I'd go back in time when a good Kitchenaid dishwasher had a porcelain tub, cleaned dishes spotlessly in under an hour and left them fully dry and almost too hot to handle. It was nice to be able to override the wash cycles and use it as a plate warmer. How I miss my old Hobart built dishwasher from the '70s. I'd bring back hot water heaters that were hot enough to serve a large family with a 40 gallon tank instead of needing a 50 gallon for two people because of the new government mandated safe heat settings. I'd like to see more appliance manufacturers offer dials and buttons instead of needlessly putting touch pads on everything under the sun. (thank you Panasonic for doing this with some of your microwaves) As for small appliances forget the electric can opener. I'd rather have a small easy to store automatic onion peeler that would not only peel the onion but dice,mince or slice into any thickness at a touch of a button.

Albeit a different design, I have a doorless shower that opens right into the master bathroom, without a snail or barrier entry. Because our home is overall well-insulated and warm in the winter, I've not had a problem with the shower being drafty or cold, and most of the water stays inside the shower (we have a rain-type showerhead, which controls the water spray). Some water escapes onto the teak bath mat, and onto the tile floor, but that's why we have a tile floor. I did hedge my bets in building this shower -- if we'd found that it was cold/drafty/splashy, we could install a door. However, after 18 months, we've not found it necessary. And the added bonus of having no door is that the shower dries quickly and we've had no problem whatsoever with mold or mildew, as we did with the previous (closed) shower. If I were considering the design you're showing, I would perhaps extend the half wall and glass a little further, because that particular design looks like it might be a bit more splashy than you might want. (Sorry I don't have a better photo; the bathroom is not large enough to get a long view of the shower.)

Hello ishop19, We've successfully installed the Van Gogh line in many homes, and have never come across the point of the "texture" looking like smudges. I do see what you're referring to in your photos, and I'd have to say that it must part of the top layers' added "texture." It's definitely not a mallet mark. Mallet marks do make distinct marks, (and not generally needed for LVT installation, we time the adhesive to optimal tack, and use weighted rollers) but can easily be removed from vinyl. I would agree with picking up one box, and staggering the seams in an area of your home, just to lay it out a bit ( so you can see how the light hits the flooring on a larger scale). If you still see the "smudges" that you're referring to, and wiping it down with windex doesn't remove them, than I'd say that it's, without a doubt, part of the graining texture pattern. Remember, you did bring home a floor sample, so who knows what those planks have been through. Karndean makes some really beautiful products, and I'm sure that if this particular color will "drive you nuts," you'll be able to find a nice alternative. Good Luck The Flooring Blog

Thank you all. I have lived with that refrigerator sticking out for 20 years and never even noticed it! But, we will be needing a new one and I will keep that in mind. I cannot believe everyone picked the same floor (and it was my least favorite, so now I'm thinking!). I have always had an issue with lighting in this kitchen. I will definitely update my pot lights with the 4000K. I had always bought "warm" ones. Gives me lots of food for thought! And, yes, I have a runner. It just doesn't show up in the visualization photos. As far as the floor stretching into the other rooms, I was wondering if something in the "brownish" range would work. Here is a sample I just picked up, but I can't use it in the visualizer. I know I would love it in the other rooms.