis and get rid of the windows on the right side (garage) and change out the windows to the left of the front door. I am thinking of trying to match or complement the windows to the left with the window(s) at the front door. Lots of details :)

I was happy with the end result of the Barker cabinets. I thought they looked good and the finish seems to be very good--no damage in the year or so we had them. I actually saw them again when we visited (sold the house to a friend) and they still looked new at the two year mark. We had one place where edge banding, trim and cabinet met and the colors were not quite right. My GC made it work with some extra cover panel or something. The drawers opened and closed beautifully. My GC grumbled a bit about the door sizing and it being difficult to adjust them perfectly, but again he made it work. (He was a carpenter before he became a GC and made my bathroom vanities for me, but wouldn't do a full kitchen because of arthritis). The countertop is honed marble. I wanted a light color and Dh and I both really liked the looks of marble. I tried to find a more sensible substitute but we were never really happy with any of the other options and everything else was actually more expensive than Carrara marble--which was dirt cheap for us, almost as cheap as IKEA butcher block. We decided that we would be okay with scratches and etches. (Also Carrara can be rehoned in place, which reassured us that if we needed to make it look new for resale purposes we could) I loved that sink. It's the kohler stages 45. I wanted a second sink, mostly for the rest of the family to wash hands and get water to drink, but could not fit one in. The stages with two faucets filled that need nicely and functioned beautifully for food prep, etc. I think for induction you want a dedicated circuit and 40 amps? The appliance forum here would have the answer or someone else may chime in. I just know that out of all the great things in my kitchen, my induction range is the one I miss the most. And yes cast iron works. Anything that a magnet sticks to will generally work with induction. edited to add:. Thanks for your kind words. My kitchen was awesome due to the generous and knowlegdgable people here.

What did you go with? Am restraining our cedar siding with SW blue spruce, almost identical to your color. I was thinking a peachy coral!