It sounds like you were seeing one of the infamous ads, corar, that slide down and cover up the contents of the page and even if you click in a clear area that doesn't seem like part of the ad, you're clicking a link? The solution is a good adblock. In windows I think firefox with the adblock extension is mentioned. On a mac you can do that or I just use glimmerblocker, which works for all my browsers.

Under $500?? Not feasable for all on your punch list. This is 2023, not 1983. The house is very new to you. Live in it for at least six months, before making any patchwork updates. See if the kitchen functions for you. Do you like walking around the barrier island, every time you need something from the other side of the kitchen? The kitchen may not be pretty, but the appliances look pretty recent, and functional. Painting isn’t going to update the kitchen…not with the dated details…the scroll work, and staggered cabinets. Besides, painting cabs is quite labor intensive as a DIY project. It’s not just slapping on a new color...unless you don’t mind paint chipping within a few months. There’s a painting forum on this site. Or, go to YouTube for instructions. A professional will cost thousands. Have patience. Wait. Save up for a major reno. It may take a few years, but then you’ll do it cohesively, and get the total look you want.

Can you post more photos so we see the breakfast room and other windows? Are there other arched windows near by that match/balance the kitchen window on that side of the home? As Lyn mentioned, how would removing that arched window effect the exterior? I hate to comment on things you did not ask about, but I feel obligated to tell you that moving the cooktop to where the fridge currently is is a very bad idea. 😩 First, it puts your cooking zone in what looks like a major walkway from that entry door in the photo (love the bench btw!). Is that a back entry from the garage? Do you bring in groceries that way? I won’t get into the toxic cooking fumes debate, but I can only imagine the cleaning of that window being a constant annoyance. I do love the look of two taller and more narrow windows flanking the sides of the stove hood though. I would suggest that instead. However, I would NEVER EVER put the cooking zone in a major foot traffic isle. That is flat out asking for a hospital visit! The cooking zone should always be in the isle most protected from passerby’s. Another bad idea is how the oven is too far from the cooktop with a barrier island in between that you must manuever around. Also the only landing is on the island right in front of someone seated at the bar. I hope that is not an undercounter oven on the island under one of your prep zones on the island. Your other prep zone would be to the right of the sink where you would have the DW underneath you. That is annoying because you cannot clean as you go. If someone needs a glass or something in the dw, you must stop what you are doing and move out of the way. You are going from a perfectly functional design, to a disfunctional and potentially dangerous design. This just makes me sad. I honestly am shocked a kitchen designer did this design. Is it a certified KD you used or is this a cabinet salesperson in the cabinet department at a big box store who has no clue what they are doing? If you want more info on the cooking and other ”zones”, this thread is awesome. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5972404/new-to-kitchens-read-me-first-2020-interim#n=11 It also will explain why we just cannot let it go when we hear that someone is planning a kitchen that we see major layout problems. So sorry! If you are open to layout help, we need a little more info. It will open a can of worms, but it will be the best thing you can do! https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5500789/faq-how-do-i-ask-for-layout-help-what-information-should-i-include You will definitely get some great ideas from the Pros and Non-pros alike who just know a lot about kitchens. I hope you will reconsider that kitchen design. I am serious, it is really that bad. (edited fixed my many typos!)

Dear all, At this point I am completely adrift, no longer knowing what I am doing. Some updates: I repotted LOS shown above to rescue her, as Sheila instructed. She was still in good shape overall, just chomped at the roots and is now trying to grow back in a 5 gal pot, protected perched on my deck. I also pulled out Munstead Wood because it was clearly not thriving, not growing, stunted, as shown in picture below. Barely any leaves growing. Interestingly enough, this one was NOT munched, but still mysteriously not growing. At this point, I can only blame the fierce competition with the tree roots in the area. That rose bed will probably never do OK (except somehow the Drifts), not as long as that tall oak is there. I am soaking it too and will replant in a large pot for the long term. After all DA-s do well in pots and my Olivia Rose has been one of my best performers in a pot. In fact, so far I have done way better with roses in pots than in the ground. I guess whatever ground I have, it's not good. I also went to the remaining forest area surrounding our property and saw Savannah lying in the leaves where I had ditched her. I had thrown it away over a week ago but it had rained. After the discussion here it dawned on me that it may still be barely alive and I could maybe try to save her. I picked her up, brought her back and soaked her too. When I cut a stem, the inner part is still white fresh with a touch of green, so maybe there's hope. This will be the great Save Savannah operation. Maybe a miracle will happen and she will eventually come back. On an other mysterious note, I have a Double Pink Knock Out at the mailbox where there is no competition with any tree...and that rose too is failing to grow. Stunted despite adding manure, fertilizing, watering...the W9Y. I have NO idea what is going on at this point. I am optimistic about LoS, not so much about Savannah. Munstead needs to find a home in a large pot and live there on my deck. Thank you all for any other tips on how to recoup these beauties and stimulate maximum root growth this year. No expectations of bloom of course, just recovery of the plant. Maybe roses for me are meant to grow in pots after all, or at least as long as we live on this property with impossible clay, tons of tree roots and weird creatures underground.