Thank you all for your support it means the world to me. I've always been the type to beat myself up for not knowing how to do the things just right. It would not be so bad if dad's mind wasn't clear as a bell right now. His abuse of his medicine is a real concern for me. I got a call from him today saying he needs his antibiotic for his sinus, well he'll only take one or two and he says it cures his sinus. You and I know this isn't so and even if it does help it's short term, taking the antibiotics like that can cause harm but no one can get this through to my dad. I have had so many problems with doctors in my past that I don't trust them easily. It was me that saved my husband from a possible stroke, his blood pressure was high and I could tell when it was up but with the sleep apne he had to take showed how bad it was. They could not get it down all night so I marched into our dr.'s and told them about this and they looked back at his chart and seen that it was high everytime he went in for a check up. Now why don't they pay more attention to this? This is why I fear looking for yet another doctor. I have no luck with them. Only once did I have a wonderful doctor and within a year my insurance changed and he didn't take it :( He was the one that listen to me about my weight and took test finding that my thyroid was bad. I went through years with a sore throat and my throat closing up at night in my sleep, waking up unable to breath for 10 or so seconds but felt longer and didn't know if I'd get my breath. If it's wasn't for y'all I don't know if I'd be able to be strong for my dad. I never knew it could be so hard. I look at pictures of my grandparents, dads parents and talk to them and wishing they were here. They had a hard life and I can just image that they went through just what I am now. They took care of my great grandmother for 17 years then told my grandmothers brother it was time for him to care for his mother and give them a break. Great grandmother was called little granny and I never seen pictures of her but heard great stories about her, I found a picture of her the other day and I'm so happy to finally seen her, she past away a few years before I was born. Sorry for being long winded. Barbara

Sundance, please don't massacre your lively medallion drapes. The pattern is too large for short curtains, and look so pretty on your large window. Just take a calming breath. You don't have to make all your decisions in one day. Blue is a classic color in kitchens, and blue and white is beautiful. In deciding what color to paint the chairs and island, instead of colors, think of light and dark. Do you want a light and airy look, or darker, contrasting look? You have a nice window in the room, but would too much dark paint darken the room by day or night? Next think about subtle changes or more drastic changes. Think about longevity of design. Might you tire of a drastic change or fret over the exact color of navy paint? You may decide on contrast or calm by the feeling you are trying to achieve. No one should tell you what to do, this is your kitchen, after all. We can give you our opinions when you ask for them, as you have, but don't take them as The Thing That You Should Do. KWIM? Over all, have fun decorating your adorable kitchen. Oh, and take your time. Hang your bird fabric in the window for a few days, and see if it is cheerful. Keep the sample until you finish deciding. When gathered, the birds won't be so prominent and if it doesn't work so be it. Think about if painting your chairs creamy white would allow another change down the road, or if navy chairs would make your heart sing. If your heart isn't singing, let it rest. Just remember that when you ask a group of ladies for an opinion, you will get a bunch of different answers, which leads to frustration. You are the queen of the kitchen, hold your chin regally high and own it. ( : Smile : )

I'm glad you all like it. Its been hard to own the style. Like I've always wanted to be creative, but haven't tried because I've believed I ain't no good at it. Still not a patch on most of you, but we really like this room. Answers! The tile is linked below - it's from Antiche Civilta. Its paired with mocha colored grout. The table was a group effort - its partly a kit from tablelegs.com and partly a local woodworker who fabricated the top. I designed it. The handy dude installed it. dh paid for it. The table can be removed or raised a bit for a rug if we want one. Seats 3 easily. Chairs are from restoration hardware. Here is a link that might be useful: Faro Ceramiche

Gosh, there are so many granite choices. I found a few that appeal to me and I think might work with your flooring choice and white cabinets. I personally don't like white cabinets with a creamy coloured counter - I think one makes the other look a bit off. I'm not saying you need a bright white counter, but I feel like there should be some white in it, and maybe some of the grey/browns from your flooring. Some of these pictures are granite, a couple are quartzite. Here are a few: But, here is something else to consider. Have you looked at soapstone? I love it and you really should look at it, and feel it in person to appreciate it. There are several different colours available. See this chart of colour options and the way the colour changes when you add mineral oil to it. Gorgeous. Like every other surface they all have pros and cons. Do some reading on this forum from others about quartzite and also soapstone, the care needed and the types of imperfections you can expect and how to deal with them.