Hello, We're trying to finalize flooring decisions for our moisture/water vulnerable basement. We're going with flooring options that either don't care or are easy to clean/dry/replace if they get wet. In one area, we're going with Flor carpet tile. But, in another area, we're considering vinyl planks. From what we understand, they're waterproof if there's a flood.We're trying to pick between LL's Tranquility product (on sale at $2.24/sq ft with a 50 year warranty) vs HD's TrafficMaster Allure Ultra ($2.97/sq ft with a lifetime warranty). Now, for my wife and me (in our 40s), there's not a lot of difference in the warranty; we're not likely to be in the house when the Tranquility's warranty runs out. And, the Tranquility feels much more substantial than the TrafficMaster. So, does anyone have any experience with either of these products? Any other opinions? Thanks! Tiger

Has anyone seen this new product at Lumber Liquidators? St James Laminate (Dream Home) 5 3/8" wide planks, 12mm floating floor with a 30 year warranty. It is beautiful. It is the first laminate that looks EXACTLY like wood. However, I have only seen the sample, so I don't know if I would agree with that after seeing it down but it is really hard to tell it is laminate. I need 1,000 sq ft so I am a little nervous about what to purchase.

Well, I am a woman and I find your kitchen very appealing. :) I am a lot older than your applicant pool so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but the Hansgrohe pictured just above wouldn't turn me off at all. It is more modern than the vibe of your kitchen, though, you're right. I think if you get a high-arc faucet, either pull-down or side sprayer, you will already be ahead of the game. I vastly prefer one handle for its greater usefulness when one is Actually Cooking (i.e. has at least one hand full or messy most of the time). My plumber warns me against big box store faucets that might have plastic insides; he says if they feel heavy, they're OK. Most of our faucets came from Ferguson but I caved and ordered the most recent one (a Moen, like almost all our others) from Faucet Direct because it was so much less expensive there, and it is the same model as at Ferguson and of the same quality. (Ferguson might be able to price match if you want to check.) One last note. I don't see any problem with a white stove and a stainless DW, but the third tone (the almond trash compactor) is sort of one too many in my opinion. I know exactly what you mean about piecemeal updates, been there and still doing that to some extent. It's OK, it means you replaced things as needed instead of just for looks. The trash compactor color would definitely not make me turn walk out and rent something else -- I might not even notice, if I were a prospective renter -- but if you are going to change an appliance, that would be my vote instead of the stove. (This might be the place to remember that I am middle-aged and not swayed by stainless like younger HGTV-watching folks might be...) One last last note. I like chrome faucets fine. They are less expensive too. Just my opinion.

Abbycat9990 - thank you for posting the picture of your beautiful kitchen! It looks gorgeous! Fieldser; I didn't get to check on here until last Monday when the granite guys were here! I am fine with the odd shape, but would have been really upset had I not noticed it before hand. I hope it's growing on you by now ;-) I have an unforeseen (on my part) issue related to the shape of the sink I guess! I am not ok with my faucet line up! The granite guys drilled holes in the granite along the line of the sink! So there are four holes, the first on the left is a little over an inch from the back splash and the fourth is a little over 1.5" the faucets don't follow the straight line of the back splash?! I'm trying to see if it bothers me now that the faucet & accessories are in place...they are each different in diameter at their base and so the depth / distance from the back-splash / the edge of the sink is less obvious now. Perhaps this is the standard thing to do, but I would have thought they'd have mentioned it to me before drilling! I didn't realize they'd done this until they were finished! If something is not going to be symmetrical then I want it to be *obviously* a-symmetrical! A statement. Not just slightly "off"! Being "slight" looks like a mistake to me! I'm a little ill to my stomach about it really. I am upset that they spent five minutes discussing the inches apart the faucet holes should go and yet made no mention of the line they should follow! I was stupid to assume it would be STRAIGHT! Arghhh. We had it installed as an undermount with a thin lip showing so that we could use the cutting board and accessories that came with the sink. Now we just need to get the carpenter to trim the board to fit! (Fingers crossed that'll work out). Oh, the other faux pas! The granite guys mounted the dishwasher to the underneath of the granite by glueing and bolting clips. Great... BUT - it's in crooked! "Miss Observant" wasn't too observant that day and I didn't notice this until an hour after they'd left my home! I think I was just too enamored with the new counter-tops! They've been supposedly "coming back" since Thursday! [rolling my eyes here] but haven't shown up *yet*! The right side of the dishwasher is not in line with the cabinet next to it and the left side sticks out and so the dishwasher door bangs into the cabinet when you are closing it! Nice one eh? I wish my husband had been here when they were installing. Not to sound like a feeble female but I think things would have been more thorough if he'd been here. I've never renovated a kitchen before now, so I didn't know the pitfalls/ potential for error! I am learning that in general people just don't give a rats a$$ - you need to ask lots of questions and you obviously need to stand and WATCH as everything is happening! I didn't want to hover too much so made myself busy when they were drilling (I think that was the worst time to leave the room)! They all arrive to your house, act like they are heaven sent, ask a few questions to play the game and appease you and then proceed to do as they damn well please! Amazing!