They're getting down to the finishing details in the back room. The beadboard ceiling is up and the beams are cased (this photo is a couple of days old and shows one finished beam). I like the wood our builder has picked - he's returned wood that didn't have enough character.

We went to Lighting Unlimited on Saturday and spoke with the VP at length about low-voltage tracks. He assured us that what we want to do would be expensive (upwards of $500), but if we wanted to go for it to insist that a qualified electrician do the job. In other words, not to be talked out of our design by an apprentice afraid of blowing an expensive transformer.
As we looked over a few more lights I thought I saw one of our electricians walk by. He was the quiet one, not the lead guy who taked me out of low-voltage in the first place, but as we were squinting at him he shot us a furtive glance and hurried off. "That's the guy!" We pointed him out to the VP, who told us he works at the store and is a journeyman electrician on the side. "If he wants to wire houses at 9PM that's his business."

I think we'll be getting that low-voltage system without argument.

I think we have the kitchen for four or five more days.