Baskets, pineapples, acorns, and squares....what do all these have in common?

We had a two hour selection meeting today so we could solidify our choices so far, approve and reject some change orders,and pick the stair system and hardwood. Of course, I was excited, but Cliff, well, not so much. I heard him mention this was his last one. I take this to mean that he trusts me with my selections. That has to be it, right? He's just not into debating the different shapes of newel posts and balusters. (There's your answer!) And that's OK. I'll be glad to take on the interior choices. He will be making the selections for the deck and patio for sure, and I'm OK with that. We all have our areas of interest. So you can see our choice for the stairs below.
I really had a hard time deciding, because I love, love, love our package 1 stairs. They are what's in the Blueridge model home (if you haven't seen it yet, you need to). However, we have an open stair system and they are located very near the square columns in the dining room, so I thought they might be too bulky and "square looking." (And you wonder why Cliff didn't enjoy this discussion??)
We all ready knew what we wanted for the hardwood so that was the easy part. We decided to go with the 4' common hardwood with a provincial stain. I love the common grade because it retains all the grains and knots that give the wood a lot of character. You can actually mix the 3", 4", and 5" together for the same package level, but I wanted a cleaner look so we went with all the same size. I cannot WAIT to see what they look like on the floor. If the reclaimed barn wood appeals to you, but it's not in your budget, this is a good way to get the same "look" without the cost. I love it! Like a ninny, I forgot to take a picture of it, so I'll post it when I show you some of the new "coastal" selections tomorrow. They are PRETTY sweet...see you then!