There was a thread on this topic some months ago--see below. There are some good photos of niches. Our project is bogged down, but I have a few additional comments since I posted... Because we have to watch our pennies, I'm shopping in bargain places. One problem I have encountered is that oddball lots of tiles often don't include bullnose pieces as well as regular field tile sizes. The niche that we have roughed in will require some cute tricks to make ordinary tile edges seem attractive and classy; we don't want to just snip tiles and leave raw edges. DH, my sweaty equity, did not finish the niche smoothly when he created it in drywall because we knew we would cover it in tile. Now, we're thinking that we might not do the tiling right away and he'll have to pull out drywall tools and make a proper corner edging around the niche. This kind of "go back and do over" gig is getting very frustrating. [Meanwhile, I've found a smashingly exciting tile that of course only comes without trim pieces. It's sitting right next to me, thinking. Unfortunately it has a decidedly unfinished raw edge and will require tricky handling if we choose to use it. I just covered it over so I can't see it tempting me there on the table. Have to be more practical. ] Tile shops do carry a metal edging that can be used to finish off edges when no bullnose is available, but I haven't seen examples of it in actual use on a range niche. Would love to see a sample photo to reassure me. Also, remember that if you choose to work with a thick tile or a remnant of some kind of rock from countertop on the back of the niche, that will cut down the depth of the niche shelf. If you want the area above range/cooktop to be an artistic focal point, I humbly suggest that you either make a niche OR some kind of tile design but not both. If you choose too fancy a niche back, the items standing within the niche will compete with the tile design for viewer's attention. Mine will be a working kitchen, so we're planning to put oil bottles, vinegar bottles, salt shaker, etc. there and they are supposed to get top billing. Don't forget that you can suspend a second shelf in the niche if there's room. Here is a link that might be useful: Niche topic thread

Here you go, the uppers have the calander hanging on one side and emergency numbers on right door and all the office things live here. There is an outlet for charging cameras and "my" stuff. On the counter is an outlet for the land line. Antique tray is our magnet board. Top drawer has a powerstrip attached to the back for DH's electronics this is "his" drawer for keys and anything else. Bottom drawer is the coupons, and "junk" drawer as I have found it is inevitable! Basket is home for shoes. There is now a cushion on the dog kennel. Once Buddy is no longer we can pop an end panel on kennel and the lid under cushion lifts for more storage. Hope this helps! From Kitchen before and after From Kitchen before and after

Hi june, I am on about 4 acres and there are woods on most sides of the property and only one neighbor on one side that I can see and its fenced there lol. So escapee passiflora and other vines aren't a problem. In fact, there are "wild /rogue" trumpet vines, japanese honeysuckle, and carolina jessamine growing all crazy out in the woods and up various trees on the back of the property. I have a lot of gulf frits so they do keep the escaped (from pots) passies under control here too. For additional control, I grow most of my passiflora in pots and use 3 tall bamboo poles tied together at the top in the large pots. Then I use fishing line and black electrical tape to create a little trellis for them to attach their tendrils onto between the bamboo poles. Then I position the pots up against a fence or tree and let them climb that way once they grow over the bamboo poles. When it freezes, I cut them back to the length of the bamboo pole/trellis and move the pots into the gh because some of the passies I grow will freeze back badly and some are tropical so gh culture during the winter is best for those. ~SJN

If your Olive and Phoebe don't hate each other, I'd give it a go. I've had two blind dogs as senior foster dogs--a shih-tzu and a chihuahua. The chihuahua we kept until she passed away, the shih-tzu got adopted by a lovely couple. No idea how old they were when they lost their eyesight, both were blind when I met them. Total lovebugs and they did fine getting around the house. We never took them upstairs due to risk of children leaving a door open and granny dogs tumbling down the stairs. They both held their own/ruled the roost with our large, active younger dogs in the house. The chihuahua was touchy with our larger dogs at first, but as soon as she realized they were not going to boss her, she made friends with them. Both of these pups were well housetrained and did well finding their way back into the house from the (fenced) yard. My friend fosters for a blind dog rescue and she has had lots of blind fosters. They have all been happy and gotten adopted!