DO NOT BUY! This 30" gas range has caused me endless frustration. There are some problems I've worked around, like the alternator dying after only a few months so for nearly 8 years I've had to lay on the floor and manually light the oven thru the back of the broiler drawer. And each burner. Or that it bleeds heat and cakes/roasts take at least 2x the recipe's alloted time to cook. Or that the broiler drawer is really a fire drawer. But the worse is that the hinge on one side of the oven door fell through the slot so there's a 1-2inch gap where it doesn't close. When I tried to remove the door, it wouldn't release because the SAFETY LATCH is stuck inside. Watched every youtube video to take the thing apart and free the latch from inside, behind, etc. but nothing worked. Now I have to buy a whole new range. Garbage.

I forgot to add that my builder runs a very small operation. He only builds two houses a year and does almost all of the finish work himself along with his pay-rolled three man crew. He builds the cabinets and interior doors himself. I've been pretty happy with his quality with a few exceptions which were addressed and dealt with. My biggest grip with him is that he said it would take a max of 8 months and we are now in month 12 and probably have 2 more months to go. I figured that by the time we are done, we will have paid over $7k in additional interest. Smaller and especially inexperienced builders don't have as much control over subs and often underbid/estimate what it's going to take to get the house done. They also don't have a lot of capital and really really depend on every draw to move to the next step. I know I'm making a huge generalization but this has been my experience and the experience of a couple of other people I know. If I could have done it over again, I would have micro managed the project to the enth degree. My builder is pretty easy going and we have a good relationship so he probably would have been okay with more involvement from me. In the end, we will have a house appraised about $100k more than what we paid for it so I'm keeping my eye on the prize.

@paulnihill we used the matching Jason Wu/Odin. I believe the difference bw Odin and Jason Wu/Odin is the Jason Wu collection is offered in Matte Black. This is what we ordered: 2x Widespread Lavatory Faucet: 65375LF-BLLHP 2x Widespread Lavatory High Lever Handles HL5375-BL Showerhead: 87375-BL 16” Shower Arm and Flange: RP71648BL Thermostatic Valve with Integrated 3-Function Diverter (with stops): T75575-BL  Handshower: 85521-BL Tub Filler: T70175-BL (with stops) We have been happy with everything. Hope that helps :)

NL - is she sure? I mean that is always the thought with the open living concept but consider that just because the hubby is in the living room that is completely open to the kitchen does not at all mean that you are 'together' or having a conversation. We built what you are considering and I really don't care for it at all. I like to hang in the kitchen too but I also maybe want the radio on, maybe I want to start cooking/dishwasher whatever and the pots and pans and the commotion is loud. All that does is make for dueling noises - TV vs the kitchen vs the radio? What radio. No way do I want radio plus tv plus cooking. So maybe she will love it but I'd really think on it. I call it all for 1 living. You'd better all be wanting to listen to watch the same things or else it just doesn't work. Besides that there is just no privacy and I only hang out in the bedroom when it's time to sleep! If I were to do it again I'd want it open but sort of an L shape so the kitchen is the short end then it's open to the dining room but you have to peak to really see the living room. Does that make sense? Open but not the same room (for goodness sakes - oops sorry I really just really do NOT like it). I realize now how much I like the kitchen to be a KITCHEN and not an extension of the living room. I'd stick with your original - for ME. At least with the dining room there you have some sort of semblance of a separate space. By the way we built a 1.5 story (as you described it and that is what I call ours too - maybe regional?) in Michigan on a wooded lot. :) Our home faces West. We have a similar-ish layout and those 'dead' rooms in the front really shield us from heat. I'd try to figure out how to get more southern light into the house. North is darker and the woods - darker yet. But the woods themselves are awesome - love it.