Sas95 thanks for your last post (and what a smile that table brought to my face!). I think that you summed it up perfectly, for me, about a reveal and asking, or NOT asking, for help or specific feedback. It's funny that we mention having a 'thick skin' when you post a thread but that thick skin goes both ways. If I say 'thanks but no thanks, I like it just the way that it is and I didn't ask for suggestions of change', well then, the person that offered me unsolicited advice should have thick skin too. I changed my username after having been a GW member for 10 yrs or so and due to changes in my life have posted MUCH less frequently on GW over the yrs since changing my that name. W/in the first few months of changing my username I got hammered by a more recent GW member because I posted links to décor related things and upcoming TV shows. I simply did not have time to post lengthier stuff but wanted to remain a part of GW as much as possible. I posted those links because I knew specifically that lots of other GWer's were very interested in those specific things. It was fairly ugly and clearly a case of open mouth, insert foot as many GWer's came to my defense that I was not some 'Spammer'. When I posted another project that I completed another member actually responded in the strangest way that they'd done and posted something similar weeks prior and nobody responded to their post. It was really uncomfortable for some members of which one finally posted in good spirit to sooth the other over that maybe I was inspired by the other. In fact I was not nor had I ever seen the other but what I appreciated was the GW member who had the sensitivity and common sense to try and appease the slighted member who went off in a huff. Look, I may post infrequently and post my reveals & projects more so than for help but hey, some folks here have helped me or have been interested in my projects for some time. And I post to threads that I can offer specific advice to when I am on. Sometimes there are a many, sometimes none that I can contribute to. And I've dreamt out loud on GW for ages and some of those dreams are finally coming to fruition so, yeah, I'm gonna post about them and it sounds like a fair amount of folks are going to potentially find that self-serving. That's ok. So many have been helpful and supportive during that time urging me to go for it. So 14yrs of being a member here and having had seeing it on both ends: 1: Being a very regular poster and posting often. and 2: Not being a regular and posting here and there in spurts. You do get treated differently. But whatever. I love decorating so, so very much that I won't ever stop posting here to some extent. Just make sure to not be slighted if I directly respond to unsolicited 'what I should change' advice. Now, I really need to find the link to the house on Houzz that started...

I found a recipe online and followed it exactly--16 oz. 91% isopropyl alcohol, .5 oz distilled water and .5 oz essential oil. I bought the oil at Yankee candle. It worked great, except that the scent was too strong. I only let it "burn" for an hour and the house smelled great for the whole day. I like the fact that the flame is only lit for a few minutes then you blow it out. It's seems more like an incense to me. It's a nice alternative to candles. She did mention that you could add more alcohol to dilute the scent. I will have to try that. I don't know how to post a link but the recipe I found was Christy's Thrifty decorating blog...

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned fragrance lamps. These are smaller glass lamps that you fill with fragrance oils, light for 5 minutes and then blow out the flame. The oil will burn and take odors out of your home and leave a pleasant scent. The Lampe Berger system includes the catalyst (burner) and the catalyst medium (home fragrances). According to Lampe Berger, the catalytic combustion is a flameless combustion, which takes place because of the action of a catalyst. Odor-causing molecules in the room are attraced to the heat developed by the catalysis. The heat then breaks down these molecules through oxidation and prevents them from recombining. A Berger lamp is different from other types of air fresheners in that a Berger lamp actually eliminates the odor, instead of just masking it. Also, a Berger lamp actively cleans the air, also something normal air fresheners donâÂÂt do. You may be curious where Berger lamps originate from. Berger lamps were invented by Maurice Berger in the early twentieth century. Berger lamps were considered a disinfecting home appliance. Through a unique process of high temperature catalytic combustion, Berger lamps eliminates and destroys the molecules behind unpleasant odors such as cigarette smoke and cooking while pleasantly perfuming the air and destroying bacteria. You do have to follow a certain protocol when burning these or you'll burn up your wick. The top cap can get hot, so I always keep mine on a high shelf. The brands of lamps are numerous as are the oils. I buy mine at the link below, the off brand lamps work fine. I find all of the oils very strong so I mix them half and half in the lamp with 91% rubbing alcohol (available at Walmart). Do NOT use anything except the 91%. I burn mine only about twice a week or when I have company. Here is a link that might be useful: Courtney's Candles

Thanks for the drawing--it has calmed my fears after reading other posts by you about your dream kitchen. I can imagine working in here. Has anyone mentioned the need for wood storage indoors? Although the woodpile is the main wood storage, there needs to be a direct route from woodpile to a plunk spot for the wood indoors. We have a wood stove in living room, in part to burn up wood from our yard. We use an old large copper cauldron for our wood holder--it's huge and I retire it to the garage in summer so that I can recover some space in the room. Also, the area below a stove needs to fit code. Talk to your building inspectors before making a plan. Otherwise you may end up with a deep lip of brick or tile that intrudes in places you didn't anticipate and you may need a railing on one side if it's adjacent to a walk space. Also, the area in vicinity of a wood stove needs to be sweepable, even if it's outside the code-mandated nonburnable floor. Wood debris is unavoidable. You may want to look at images of second homes, lake places, etc. for your practical inspirations. These places have to deal with such issues and they often have a 'country' feel (ignore the kitschy ones). As for the island/table, I urge a movable large cart. You can remove it and put in a table at times if you need to and you can pull it to your work area for a secondary surface or put it out for buffet serving. For most days, you already have a table very near on porch that will be more useful for enjoying that cup of coffee and a book or newspaper and you can decorate that space as gleefully as you like. I've thought a lot about the table in your inspiration picture and all it says to me is 'I'm not ready to go to work.' That's not a message I want in my kitchen. I need an inviting blank work surface that I can mess up with my cooking activity, then clean off and leave ready for next time. I hate it when I have debris in my work space from the last project or stuff plunked there that is off-topic for my current mania. I'm putting a nook/resource center into the corner of my kitchen but I won't share photos yet, except this early one. We'll have a full floor to near-ceiling 6 foot wide bookcase, perhaps small antique drop leaf table and chairs, and some funky lighting. No wood stove, but hope it will have ambiance and kooky inviting feel. But it will NOT intrude in my work, it will NOT prevent dinner being served in dining room, and it will allow some softening pieces to cut the modern feel of the rest of the room. It also gives me a non-stool work space if needed (handicap access concept). This antiques and books and art nook is out of the line of fire of the kitchen activities as yours is, but I don't foresee spending much time in it. Better places elsewhere in house for lounging and recreation. Here is a link that might be useful: roughed in table nook ambiance corner