I don't have a layout program on my computer so I'm limited as to how much I can help. However, through all your threads I've been reading... I've felt the prep island is not being optimized for the purpose you want it. I thought about orienting it another way and creating a galley essentially with a second island but not sure that would work and save the view for "island seaters" out the deck. That said, I think I would swap the runs. Put the range over on the run that backs to the deck and flank it with windows. I know you want all windows but if you extend the deck even with the end of the current sink run and extend the prep kitchen somewhat into the utility room space you could makeup for some of the window loss. You'll lose a little utility room space in the end with this idea. Wish I could draw it out for you. Your range will have ovens ... correct? It's not a cooktop? What I like about flipping the runs is that it gives you a protected cooking space. I'd then probably put the prep sink on the inside corner by the beverage center.

I, too, have been reading about your family, your plans, and your challenges, and, like everyone else, I'm looking forward to seeing your After pics! I am no decorator myself. I have been doing the same thing you are--reading magazines, library books, and mostly online to figure things out. There are quizzes you can take, too, that might help you define your style. Once you know what you want, keep reminding yourself what that is, and don't let yourself wander too much from the plan. Stick to your guns! We just rebuilt our home after a total loss due to a fire and have not had much left for furnishings. We have had to buy just a few brand new things. Mostly, though, we've been having lots of fun acquiring nice things at bargain prices by searching for, bargaining for, and buying well-built items from Craigslist, Goodwill, Salvation Army thrift stores, auctions, antique stores, estate sales, yard sales, and junk stores. We inspect things thoroughly to see what they're made of and how they're made, and to see if we can refinish or paint them. I think we're ending up with better things than we could get if we bought all new stuff from a furniture store. (And it's sort of like a treasure hunt, lol.). Good luck!! I'm definitely going to be watching for your posts!

Oh Dearest Buehl ! You did it again and I am soooo grateful! Using your advise on one of the posts about missing posts, I used the "site:ths.gardenweb.com" along with the word "Overwhelmed" and my post popped up first on Google's page! I promise! I promise that one day, maybe not in the near future, but one day..... I am going to be able to come here and offer advise, opinion or just an atta boy to someone else who is overwhelmed in the middle of a kitchen redo, just like I've been helped with such wonderful words from all of you! Shelayne, Bless your heart...Thank you, sincerely....Thank You! LasCaTx, Thank you! I'm so glad you said that.....that you don't think it's as dark as you were picturing it. Me either! And bruuuther, is that a load off my mind, at least for right now. :) To read what happened to you, I got shivers...like it was happening to me all over again! Wonder if that's considered "Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome"? Not making light of PTSS in ANY way but when I read here of others having similar problems I actually feel myself tighten up, like I did when I read your story too. You said "Only an insurance company would consider ripping out walls and slab foundations to find leaking pipes you couldn't know were there to be regular maintenance" OMG, We've said something similar so many times since this happened! Regular maintenance means you can access it rather easily or at least with not too much labor/expense, to check on it, maybe once a year, once every two years. Were we supposed to jack-hammer into our foundation on a regular basis to make sure our pipes were still pristine and not rusting out? LOL Or, as my hubby is now very fond of saying when he gets on his soapbox about our insurance company : "That F*&%^* company will step over a dollar to pick up a dime!" The insurance company could have reimbursed us for the plumber and the work from the beginning and saved almost three more weeks of the water continuing to leak, causing more damage. It was during that almost three weeks that the mold and mildew started to form. It's the mold/mildew remediation company the HO insurance HAD to end up paying for.....The remediation of all the mold, mildew, asbestos, air quality testing, fans, humidifiers, special disinfecting agents, saws and other woodworking tools to remove studs in the walls that were too far damaged and specialized dumping of mold/mildew/asbestos containment bags........ to perform all that work for almost a month.....I saw the bill: Almost $9000. As grandkidlet would say "duh!" Oh, our HO insurance also paid for the cameras, the sensors, the specialized laser/computer gadgets to find the leak......for three different companies to come out and find said leak. Leak could not be located. They could say positively there was water under the foundation but they couldn't locate the area it was coming from. Not that I'm happy, IN NO WAY am I happy to hear your story or the previous stories of it happening to others. But reading them lets me know there ARE people out there that will understand when I have these little mini-meltdowns. They've been there, the frustration of living like this, the frustration of dealing with all these different companies.....wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. Oh KitchenAddict, You are sooo right! It DID Calm me and I was able to get so much done this weekend and I can actually see a light at the end of the tunnel because everyone here, by posting, pitched in and helped me change my perspective, my priorities....and that's what I needed most. I walked through the kitchen a hundred times since Friday night (ok, maybe not 100 times but it felt like it as that is the main back door to get to the tools) and by Saturday late afternoon I didn't even give the color a second thought...it's as if it had been there the whole time. Not nearly as shocking as the blotches of testing we did on the wall that had me looking like a very confused parakeet. *blink blink* And to add a plus to a plus, we had almost 2 full gallons left of my favorite paint of all time...my go-to paint when it comes to ceilings, trim, porch furniture, etc..... Pony Tail in a semi. So what the heck, we tried it on the ceiling of the kitchen and I'm in love! Most folks think the chip of the Pony Tail paint makes it look really dark but when we used it on our bedroom/bathroom trim, everyone thought we had used an off-white/Navajo white. The Pony Tail on the ceiling of the kitchen actually 'calmed' the whole room down if you can understand what I'm trying to say. So we are going ahead with it and using it on the underside of the bulkhead over the pass-through, on the lowered ceiling of the eat-in area of the kitchen and of course, the ceiling. You know, you are so right...now that I think about it. You said the color is versatile. I was sitting here thinking of some of my decor from the damaged kitchen and I'm thinking that almost everything I had in there...decorative platters, little framed art, etc. can go in this kitchen with this color. This color could almost be considered a neutral...if one likes bold neutrals, that is. lol Neighbors? Ooohhhh noooooo, not even close....I've seen your magnificent kitchen. I'm what they call 'on the other side of the tracks'. lol I'm in the neighborhood of the 1065 sq. ft. 56 year old tract homes, every fourth house has the same 3 bedroom/ 1 bathroom floor plan ('cept ours cuz 35 years ago the previous home owners added on a large back bedroom/bathroom/small family room), making ours a whopping 1450 sq. ft. There are two types of folk in my neighborhood....those that hit the floor when they hear a loud bang or those that run outside to see what's going on cuz they're nosy. *smile* So even if I won the lottery, in this neighborhood there is no way I would bother adding beautiful granite or soapstone, or marble, or a high-ticket range, or...well, you get the picture. It's the old "can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear" situation. But reading your posts for the last year or so, I sure would find it a wonderful day to sit across from you having a cuppa....but we'd do it at your house, k? *smile* Oh Julie, Words work miracles....thank you so much for yours. And for the hug! As I'm copying these latest responses I'm going to highlight in bold, so that I can see it right away when I glance over......"I am AMAZING and have done an INCREDIBLE job!".....My new mantra! *smile* BoxerPups, Always had a special place in my heart for Boxers. My first pup ever was a boxer...named him SkuttleButt. Cyber Magic....Love that! LOL But can you imagine? I was at one of my lowest points in, well, I can't remember when I felt so low. That was just last week. And here it is, Sunday night, paint is on the walls, the ceiling, all I have to get done tomorrow is all the little cutting in of the over-spray from the spray gun. Any other touch-up of the paint, like others have said on this topic, can get done after we have a somewhat working kitchen. If time allows I'll continue scrubbing the slate tiles tomorrow. That stuff is really dirty coming out of the box! I've got 110 down, 70 to go. My arms feel like lead weights tonight but it's such a good feeling to have accomplished so much! A tip: Never place drying slate tiles, 20 high, stacked on an old wood outdoor Adirondack chair. (wasn't purdy. don't ask. lol) Did some looking tonight on the computer for a decent price for a combo Slate Enhancer/Sealer. Talk about sticker-shock...ouchie! From the reviews I've read of several enhancer/sealers, I think I'm going to go with the Aqua Mix Enrich N Seal....unless of course someone has rave reviews of another brand? OMG, look what I've gone and done....I've created a mini-novel here! My apologies. But wanted to make sure the latest responses got acknowledged and to let you all know what a great, productive weekend we had, all thanks to you! Ceiling paint: Left under bulkhead: Dove White. Right: Pony Tail Washed Slate Tile:

So interesting to think about the implications of lighting - I will definitely have to play around with different bulbs! Gracie01, the art is actually a 4 piece panel (antique, Chinese, gold w multicolor cherry blossoms, birds, etc) I agree that's not showing as such on the monitor. Pillows are gold in same fabric as chair on opposite wall. Second set of pillows has a creamy background with green-ish geometric pattern - again, absolutely agree it's not appearing that way at all through these pics. I'm realizing that part of my issue is that I never really wanted yellow walls to begin with, and sort of let the painter (whom I actually think is great) influence the decision to do this Greenmount Silk. I'd actually prefer something like a BM Gray Mirage at 50% or so...as it is, the blue against the yellow still looks garish to me. I don't want to change the window treatments, unfortunately, as they were custom made for this space, and price-y. I really appreciate all of the helpful suggestions!