Hi Susanrhill24, we did this reno, rented it out, COVID and other stuff happened and I didn't see the house for about 3 years. When I saw the kitchen again for the first time it was covered in water marks and stains.. looked terrible! I guess they didn't remember how I told them to clean it (more about that in a bit). After I was done they looked like new (except for a tiny chip at the sink - ah well). I did not go with honed. With lighter colors I find that the gloss doesn't bother me as it does with dark/black, where you can see every fingerprint. Having said that, when I clean after dinner I do give it a quick once-over with a dry or thoroughly wrung-out microfiber cloth to prevent the dried-on water patterns forming. I find I have to do that with whatever countertop material is used, so that isn't a quartz thing. For future reference: If I really want a dark countertop I usually go with a leatherized finish as it's more cleanable than honed. Honed is like a million tiny holes. Have you ever tried to clean frosted glass? It's bloody impossible! Same thing with honed.. oil goes in those tiny craters and because you can't wipe them out it stays put. I've heard Mr. Clean helps because it's spun glass? I haven't tried it yet. Anyway, leatherized is where they take the gloss off with an acid wash, which makes it a smooth, gently pocked finish, but not glossy. It's so lovely. It makes the black look more dark grey though, so watch out for that. If you're interested in an example, have a look at this house I did last year: tiny url . com / sunset 3d (put that in a browser without spaces.) That island is black with white veins. Would have looked completely different with a glossy finish. The way to clean quartz is with Soft Scrub Gel Cleanser with Bleach (search Amazon for that), and with Scotch-Brite's green and yellow scrubbies (not the blue and blue, which is softer). Squirt the gel on the countertop and spread it over the affected area (I just use my hands). Leave it for a minute, and scrub it. Don't be afraid to use force. It's like magic. I've used it on different colors quartz and it works every time. My pure white bathroom countertops (same house, same tenants) came out as pristine as the day they went in. Gosh, this turned into an essay :) Good luck! Forgot to say that I really like the stainless steel backsplashes. I thought they were going to be a pain/scratch, but they're not/didn't.

I have been looking at these floorplans as well and have the same idea as cpartist on the exterior changes. I love the simple, more traditional look of removing the shutters an the extra garage bump out. I love the interior layouts of all of them as well, but am trying to cut corners (literally) to lessen the amount of bump outs in hopes that we can make it work with our budget. There are about 4 floor plans from the same designer that have a similar layout and range from 2000-2600 sqft. Here's the smallest of the floorplans

How many/often do you normally seat for a meal or a dinner party, formal or informal, how big is your space, etc? My favourite tables are called "Irish Georgian Wake Tables." They run to tens of thousands for a real table from Ireland made in the late 1700s to early 1800s, but modern ones are a lot less. They're endlessly versatile, lovely to sit small or larger groups at, easy to decorate, and when not in use they sit tidily against a wall, great for a buffet or fork supper. They come in numerous styles, too, of course. Your chairs (which are wonderful to look at, so I hope they're comfortable!) would lend themselves to the elegant simplicity of Irish/Scottish Georgian furniture, more than, say, Elizabethan or its later knock-off iterations, which are generally heavy and dark. I wouldn't upholster them in any sort of light-coloured fabric, if you want it to stay pristine. ;)

I think the blue chairs will look better next to the table. They add some freshness