I think lots of pictures would be the key to answering a lot of questions :) I have always been a listen to others and then try it to see for yourself type. After many years of using both expensive and cheap, I am now on the cheap is usually more than good enough side. My light garden has always been either unheated garage or heated basement so it's seldom been fancy. I have tried both shades and plexiglas panels on the front of my unheated garage light setup and both have done amazingly well. I have tried timers and 24/7. So bring on the FAQ, bring on the pics, bring on the practical advice, nobody will ever follow it exactly anyway :) But it makes fun reading and seeing! John

Thank you all for your kind comments~ now if we could only sell our old house! nanj- all our trim & doors are Knotty Alder, I have to check on the color. Its not quite as dark in person. In the den, which is stained lighter,(also all knotty alder) is ipswich pine.

Lumens.com and ylighting.com are good websites to review for track lighting. Are you looking for contemporary or traditional? A few lines that I have seen and considered for a living room where I did not want recessed lights are: Bruck Lighting Translite Sonoma lights WAC Tech lighting Good luck!

Deedles, that drawer has a drawer box of 8", which with side mounted glides means the inside of the drawer has a clearance of 9 3/4" (the front, which is only a matter of aesthetics and not function, is 11 1/2"). The lower drawers have the same 8" box, 12 1/2" front, but a useful interior height/depth/clearance of 11" - which is just barely enough for the large pyrex lasagna pan which says it is 10.5 x 14 (but that is the bottom and the top is 11" wide). Sorry for all the level of detail, I hope it makes sense and is useful. I think I got lucky with some of this, and would encourage others to be very specific with their cabinet makers about exactly what they are specifying and why. A2gemini, the paint is a copy of EK Adobe. For me, it is just the right warm/cool balance (I lean more towards cool).