If you like the USA brand pans, Costco has a pack of 2 half-sheet pans for about $22. And I just got the new sale book, and next week they will be $5 off.

Great pics! Sounds like a very enjoyable trip.

Sounds and looks like a wonderful trip, AnnieD. Thanks for sharing it with us!

"Worst" is subjective. I'd take a bland Red Delicious any day over the sickeningly sweet (IMO) ones that are on the market now. Honeycrisp for example. I don't like any apple that is on the sweet side, and I get a bad aftertaste from many apples. The perfect apple for me is a good dose of tartness tempered with just enough sweetness to take the edge off. My favorites are McIntosh and Pink Lady.

I'm growing some apples in my home orchard that I've never tasted before, taking it on faith that I'll like them based on the descriptions -- namely, Northern Spy, Rubinette, and Akane. I also have McIntosh and Early Pink Lady trees.

Red Delicious and most apples need to be fresh off the tree…we go to the orchards each fall, and pick and eat. During the you pick events. Cortland and Gravensteins are my favourite…

My rule of thumb for pie is one-half Golden Delicious, one-quarter Granny Smith and one-quarter Gala or Jazz.

rweigand -- do you have pics of that floor?

Get a box and lay it all out in your light/space. That way less tonal variation and other surprises.

If, you have the budget go with Mercier. Definitely the better quality of the two.

Preverco isn't bad. A good value purchase.

Crock Pot

What a nice house -- I especially like the fireplace.

Here are some pics with soft colors of tile:

There's other colors, too, but IMO blue or green are easy to work with.

There are different shapes than subway. A good place to go looking for ideas and selection is Fireclay tile and Tile Bar.

https://www.fireclaytile.com/pages/tile

https://www.tilebar.com/

How are you thinking about tile for the range wall? I’d also want a plan for how to treat the window area - i like the idea of a pale green (warm and not minty)

Cool! I've not seen any this year, but there is a chorus of them daily so they're out there somewhere.

I was going on memory & it was right -- looked up Bill's scientific name confirms it's an annual species. Cicadas in Bills area would have to burrow deep to keep out of the frozen-soil zone.

That's right beng.

Neotibicen canicularis go deep during winters, are active above ground ~6-8 weeks at best and in numbers that are well below what the 13-17 year periodical cicadas produce.

You can be outside all day and only hear their mating calls a few times daily (several times if you're lucky) and generally during the really hot 'Dog Days' of summer.

The pics looks the same, not sure which is before and which is after. I like your house, the brick is beautiful, and you have a nice sunroom there.

I'm not sure about the awnings -- I don't think they look bad, but the house would probably look better without them. Or at least better with a solid color.

Unless I have a very good memory for previous posters' dilemmas, I take the current ones at face value. I didn't realize that this was an ongoing dilemma.

But after seeing the before I still think the new color looks great!

No to two-tone cabinetry with those floors. I would also suggest an ivory or soft creamy white that coordinates with the floor.

OP - I think going with white for the pantry cabinets is the correct decision. I didn't see your comment before posting my comment above this one - sorry for sending the other renderings. I had them - so, I posted them - but I was typing that comment when you posted your last one thanking everyone for their help.

@freedomplace1 - I don't understand your comment.

Thanks to everyone for all your great feedback! I appreciate all your suggestions.

OP thanked everyone in the comment posted about an hour before your last comment.

Are you offended because OP didn't specifically address your comment? There are many comments I've posted where the OP didn't specifically acknowledge my advice/renderings/etc. I've never expected an OP to specifically acknowledge my comments.

You should take your own advice -

If you are going to continue to show up here on this board to OFFER free design advice, you might consider investing in some manners.

@Max Lerner - get a life.

You do not have to “understand” my comment. @dani_m08. I wasn’t talking to you.

I agree with apple_pie_order. Just use your old stuff for now. So what if it looks bad for now? No one cares. Better that than making bad decisions and spend $$$ on furniture you're going to regret and have to life with for a long time because you're overwhelmed and rushed. Take your time, the furniture stores will still be in business when you have the time and mental capacity to tackle this.

Since you already have the dining-room play space and the TV-free fireplace room sorted, I’d make the family-room sofa the first purchase decision, rather than shopping for both rooms together. One option worth trying in a showroom is a sofa with a separate ottoman instead of a fixed chaise: you still get feet-up seating, but can move the ottoman if the route to the playroom turns out to be busier than expected. Ask for the dimensions with the ottoman in lounging position—not just the sofa footprint—when you tape it out at home. That lets you test the L-shape idea without committing both rooms to it.

I actually wonder if the size of these rooms is making them feel harder to furnish than they need to be. My first instinct would be not to push the furniture toward the perimeter or automatically use sectionals in both rooms.

The family room is over 24’ long, so I’d explore floating a seating group more toward the center of the room and allowing circulation to happen around it. A sofa with substantial swivel/lounge chairs and a large rug could create a much more intimate “room within the room” and make that huge space feel intentional rather than empty.

I’d approach the fireplace room similarly, but make the fireplace the focal point and create a more intimate conversation area around it. You don’t necessarily need to fill every square foot just because the rooms are large.

With two little kids, I’d also think about where your natural traffic paths and play area need to be before buying anything. The floor plan actually gives you enough room to separate circulation from the main seating areas, which could work really well here.

I think what the great minds of the world need to do is, (1) continue to develop processes that completely break down plastics, some of the work with micro-organisms is interesting, (2) continue to develop fully biodegradable forms of plastic, and (3) when #2 can be scaled cost-effectively, pass laws that ban the use of non-biodegradable plastics with exceptions for situations when a viable biodegradable alternative is not available or not advisable.

Lucky you to have it all.

The garbage company that services my area will not allow us to put compostable bags in the organics bin. I would have to make several trips to throw stuff in the bin every day to comply. I am compliant in my own way. I line the lidded 2 gallon organics bin with a small plastic bag. When it's time to to put all the bins out for garbage day organic bin is first to go, upside down to empty the bag into the large bin. Then I take the ooky bag and put it in one of the land fill bags.

Compostable bags are a no-no because apparently some companies or countries do not tell the truth.

I have no idea what either looks like, and most others probably don't either. If you want advice, you need to post pics of your choices.

Natural Patagonia Quartzite is unbeatable for unique visual depth, dramatic character, and high heat tolerance—especially if you plan to backlight it. Engineered Patagonia Quartz is easier to maintain long-term since it’s non-porous and never requires sealing, though it can look slightly less dimensional up close.

If you appreciate natural materials that age gracefully with your home, natural stone is the way to go. Feel free to explore our guide on natural vs. engineered materials at Garden State Soapstone™to see how natural stone surfaces perform!

Picture-perfect early September day here in the southern lower peninsula of MI. Wish I could bottle and sell it. Went for a short walk at dusk -- it was cool and the scent of someone's fireplace was on the air. Yep, fall's being ushered in. :0)

Im at Sandridge beach in va with my daughter and her family. The weather is perfect for the beach and for just enjoying the deck with a great view of the ocean. It really cools down at night which is nice. I am looking forward to fall and all that comes with it. Taking a cruise to Canada in October and hoping the leaves with be colorful.

I was surprised hiking the trail today and noticing many fallen leaves. I think that's a little early.

That's a good question. I really don't know the technical answer, but I'd probably rake back the mulch and put teh compost right onto the soil, unless the bark has decomposed to the extent that there's little left.

Agree with GG -- keep the compost and the mulch off the crowns.

Ditto. I would pull back the bark mulch, put the compost onto the soil, and replace the bark mulch. And yes, keep the mulch off the crowns.

:)

Dee

It's been several years since I first posted this. I've got several carexes that are doing well and that I'm happy with and at least one that was too vigorous a spreader and had to be removed. Carex greyi and C. pennsylvanica are the only two whose names I can remember offhand. Both are doing well but C. 'Feather Falls' is eaten every winter by deer and never recover well. Only one is left.

Duplicate post.

Hey!

I’m actually researching this exact kind of material decision for a small tool I’m testing. Your situation is a great example: the cabinets, countertop and backsplash are already there, and now the flooring has to work with all of them.

The idea is to compare the actual material options in the context of the existing room and explain why one works better than another — looking at things like undertones, contrast, material harmony and overall balance rather than generating another AI redesign.

Since you’re going back for more samples next week, would you be open to trying the very early concept? No need to buy anything — I’d mainly love to know whether this approach would actually help you narrow down the decision.

Two of this group show stripy tone variations you don't see in wood floors or cabinets.

You already have a backsplash, which is the riser on your counter. I wouldn't put tile above that. Paint will suffice.

I don't like the sage with your counter anyway. On my monitor your counter looks pink-ish, and IMO it doesn't look that great with a sage splash. Is you counter that way IRL? If so, I'd consider spending the money on a new counter first, that pinky undertone can be tough to work with unless everything else is similar in tone.

^^ Well, that's good. Monitors often skew colors.

Still, you don't need a tile backsplash. Just paint the wall whatever color sage you like.

In your pictures, I do not like the Grey Cashmere. At all. It looks light blue (on my monitor), and even if it's not leaning blue IRL, anything grey is not going to look good with the counter and the cabinets. The Silver Sage is also too grey on my monitor. The Thorton Sage is the best of the three, but keep in mind that green is opposite of orange on the color wheel, meaning that green is going to accentuate the oranginess of the cabinets. I like the color of your cabinets, but I wouldn't want to accentuate the tone, if that make sense.

Why do you specifically want sage? Looking at your dining wall color....not a good pairing. Look at the whole of the area, not the individual sections.

"The dining area is part of the kitchen so that will be painted as well."

Ah, that makes a difference. I didn't pick that up from your original post. How does the kitchen/dining area relate to the rest of teh house? Is it a distinctly separate area, or open concept?

Definitely agree on no gray, since the countertop is beige.

You are making an impossible task for yourself by trying to match sage tile with sage painted walls. Light reflects off those surfaces differently.

I’d paint the walls off-white and if you want a colored tile, go with a stronger color or pattern. Or forget the tile altogether and add color in other ways as different posters have suggested.

I would pick the sage you want for the wall color, and forget about the backsplash, since you already have a 4 inch back splash, and what you are wanting to do there, will not look good. Tile back splashes are meant to go to the counter, not have that 4 inch piece there. Just paint the wall above what you already have, the same sage as you decide on for the other walls.

Update: I finally got around to tackling the sprinkler rust. I submerged the sprinkler in a dish pan of hot water and Iron-Out and let it soak overnight. Next morning with a stiff grout brush it cleaned up nicely, now back to working as it should -- still a little stiff to turn the dial on one setting in particular but no big deal, it still turns just with more effort. The Iron-Out was an easy solution to the problem. :0)

The most powerful rust removers have fluoride based reducing chemistry. (rust is oxidized, so a powerful reducing agent converts it back to a soluble form) This including the spray-on version of Iron Out porkchop mentions, and one even stronger called 'Whink'. Make sure you wear gloves as they can cause deep tissue burns that might not be immediately felt or spotted, especially Whink. The Spruce https://www.thespruce.com/best-rust-removers-4174196 breezily states "Also, be sure to have a set of cleaning gloves on hand and keep a window cracked open. This is a heavy-duty spray with a very strong chemical scent." On hand? They should literally be on your hands!

My lingering question is how did the product affect the non metal components of said sprinkler?

What a great house! The evening pic of the exterior looks warm and inviting, it's just beautiful!

A daytime pic will help you get good advice on the landscaping.

For the dining room, I’d begin with the table placement before choosing the rug, chairs, or lighting. Center the table on the room’s main axis, preserve comfortable circulation around it, and align the overhead fixture with the table rather than automatically with the room—especially if the best furniture layout is slightly off-center.

A warm, visually calm solid-wood table could relate naturally to the refinished floors and the home’s architectural woodwork without making the interior feel like a literal Tudor reproduction. Then add contrast through lighter upholstered chairs, a generously scaled rug, and simpler lighting so the room feels collected rather than overly themed.

Which of the two pictured interiors will be the dining room? That will determine the most useful table orientation and scale.

Was the siding on the large gable added some time after the house was built? That doesn't look appropriate on a Tudor style home. Will suggest you find out what is under that. It may be half-timbering. If so, I would remove the siding altogether and let the half-timbering (if it exists) shine.

Why a completely enclosed toilet with a door in the master bath? It's not a public restroom. And it looks ridiculously cramped with the door.

The neighbor's design is a typical suburban infill lot concept, just a little stretched.

The seller's design seems to be designed for the site (it was designed by an architect for someone and someone's site somewhere). If you notice, it has a very strong view axis towards the Northwest. A lot of the plan's concept revolves around views and having access to them throughout the house. The opportunity for value level seems appropriate for the high end of this region.

So if this seller's design indicates assumptions about your site, your proposed plan does not meet those well. But, with the symmetrical concept and framed view, where I wouldn't blink an eye is if I saw it on an urban infill lot on the intracoastal in Florida.

Jumping in on the steam shower spec, since that's a different animal than a regular shower build: the ceiling needs to be sloped (not flat) so condensation runs down the walls instead of dripping on you, and the whole enclosure — walls and ceiling — needs a continuous vapor barrier behind the waterproofing, not just the standard shower membrane. You'll also want a fully sealed steam door (floor-to-ceiling glass with a tight bottom seal, not a standard shower door with gaps at the bottom) or the steam just leaks out and the generator runs constantly trying to keep up. And make sure whoever sizes your steam generator is calculating off the actual cubic footage of a 4'x6' enclosure with your ceiling height — undersized units never get hot enough, oversized ones short-cycle and wear out early. Worth confirming your contractor has built a few of these specifically, not just standard showers.

You have what my family calls a ”utility room”. A gem! The counters will receive a lot of use, maybe washing off muddy shoes, and you say tinker space, with perhaps glues, Goof-Off, solvents, etc. Consider countertops that will stand up to it. Like Corian or even Formica.

I think it depends. If it's a completely seperate area that closed off most of the time, then fine do something different. But if one room flows into the other then I'd do the same or at least something similar in vibe to the kitchen. From your pictures, I see the laundry room as an extension of the kitchen; if you stick to the same, it's going to make it seem like you have a larger kitchen and it will visually flow effortlessly, especially if you leave the door open most of the time.

If it were my house, I'd remove the crown, leave the window and stair trim, and paint the baseboards the same color as whatever the wall color is. That is personal preference, though. IMO baseboards aren't something to highlight unless it's some fancy-schmany architectural detail, which most of the time it's not. Painting the same color as the wall makes the walls look taller and not chopped up. If you must have contrasting baseboards, then leave the wood -- I'd take that over white (unless you paint the walls white).

Any of the light colors is going to accentuate the trim. If that doesn’t bother you then fine. But if it does then paint the walls a deeper color or paint the trim the same color as the walls

My 1988 house had the same thing when we purchased in 2019. took crown trim and baseboard off but kept windows and doors. Also sanded popcorn ceiling.

We got hammered twice with the storms, first Wednesday and then Thursday, I was without power, it came back on for a short while and then wham! we got hit again, was out for a day and half. I didn't suffer any damage to my home or property, thankfully, and I'm glad for even more precipitation -- it's been a great week for that. IDK how much I actually got, though.

"The forecasts have been blowing it w/their small amounts of forecasted rain."

Blowing it is putting it nicely...

Coolest fall temp so far here -- 44.5F. Certainly Canaan Valley WV was down near freezing.

You guys are well aheard of the curve, locals having to deal with temps in the upper 50's as if entering the next ice age. I love our Autumns, very nice sunny and dry weather. Sun still feels surprisingly HOT. Soil mositure is excellent as there was a day long delunge last weekend. No hurricanes in the Atlantic at the peak of the season..., very weird season. Much of our Autumn precip depends on tropical moisture, but so far, we are getting the rain from non-tropical systems. Guessing our winter will be mild and WET in a super strong El Niño year

"They haven't spread to ornamentals or vegetable garden?"

I see them most on the dandelions in the vegetable garden, but I've not noticed them on other plants.

Sounds like you've been very lucky. I was told they will move around the garden.

Jay your echinacea are beautiful. I also tried pallida and paradoxa from seed years ago but they never flourished for me and I lost them. Perhaps I will try again. I really love the bloom form of them.

christie I have the same problem, especially this year with the rain. I have a lot of leaners too lol. Most of my yard is shade so some things do lean toward the sun, and then with all this rain, lots of things - especially my daylilies earlier in the season - literally were laying flat on the ground blooming!

:)

Dee

I don't cut back to encourage re-bloom, per se, but rather I deadhead to tidy up, especially annuals -- zinnia, geranium, heliotrope, salvia, marigold are the annuals that pop into mind. A lot of perennials, too, if I have the time and feel like putzing around. I did notice this year that balloon flower will reward you with light re-bloom if you deadhead.

What I cut back hard is catmint and perennial geranium -- after the bloom flush in late May-early June they get cut to the ground to encourage fresh foliage. Otherwise, they tend to look messy. They fill in again very fast and look fresh the rest of the season. No rebloom on the perennial geranium, I can't say as though I've noticed with the catmint -- it's tucked away out of view so I haven't paid attention.

I leave the spent blooms on my Joe Pye and "Herbstonne" rudbeckia. The birds relish the seeds, and because the plants are so tall I can enjoy the feeding show at viewing height out the window. I might have to cut back this year, though -- even though they are hoop-staked with very tall hoops, the storms a couple nights ago did a number on them and other things, I'll have to wait to see if they bounce back upright after drying out or if the stems are broken. Same with the PeeGee hydrangeas. Actually, I am going to cut off the blooms on those because the branches will stay bent out of shape from the weight of the huge flower trusses if left too long. The birds don't care about those, though I do. :0)

Late to this, so took me a long time to skim through all the comments. Unless I'm mistaken, in all 80 comments, no one has asked about the site.. We know the size and shape, but that's about all. Are there trees? Views? Neighbors? A well designed house responds to the site as much as it does to the owner's needs.

I won't get into the weeds about the specifics of the design, everyone has already pretty much done that. I will agree that there are many problems with the layout as shown, and also that the OP seems not to be particularly receptive to most of the thoughtful input that has been provided.

Bottom line, this house would be best DESIGNED (not just drawn) by a real architect. Someone licensed and local who who will create a house that fits the neighborhood as well as the owner's needs.

"Would love to see the end result at least!"

It's been gobbled up already (pun intended). I'll try to remember at Thanksgiving, when I plan to spatchcock two birds for Thanksgiving dinner. Wish me luck...

This is a great tutorial on the nuts and bolts of the procedure:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZCPPqDGD5M

arcy -- here's pics of the first chicken I did earlier this year; I've gotten quite good at chickens :0)

I buy chicken already cut up...legs, leg quarters, breasts, wings, etc. I buy stock in a box. Hate me if you must.

Don't tell my small flock of laying hens!

I had visions of you having to jump up and down on the turkey to get it to spatchcock LOL. Glad it went well.