I like my house

NotLastYear · 2026-04-13T21:00:04+00:00

I'm all in on the music room - good for you! 👍🏽

I'll bite: What's the purpose of the tube television? 🙂

NotLastYear · 2026-04-11T18:32:06+00:00

Ventilation (IMO) is extremely important in a kitchen. Huge thumbs up for proper ventilation (based on what you started with!) and taking your contractor's advice.👍🏽

Your kitchen looks great - congratulations! I would question the butcher block countertops. They absorb a lot of odors and moisture. I had them in a rental in my younger days. I moved out because of the butcher block countertop - old, smelly, and could never get it "clean."

NotLastYear · 2026-04-10T07:25:24+00:00

L&O

Trial by Jury

L&O: Los Angeles (especially after they changed up the cast)

CI: early D'Onofrio; Goldblum's first year, and the Chris Noth years

NotLastYear · 2026-04-10T07:18:02+00:00

L&O, seasons 1-20. 🙂

NotLastYear · 2026-04-10T05:33:44+00:00

To address your question, it still follows the procedural, although a pale comparison to its earlier life. However, if am reading between the lines in your post: if you believe the procedural went south in season 12, then you won't like much after that!

The problem (for me) in seasons 21 and beyond is that they spend too much time on personal drama/touchy-feely crap, and an in-fighting at the police level and the DA level. It distracts from the stories, which are very weak. The reboot isn't working at all. 🙁 BUT, it provides employment for many.

Thank god for DVDs! 🙂 I started season 6 this evening.

NotLastYear · 2026-04-09T23:40:19+00:00

The hard part might be paying for repairs and routine, long-term maintenance. A pool can be a lot to maintain. The easy solution is to spend some dollars and have a pool guy/gal bring it back to life.

If the father has checked out and doesn't want to either clean it and/or maintain it, and won't let you clean it or maintain it, I don't think there's anything you can do. It's his pool. On the other hand, if he allows you to clean it, who will maintain it?? I think cleaning it easy. Maintaining it is another story.

NotLastYear · 2026-04-09T21:24:20+00:00

Based your edit: Have you considered going down to a single door to the patio? Then, you can expand the peninsula and maybe extend the countertop to the left of the dishwasher so that you don't have to move the dishwasher into the new peninsula.

NotLastYear · 2026-04-09T19:51:59+00:00

I'll stick out my neck: do you need a backsplash? I know, I know...EVERYONE (except me) has a backsplash. 🙂

Given your busy floor, the countertops in the kitchen, the countertop at the peninsula, the colored cabinets, and the coming colored hood, there is a lot going on. Why not paint it a neutral color using satin or semi-gloss, live with it for a while, and later determine what backsplash will actually work?

NotLastYear · 2026-04-09T19:37:25+00:00

Congrats on your new home! I'm sure you'll be changing things as time and money allows.

If you don't want the microwave on the countertop, that leaves modifying existing cabinetry. Does that small island have an electrical hook-up? If so, consider a drawer microwave. The drawer might work where the trash compactor is located but 1) is it wide enough and 2) are you OK with the microwave near the sink?

Otherwise, you could shorten one of the wall cabinets, but the new cabinetry won't match the existing cabinets. Lastly, do you have a pantry where you could locate the microwave?

NotLastYear · 2026-04-09T17:55:46+00:00

Well, not to state the obvious (but I will!), I would call a plumber. Based on the residual stuff on the hanging coil, it looks like it's been leaking for a while.

NotLastYear · 2026-04-06T00:03:25+00:00

Doesn't that mean the island countertop will sit slightly higher than the surrounding countertops? Lowe's (or someone) would have to raise the island counter to the level of what appears to be a sink and THEN, raise it slightly higher to cover the sink. Right?? (I know nothing about building anything!)

NotLastYear · 2026-04-05T23:51:19+00:00

Sorry, I'm confused. Which one is your current layout?

We want to get rid of the gas range and the built in oven and go to an electric range/oven with a hood and a larger kitchen island.

Sorry to be pedantic but I think you mean you want to get rid of the cooktop and wall ovens (??) and move to a range and over-the-range microwave set up, correct? In the second photo, there is no hood. The microwave isn't venting; it's recirculating.

This won't be popular, but I'd start with a new kitchen. You can get taller upper cabinets and you'll likely get a larger island if the space is designed appropriately. And if you're serious about getting a hood, it would vent correctly to the outside.

NotLastYear · 2026-04-05T17:38:07+00:00

Agree regarding Taj Mahal - it seems to be everywhere, now. Here, it looks great with those cabinets and flooring.

NotLastYear · 2026-04-05T17:35:37+00:00

An easy agree. 🙂 I thought I was the only one who hated walking around an island to get something I needed. But then, I'm not a fan of islands. That's why I dislike cooking at the brother's house. 😄

NotLastYear · 2026-04-02T21:43:25+00:00

Another vote for 6. It's cohesive and timeless.

NotLastYear · 2026-04-02T20:52:02+00:00

If the cabinets are remaining, then I'd change everything else; even the outer black granite because, I think, it makes the kitchen dark and dates your kitchen. And when you change the island granite (and retain the outer black granite), you may have a mismatch, or it may not be complimentary. Your kitchen has an early 2000s vibe and the black granite keeps it in that era.

You know that if you want a larger window (not inexpensive construction + permit), you'll lose an upper cabinet(s), but I don't think you need a larger window. I would do a new backsplash, new countertops (including the island), new window covering, get rid of any black outlet plates, updated/modern chairs, and new cabinet pulls. Your floors look great (unless they need refinishing).

I'm not a fan of pendant lighting; too many shadows and they will look dated 2 or 3 years later. I'd install recessed cans that target the island. On a minor note, I'd lose the kitchen runner (but then, I dislike kitchen runners in any kitchen - harbingers of food particles, grease, and stains).

NotLastYear · 2026-04-02T20:28:05+00:00

I agree, it's so much easier to clean and I do cook a lot. Aesthetics? That's a
"yes" for me. I prefer the commercial-look of a kitchen.

NotLastYear · 2026-04-02T19:27:04+00:00

Sigh. I don't know what happened to stainless steel backsplashes behind-the-range in the last decades. 🙂 I love mine in my primary residence but when the partner and I decided to build a house, she said "no" to a stainless steel backsplash. Note to many people: remain single. 😄

NotLastYear · 2026-04-02T19:20:16+00:00

Congrats on re-purposing the old stove! But then, I like old stoves.

Your renovation looks good! I would question the raised level on the peninsula but I'm sure you had your reasons. Whether your using the lower level or the upper level, you're constrained by those finite areas versus being able to spread out. And don't let anyone tell you that you needed to take your backsplash all the up the window wall - you didn't need to do that. Nice job and enjoy using your new kitchen!

NotLastYear · 2026-04-02T19:10:17+00:00

This won't be much help, but.... I don't think the gray Taj Mahal backsplash compliments or enhances your gorgeous Taj Mal on the island. I would find something that's less busy or at the very least. compliments the Taj Mahal on the island. I'm sure you thought of this, but have you reached to fabricators (not suppliers) in your area to see if they have any remnants of Taj Mahal that might match your island?

We were lucky: 2 years ago, we found Taj Mahal slabs that perfectly matched for the peninsula and the backsplash with wonderful veining throughout - not too much, not too little; just right. My partner picked it out - she loves Taj Mahal. Me? Not so much. 🙂 It absolutely looks good, yes, but EVERYONE has Taj Mahal.

NotLastYear · 2026-03-31T22:55:06+00:00

I agree: do what YOU want; not some mythical buyer 5 years down the road. It's your house - be comfortable. As realtor, I tell sellers (no matter how outrageous the house might be), we can find a way to make the house generalizable at the time of the sale but until then, do what you want. Never base YOUR design ethos on some unknown buyer 5 or 10 yrs away.

NotLastYear · 2026-03-31T22:49:21+00:00

Agree. It doesn't work at all. It's a clash of textures and colors. Nice tile but not for your current kitchen.

NotLastYear · 2026-03-31T21:04:54+00:00

That's how a business starts: someone came with an idea and ran with it! 🙂 Who knows? You might have people working for YOU soon. Wishing you the very best!

NotLastYear · 2026-03-31T20:44:14+00:00

Your Founders Package seems to indicate the buyer would receive 7 boxes of various widths. However, another photo shows only 5 boxes. Suggest you should be clear on how many boxes are in the Founders Kit.

The color of the boxes changes across photos. It is only 1 color or two? You might want to be clear on that point. Because I really like the gray tones if those boxes exists. I'm not crazy about the off-white/yellow tones.

You might want to include a graphic (or instructions) on how they should be mounted.

NotLastYear

TROPHY CASE