Options: 1.) Shop Vac Might actually work. The fact it would suck up leaves would be a feature, not a bug. Or you could soak the leaves with a hose so they stick together. Sucking up mulch would be a problem. 2.) You could put down a hard surface that would make it easier to sweep up the acorns. Asphalt would probably be a bad idea. There is a kind of bluestone gravel paving where the gravel sticks to a layer of oil and forms a hard surface that resembles concrete. Not really good for the oak, but not as bad as asphalt. 3.) You could plant something that grows so dense and vigorously it smothers the oak seedlings. Might also not be good for the oak. A sufficiently tall shrub would be too tall to let the saplings reach the sun before they used up their stored energy. Virginia Rose? 4.) You could plant grass and just mow it. 5.) You could plant all Spring ephemeral and perennial herbs that die back in the winter, so they wouldn't care as much if they were weed-wacked or covered with a tarp in the Fall. This post was edited by edlincoln on Wed, Aug 21, 13 at 18:37

I take it you have face frame cabinets from what you describe. I've been planning on doing something similar to a cabinet with double doors and a piece of the frame in between. Here's what I'm planning to do. The center strip in mine is screwed in with 4 pocket screws, 2 at the top and 2 at the bottom. Use a flash light and try and see what type of head it has before you get started. Get a peice of 3/4" square stock cut it a couple inches less than the height of the opening. Glue and screw it to the side of that center peice so that it's flush with the front. Predrill is a must, countersink is optional but nice. Leave a gap at the top and bottom. Next close the door on the side where you attached the 3/4" piece. Then predrill and screw but don't glue it in. You just want to get the holes in, then remove the screws to the door. Now you want to remove that center piece from the cabinet box. First you want to take a utility knife and score the finish on the top and bottom to keep it from chipping. Maybe the back too. Then unscrew it. If it doesn't come right out, use a thin bladed saw to cut the top and bottom. It might be glued. Might be a good idea here to sand the top and bottom to give you some extra clearance and seal the fresh wood on the top and bottom. Then attach that center piece to the door lining it up with the holes you made previously. Now that cabinet pretty much looks like it did before except when you open the door the center piece comes with it and you have full access. For the rest, read these instructions for making pull out shelves for your cabinets.

Yes, Lavender Lass, I think I would do the whole run of the wall behind my stove, not just the one area. I'm really digging this idea and I feel like it won't end up costing anything really. The original price quote on our quartz included a 4" backsplash that we weren't going to want, so that can be reallocated to the top of this shelf and then the tile for BS can just be broken into the two depths. I can't remember who brought up the point about making a fridge seem more built in, but that is a great point and definitely helps my design aesthetic. Now I just have to get everyone on board who will actually be involved in creating this masterpiece! :)

I've never priced it but maybe you could get lucky and find the furniture with pulls still attached and it would be cheaper? And take the pulls? Maybe if you had gardenweb peeps that like to antique looking locally for you? Also, I don't think they would have to match, just go together and make sense in their placement. But I'm weird like that. Love your cabinet color and treatment!