Kitchen progress?

Best Appliance in S. Glens Falls June 12 -- with help from Rick (cabinets) and Matt (appliances), I sorted through a lot of info.
Here's what I considered -- and would like to hear your opinion

CABINETRY by Kraftmaid-- cherry wood has some grain; oak has more grain. Each can be stained to color similar to 7423 color - those cabinets are cherry I believe. Options on table - pretty correct ---

Cherry wood -- Lyndale door style -- honey spice or autumn blush stain (colors do NOT show well on internet.
Oak wood -- Morristown style comes with wooden inset pegs in corner (rustic?) - finish autumn blush
Melrose with 1/4 sawn wood -- herringbone look - too grainy?

we can order 2 doors of our 2 first choices and see what it really looks like
Maple wood - I felt it did not have enough grain for character

Choice of specific cabinets & inserts wait for design completion - all ideas welcome

COUNTERTOPS - difficult to decide. Trying to go low maintenance, good look.. I'm pleased with 7721 new countertop, but that's a different story
Granite and Quartz expensive and need maintenance - somewhat porous

Corian - can build in back cove - backsplash. Do not want it to look like an office bathroom.

EOS - new product, similar but supposedly better than Corian. check www.eos.com
for general coloer consideration -- something whit-ish. Mid color like piedmont or bay sand OR something darker like MONTAUK. If the kitchen has a lot of light and is part of the general livingspace - does that effect counter color??


APPLIANCES - mostly GE, highly rated, brushed stainless fronts will look the same, high rating by Consumer Reports. 3 levels of GE - probably will go for Profile, middle level. Appliances are costly. Can see on www.geappliances.com
36" or 30" gas cooktop - depending on space
30" or 27" wall oven -- can go below cooktop depending on space. Want to try for 30"

Counter-depth refrigerator - about 21 cubic foot
one door PDCS1NBWSS or 2 French doors so swing only takes up half the space. Not a side-by-side. Model PFCS1NJWSS is 2 doors

DISHWASHER - Bosch or Kitchenaid like we have in 7721

COMPACTOR - GE only makes one. Has a foot pedal.

WASHINGMACHINE AND DRYER -- GE frontload washer and frontload dryer. Large capacity - can have 13" platform. White.

Thanks for any thoughts, comments, etc.

Deck and More

To Walt on June 5
I believe the zoning variance measured the deck allowed in square feet. Anyway, we
would like to slide the deck away from the Wells and towards the
lakeside of the house, so the deck is between the house and the lake.
That would move it away from the property line which is an added
benefit. Of course, we have to be sure we can pass from one end of the house to the other on the lakeside (little property there) Also, maybe then we can get a small rectangle of space for the kids
to play on between the new house and the Wells property line.

Our basic goal is to build a house that is informal, Adirondanck-y, and feeling not-so-big. Maybe that will give
you some guidance on the exterior look. We are thinking of a brown house with brown roof as we have in our other house...