Well -- our old USED cars were bought in 1997: a) 1993 BMW wagon (146,000 miles) and had been repaired MANY times -- and currently needed the whole AC replaced. Frankly I was getting too scared to drive her anymore -- wondering what would break down next. This car did NOT qualify for the program -- and became a trade-in. I would imagine that its value was in the parts that I replaced over the last two years! So its parts may benefit someone! b) 1993 Lexus (185,000 miles) This car DID qualify for the program -- and was leaking "something" onto the driveway -- and the very last time DH drove it to the dealership -- even HE said that he was glad for it to be gone too! Interior lights didn't work; the sunroof didn't work -- lots of mechanical issues. I really don't think the either car would be a good "clunker" for anyone else -- unless they had the money for the expensive repairs! WE HAD ALREADY PLANNED TO REPLACE BOTH CARS! Out of sheer necessity. Again I state: we saved for TWO years. We argued and checked out cars for last six months. We NEVER planned to get NEW cars -- the "fates" simply rolled them our way!! We had been looking for USED ones -- but the prices for the outgoing 2009 ones were NOT that much more than the used ones!!! And we negotiated HARD. And paid in cash. So the program helped us! :) We ended up with two 2009 Nissan Versas (subcompacts) with warranties for three years. Jan at the poor-but-planned Rosemary Cottage

I am so looking forward to having a morning kitchen in the next house. It's a big place and the kitchen is down a flight or two of stairs. I'm going to take out a bathroom (there are too many) between what are now two bedrooms. The one bedroom will become a big master suite closet with washer and dryer (for family use) and between that room and the master will be a passage way morning kitchen. Currently it's a closet converted to a bathroom, so I'll split it in two with the hallway, one side will have a small sink, fridge and items for after dinner drinks and wine (glasses etc). The other side will have a built in coffee maker and a single dish washer drawer. I can't claim to be the angel that amity is (and I mean that in sincerity! I love people who work their family into their lifes. It's the right thing to do) but I still love peace and sanity in a home with a small child. We have a lovely turret in the room and I can see myself getting up earlier than DS (I do that now) just for that hour of total peace and quiet, enjoying a lovely latte in my jammies :) And at night, the ability to have a glass of port after a long day is not to be sneezed at :) The ability to do it in peace is even better LOL To plan one in a small room though, just think like a hotel (I don't think that's a bad thing by the way). Get a lovely try to set a 2 cup coffee maker on with the acoutremants (spelled terribly dang it) of a pot of coffee with any necessary additives (do you do cream, etc?) If necessary, put a tiny refridgerator somewhere for that stuff, or use the stuff that does not need refridgeration. A couple cups is of course a must as well as a nice napkin and spoon. If you put this all on a tray, and then set that on a dresser or side table, or even in the bathroom if you have a larger counter, you can easily take it to the kitchen with you after your morning coffee time and clean and refill your supplies, then return it to the bedroom during the day after all is tidy, ready for the next morning. I'm sure before we start our remodel this will be my system :) I'm going to add this in our master closet in this house as soon as it's finished :) I have a nice big dresser top that will be free space (something I don't have much of now). By the way, I used to make these trays up for an inn, so I know that once you're used to doing it daily it's about a 2 min clean up and refill. The key being the tray that is always used to carry things back and forth.

Gad I wish you'd have posted this when my walls were open. What a great idea...a pot filler for the espresso machine! I have a Delonghi and while I absolutely love it...I'd loved to have a pot filler to use with it since it's not right near either sink! I have a dedicated 36" cabinet to beverages...well the top of it anyhoo. I don't have room for the type of dedication you have, but if I did, I'd do it in a heart beat! Mine is focused on coffee and wine (the two most important drinks in our house). Could you put a cabinet above the station, mounted higher than normal (lined up with your others though on top) and then add hooks to the bottom of it for mug hangers? I have a great collection of hand thrown mugs so I am always thinking of great ways to show them off...and above that station of yours would be great. You could put them high enough not to interfear with your coffeemaker and still make them generally reachable for the user.

I think capturing backsplash space is a great idea, because vertical space is too often ignored. Ever since women entered the workforce, the kitchen industry has lost a lot of interest in cooking efficiency; it now defines efficiency as snacking, drinking soda and loading the DW with maximum speed. However, to pal's point, I'd be leery of things that disappear behind walls or cabinets. Once they break, they're very hard to fix.