Gillilan Designs Inc. Right! It is like vilifying everything made in China and its made wrong, crooked, broken and they won't replace, etc - these builders behave the same way. They also use such poor labor they know honestly they are not capable of any if these things mentioned.
It takes good training to plan and think ahead let alone do something outside the box and do it correctly. My builder was so bad I have been told repeatedly to write a book. People would never believe the level of incompetence. So beware when doing these items - many, many contractors are unskilled monkeys and that is why you get leaks from hot water taps or skylights, soft close drawer hardware that malfunctions, etc. not because the concept is bad. Granted there are cheap versions of products but 90% or more of what I see is contractor error!!

lk_designs You know, I've just been re-reading this and I know I have a Wish List and a Reality List! The Reality List is tempered with the knowledge that for me personally money is an issue. Now if I had an unlimited bank account and unlimited space! The other interesting observation is that cultural differences colour our expectations and also what we accept as 'the norm; what our own specific-to-location building regulations allow; what kind of climate we live in (hot cold temperate etc) and what our own expectations are.

Julia Starr I would live there!

Marcia Crumley Fine Art what a warm, welcoming space! lucky guests!!

1spud Sandra, thank you for the kind words & trust me, it didn't take a lottery win! You can do it and with the current interest rates . . . it may make more sense now more than ever.

Janet Paik I keep coming back to this home. I love the family photo wall and the simplicity of everything. Congratulations on building a beautiful home!