This is a terrific thread that offers many diverse points of view regarding business, aesthetics, workflow, technique and equipment, and I think it deserves a bump.
Also, I would like to expand the discussion to ask about how photographers are dealing with limited access for obtaining the best ambient lighting and/or deploying supplementary lighting and light modification. And, is there any way photographers have found to help clients who are less experienced with using high-quality professional photography to ensure that they can obtain as much access as possible to their projects, in order to obtain the best quality photos under the circumstances.
Specific problems relating to access would be things such as access to do scouting photos, the amount of time available to capture the final photos, the ability to rearrange furnishings, access to controls for the "house" lighting, access for covering or filtering windows and house lights, and so on.