<p>Good point. I can switch things around with the cabinetry I ordered. I can switch sink and dishwasher. I’m going to have the guys open up the wall for both windows and then stand there to decide which window for the sink. I will need to decide that before they install electrical and plumbing into that wall.</p>
<p>Is it normal to provide a washer/dryer when doing a remodel like this? </p>
<p>I would think normally you just provide hookups.</p>
<p>Maybe I missed it. Is there a reason why there are 2 windows on the sink wall instead of one big window?</p>
<p>Can you do a down draft with the smaller stove and put a window on courtyard side? Also like the idea of one big window on sink side.</p>
<p>How about using one of these for the fireplace?</p>
<p><a href=“Pebble Tile - Photos & Ideas | Houzz”>THE 15 BEST Products for 2023 | Houzz;
<p>If you do switch the sink to be under the right window, I think you want to move the trash bin also, so it’s to the right of the sink. You don’t want to have to lean across the DW to reach the trash.</p>
<p>I like having two windows rather than one. It provides more options when one wants to open a window – you can open one or both.</p>
<p>I love designing kitchens. :)</p>
<p>The reason that there are two windows is for structure. Right now there is one window with a header. If we can leave 5" between two windows, we just need to replace current stud with nice beefy 4x4 and put in one header for the new left window. If I open it completely up we will have to put in a huge new header across the window span. </p>
<p>I am currently searching whether I can even find the cool accordion folding windows like in the Houzz picture and what their cost might be. If I can find full accordion windows across the whole span then I can open up one big window. Buyer can just open a little bit of the accordion window or the whole span of accordion window. Worst case, I will have economical sliders. I am hesitant to have casement style windows here because I don’t want them to open out to deck and possibly have big glass windows sticking out to the deck.</p>
<p>Correct on washer/dryer. I will not have to purchase the actual appliances, but I need to have the outlets, drains and water lines installed in a location to provide laundry. So, unfortunately I have to decide what location they will be for the plumbing and electrical.</p>
<p>Okay, I am going nuts for these pebble tiles. You could put it around the fireplace, and then use it as an accent in the bathrooms. (Some of these designs use too much of it, IMHO.)</p>
<p><a href=“Java Tan Pebble Tile Shower Floor - Tile - by Pebble Tile Shop | Houzz”>Java Tan Pebble Tile Shower Floor - Tile - by Pebble Tile Shop | Houzz;
<p><a href=“Island Stone Artifact Glass shower with Pebble Tile shower pan - Eclectic - Tile - Other - by Island Stone | Houzz”>Island Stone Artifact Glass shower with Pebble Tile shower pan - Eclectic - Tile - Other - by Island Stone | Houzz;
<p><a href=“Bali Ocean Standing Pebble Tile Bathroom Wall - Tile - by Pebble Tile Shop | Houzz”>Bali Ocean Standing Pebble Tile Bathroom Wall - Tile - by Pebble Tile Shop | Houzz;
<p><a href=“Rio Carrara - Dune - white river pebble mosaic tile - Tropical - Mosaic Tile | Houzz”>Rio Carrara - Dune - white river pebble mosaic tile - Tropical - Mosaic Tile | Houzz;
<p>Love the pebble tile, but not sure if the pebbles sticking out 1" to 2" will work if I keep the arched brick surround for the fireplace opening. It will stick out further than the brick arch and probably will not go well with the original brick arch</p>
<p>I stayed in a house this summer that had a pebble tile floor in the shower. It was not so comfy.</p>
<p>And reason eleventy thousand and four why I am not a designer: I would have never thought to have gray cabinets with beige walls like that kitchen on Houzz had, but it looked fabulous. </p>
<p>I like real stone fireplaces but the pebble is way too busy to my eye for this application. To me, it would distract from the elegant simplicity of the arched fireplace. Another of those personal preference things!</p>
<p>I’d go with big, smooth travertine-type tiles around the fireplace. </p>
<p>Disclaimer: Fireplaces are not my area of expertise.</p>
<p>I’d save the pebble tile for the floor of a shower, but arabrab says it doesn’t feel good underfoot. That’s kind of important. @arabrab, could you feel all the differences in the surface?</p>
<p>@VeryHappy – Yes, the pebbly parts (like smooth but small river rocks) stood up from the surface enough to be very noticeable. It was pretty, though I’d prefer comfort. (I’d also wonder about whether they’d tend to be be awfully cold in the winter – and while it is San Diego, I’ve lived there on the coast a couple miles from this house, and foggy cold days still feel cold.</p>
<p>There’s another issue with pebble floor in shower. My understanding is that they are a pain to clean. There is a lot of grout compared to regular tile grout lines. That’s a lot of grout scrubbing with a stiff brush. I’m sure the ‘cut’ smooth pebble look are easier on the feet.</p>
<p>I noted that in at least one of the Houzz pictures with a pebble shower floor, the pebbles were well covered with grout, which would probably make the surface smoother but not slippery. I agree that the smooth cut pebbles would be better underfoot. (And wouldn’t stick out around the fireplace. 
) Being a pain to clean is a big drawback, though…that is why I strong prefer stainless steel backing behind cooking surfaces. Tile is fine in the rest of the kitchen, but scrubbing cooking spatter off tiles and grout is a royal PITA and eventually the grout just gets dirty, period.</p>
<p>@zipyourlips, I’d prefer a plain background for the fireplace too, but I thought coralbrook said they couldn’t do that. Although I wonder if it could be done with a thinnish stucco-like plaster application with some texture? Perhaps after removing some of the faux travertine layer? I think it would be okay, if not ideal, for it to end up flush with the brick.</p>
<p>Re Nap and Jo - you could try getting a free appraisal from Skinner, which is a big auction house here on MA that does a lot of high end auctions. You can do it all online:</p>
<p><a href=“Make the Most of your Online Antiques Appraisal | Skinner Auctioneers”>http://www.skinnerinc.com/selling/online-appraisal/</a></p>
<p>My brother & SisIL have the pebbly tile in their newly remodeled bathroom. They love the look but I don’t like the feel underfoot. It’s uncomfortable to me to feel the bumps underfoot. It also doesn’t seem to be as clean as the other parts of the bathroom–more trouble to clean thoroughly. (Bro & SisIL are meticulous housekeepers.)</p>
<p>Thank you Notrichenough, I just filled out an appraisal request and sent pictures of Napoleon and Josephine. I need to find an auction house on the West Coast that I can send pictures to. I really don’t want to have to ship these guys off just to get evaluated.</p>
<p>I have cut pebbles on my shower floor and I love them. There’s enough grout that slipping isn’t an issue and they’re very comfortable to stand on. Mine are a dark charcoal color and we don’t have a problem keeping the grout clean. Dh and I quickly ruled out pebbles that weren’t cut because, as people noted, they’re just not comfortable!</p>
<p>What are “cut pebbles”?</p>