When you can build in a standard depth refrigerator, what s the point of the expense of going to a built in that isn't that disguised to begin with? Sure, a fully integrated fridge is a HUGE visual difference, but a standard built it, not so much. Standard regular depth refrigerater "built in". It's not difficult to design your kitchen with extra deep counters or to recess a regular fridge to achieve this look. And you get a LOT more storage. Built in. (Doesn't fool anyone and costs a lot extra.) Fully integrated. The whole reason to pay for an upgraded "invisible" fridge. It's playing hide and seek and removes itself from the appliance category into the furniture one. (It's the mirrored cabinet, fully invisible.) (The "armoire" is the fridge.)

Yes, I meant 208v. I'll have to confirm tomorrow with the city, but I believer the service is 240v. The distance is roughly 100 feet from service panel to the oven.

No problem, no offense. I understand. The sample we got from Architectural Ceramics is only 3 rows, so harder to get a good idea of what it will really look like. My biggest question is about the glass. On the black backer board that the sample is mounted on, it is VERY iridescent, showing all of the rainbow colors you expect in iridized glass. But the photos don't show that, and I wonder if that's because they are mounted on white sheet rock with white mortar (not the black board). In real life, do you get the rainbow hues (like a soap bubble), or is it just more reflective like what you see in your photos. Also, did you replace any of the glass tiles with a darker amber (as I know others on the forum have)? If so, where did you get them? Thanks for your help.

Thanks, binsd! I don't hang out on the forums. Just don't have the time and it's a shame really; it's so fun over here. Anyway, I received an email question about how my counters are holding up, so I thought I'd post a quick 3-year report. Cork floors - love 'em. Comfy, good for a klutz like myself, hides dirt well, super easy to clean. Would do it again in a heartbeat. Fisher Paykel Dishdrawers - Awful, awful, awful. Replaced them with an integrated Bosch which works great. JennAir CD fridge - I like it quite a bit, but just last week had to have the touchpad replaced. Not cheap. Fratelli Onofri range - I do love this thing, but it has some issues. First, I should have purchased the large single oven instead of the double. It's been a very rare occurrence that I've needed to use both at different temps. The door seal on the large oven recently broke because it became brittle. Had to order a part from the UK to replace the seal. Additionally, the big oven has been flaky coming up to temp lately. I'm going to try a heavy-duty cleaning to make sure there aren't any blocked sensors or anything. Hopefully that fixes it. Cabs - I went with a cab company who primarily worked with stained cabs. I think it shows that they didn't do a lot of paint jobs. There are a couple of chipped areas and other places where you can tell the paint will be peeling someday. (Like on the underside of the sink cab door ??? weird.) Anyway - I think if you're getting painted cabs, be sure to work with someone who does paint to ensure the wood will be properly prepped and they take steps to make sure the paint hardens well, etc. Countertop - Finally, the info people want. :) I still love this stuff. Yes, it shows wear, but it's a warm, rustic-looking wear which is a-ok by me. If you drag something sharp and pointy across it, it will scratch. If you drag a bowl across it, you're probably fine. If you stand in one spot and do a lot of hand mixing in a bowl, it will probably create "rub" marks. If you drag a dish across it that has "unfinished" edges, it will leave a mark. I don't notice water mark problems around the sink. If water is left to sit and dry on the surface, it will leave a mark. Wipe it down with a dishcloth and the mark goes away. No biggie. I've tried to capture their current condition, but it's tough to photograph. I have only oiled them once since the original photos were posted. This is my most heavily used prep area: Here's another shot of the same area: Here's a scratch that just showed up a few weeks ago. I have no idea where it came from. Here you can see "rub marks" in my baking area where the mixing bowl "spins" on the countertop This is new also. There was a winter squash sitting in this spot. It had a bad spot and started to leak, causing this mark. Weird. I'm sure it will come right out if I oil it. Overall, still loving my kitchen! The layout has worked out fabulously and I love spending time in there. It has completely changed my life. Literally. I overhauled my diet shortly after it was finished and that made a drastic impact on my life. Thanks, Gardenweb friends!