Is small the new big???

Oh, gosh, I absolutely love soapstone--love it! It has a really high price point, too, though, doesn't it?

soft though. not for the faint of heart, hard on countertops, or those with children...

John R, where did you get that "worst" decal? I love it and want one or maybe a hundred cause all my friends would love one too.

Also, the lady logo (on the left side of the page of your post) would be needed to be added to my order also (the real lady not the logo).

Mighty classy stuff here.

Oh, gosh, I absolutely love soapstone--love it! It has a really high price point, too, though, doesn't it?

Did this in the big house...no not jail. Wanted concrete, but it hadn't caught on here at the time and I couldn't find a fabricater. Soapstone, although beautiful, is VERY high maintenance at the beginning. I had to slop mineral oil on it and rub rub rub it in at least once a week for months. We moved before the break in period was over and I decided to never have it again.

Chickpea, I've asked this question a million times! It's so strange. I wonder, seriously, how many times I've heard uttered on a re-hab/house flipping show: "Now, in the kitchen we're going to re-do the countertops with granite because this is a very high end area." :roll: Give me concrete or stainless tops over granite any day.

Granite CTs and SS appliances will be the trademark of the Bubble Era just like Harvest Gold/Advocado and paneling were the trademark of the 70s.


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Granite CTs and SS appliances will be to the Bubble Era what Harvest Gold/Advocado and paneling were to the 70s.


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Okay...what's the next great thing?

Okay...what's the next great thing?

Eating Ramen Noodles on a kitchen counter of a home whose mortgage is paid in full.



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Eating Ramen Noodles on a kitchen counter of a home whose mortgage is paid in full.



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...working on it!!!

Ten more years, and we're free in that regard.

Did this in the big house...no not jail. Wanted concrete, but it hadn't caught on here at the time and I couldn't find a fabricater. Soapstone, although beautiful, is VERY high maintenance at the beginning. I had to slop mineral oil on it and rub rub rub it in at least once a week for months. We moved before the break in period was over and I decided to never have it again.

It is indeed high maintenance but it is beautiful!!! It is wierd that you had to apply mineral oil that frequently - that seems excessive but ?????

You know me - beauty trumps all

John R, where did you get that "worst" decal? I love it and want one or maybe a hundred cause all my friends would love one too.

Also, the lady logo (on the left side of the page of your post) would be needed to be added to my order also (the real lady not the logo).

Mighty classy stuff here.

Ram, you didn't ask me, but I'm more than happy to do anything I can to help you in this regard:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=w+sticker+worst&category0=

It is indeed high maintenance but it is beautiful!!! It is wierd that you had to apply mineral oil that frequently - that seems excessive but ?????

You know me - beauty trumps all

...which is why in my next home, I will have either Carrera or some other marble in my kitchen!

...which is why in my next home, I will have either Carrera or some other marble in my kitchen!

Fair enough - just make sure it is honed (not polished!) in kitchen unless you are dying for another high maintenance material.

And honed marble is bellissimo.

...which is why in my next home, I will have either Carrera or some other marble in my kitchen!

Fair enough - just make sure it is honed (not polished!) in kitchen unless you are dying for another high maintenance material.

And honed marble is bellissimo.

you rang?!

you rang?!

:roll: ...

:roll: ...

i looooooooooove my new marble kitchen counter tops! Afyon Sugar....second whitest marble known to man. Gorgeous. Come see it. I got mine polished just because I think it's prettier....but.....my island is jacobean color dark brown wood, I will just tell everyone to work on it, not the marble.

i looooooooooove my new marble kitchen counter tops! Afyon Sugar....second whitest marble known to man. Gorgeous. Come see it. I got mine polished just because I think it's prettier....but.....my island is jacobean color dark brown wood, I will just tell everyone to work on it, not the marble.

I will come dance on them for you since you don't like cooking!

I will come dance on them for you since you don't like cooking!

I really love you Miss K....but....ahhhhh....NO! I have four large decks and a big tower you can dance on. Ok?

I thought you were going to say that the homes were capped at a size of something like 2000-2500sf.

Check out some of Ross Chapin's designs. Some are like living on a boat, but look well thought out. He is building communities with common areas with the tiny homes surrounding it. I love the style, I just have too much (needless) stuff.

Those look wonderful!

That's the other thing I love about my teeny house--All the needless stuff goes away because there is nowhere to store it.

i looooooooooove my new marble kitchen counter tops! Afyon Sugar....second whitest marble known to man. Gorgeous. Come see it. I got mine polished just because I think it's prettier....but.....my island is jacobean color dark brown wood, I will just tell everyone to work on it, not the marble.

50-year-old metal edged formica. I would say that it's Retro, but it's really just the original countertops. Who's jealous?

Those look wonderful!

That's the other thing I love about my teeny house--All the needless stuff goes away because there is nowhere to store it.



50-year-old metal edged formica. I would say that it's Retro, but it's really just the original countertops. Who's jealous?

Here you need one of these to go in it! I love these! They also come in pink!

Here you need one of these to go in it! I love these! They also come in pink!

I love those with all my heart!!!

Here you need one of these to go in it! I love these! They also come in pink!

I'm shocked you didn't put those pink appliances in your new kitchen. Guess you got trumped, huh The new place is absolutely gorgeous! Sorry I missed you last weekend sweetie. Let me know when you're coming back in.

To the original question. Good one. Chickpea. I'm all about small and luxurious. My place in Tampa Bay is only 1700 sq ft but has 2 fireplaces, outdoor kitchen, pool, double jacuzzi in master and very open. I loved it for a residence because it was so easy to keep clean and why pay for space you don't need?

Even my place here is 4 BR so I have plenty of room for beach guests but it's only about 1800 sq ft. Doesn't have all the comfies that I like but does have plenty of room for me. Perfect for someone who hates to clean and has no kids.

Actually hope tp buy a really small place cash in the future and as Shelly says, eat ramen noodles . Then buy a motorhome or sailboat and get outta dodge for a little while.

Experiences not stuff for this gal!

I do have to say I like the granite countertops though. I don't even have a cutting board (Ali can attest to this) and I don't need to find one with the granite Perfect for the lazy cook!

Yep, I vote for small and compact for most things! :funn:

A common mistake I find is that people jump on the bandwagon and put ALL the bells and whistles in rather than just the ones they would use. It is easy to fit all you need in a smaller space and live comfortably if you only include what YOU will use. Plan for how you live your daily life, rather than for infrequent or one time events.

For example:
-a smaller kitchen for someone who doesn't cook alot instead of a huge unused space with thousands wasted on commercial grade stainless appliances
-No formal dining room if people don't give dinner parties and have other spaces to eat in
-only enough garage space for the number of cars owned by residents, while guests park in the open or under a pretty planted arbor
-Guests rooms w/ smaller closets and luggage storage space instead of walk-ins

Chickpea, ran across this today:
http://www.bankrate.com/aolre/news/pf/20070816_small_houses_1.asp

Chickpea, ran across this today:
http://www.bankrate.com/aolre/news/pf/20070816_small_houses_1.asp

Thanks Peapod - liked reading this and agree with most of it. I think this trend is likely to continue and can be promising!