A couple of Q's which I'll probably repeat later in the text: - Is this new construction or are you limited by the location of the existing walls? - Entry door, is the location fixed? - which walls (if any) are exterior walls? - any windows? - are plumbing locations fixed "as is" or can things be moved? Starting with the entry door; Door width can be subject to code, the town I live in has adopted a minimum of 32" CLEAR OPENING for a bath door. Check locally. The reason I highlighted clear opening is because you normally need to size the door 2" wider to get that opening. 32" is 2' 8", you'd need a 2-10 door to get that opening. If you want to comply with access (wheelchair) regulations, then try for a 3-0 door. Code states something along the lines that "the door shall not interfere with the safe use of the fixtures or cabinets." Your door does interfere with the cabinets, but is it unsafe? As drawn you can open the door about 45 degrees. Someone could reach through the partially opened door, close the opened drawer, then open the door fully. I could see that being allowed, I could see an inspector nixing that. Entering the bath; I'll jump to behind the door, the toilet. The toilet needs a 30" wide space, 15" each side of toilet centerline. You have that. If you make that door/toilet wall full height, the toilet space could be considered to be a "toilet compartment" and then it'd be required to be a minimum of 30" wide and 60" deep. Again, you don't have a "compartment" as you don't plan on adding a door to the opening of the "compartment", but you never know which way an inspector will go. If you have a 3-sided toilet closet, an inspector could easily make the argument that a door could be added later. These would be things to talk about during the permitting process, before construction begins. But I'd go with a partial-height toilet wall to improve sight lines in the bath and to eliminate that discussion all together. Walls/Windows; Are any of the walls exterior? Are these walls dimensions fixed as drawn? Are there any windows? I ask because normally in cold climates (I don't know where you are) I don't run water supply tubing through exterior walls, that's done for freeze protection. Vanity/Sink/storage Single bowl is fine, a double bowl would actually be tight on your counter. You have a large bath with what I'll describe as limited storage for a bath of this size. All you have is the vanity. In my own bath, which is rather large, my wife and I share a single bowl. Like yours, my wife refused two sinks. Tub That's an issue you need to discuss with your wife. Will you use it? Is it there because it's there, or is it there and it's that size because that's what you and your wife want. Or is it thee for "resale"? I won't comment on moving things because I don't know if there are windows in this bath, nor do I know where they are. Shower If you want wheelchair, you're looking at 36" wide openings and a 60" square shower space. You're close. I presume that the entire shower and drying off area (to include the robe hooks and towel rack area) will be a tiled wet area? If you think you might want this to be wheelchair accessible, consider not building in the two corner benches and instead having freestanding and movable benches. Small teak ones look nice. That would allow you to still have seating withing the shower, but you could move it around as needed, or remove it all together. Or add larger later if needed. That "partial glass wall" between the tub and shower limits things a bit. Do you have shower storage figured out? Wall niches? shelves? If you don't, then that's what the bench will become. If the towel bar is intended for equal use between the tub and the shower, its fine as is. If just for shower, then consider moving it to the wall where you have "walk-in closet" written in. Overall... ...you have a great space. Is the entry door location fixed? Are any of the plumbing locations fixed? You can flip things around and really make this a great space. But again...a bit more info is needed first. And yes, if you're the man in your marital arrangement, you're considered to be the "DH" or "dear husband". But no one here is judgmental, so as far as we're concerned you can be whomever you want to be. ; ) For today, I'm just... Mongo

Hi Rhome... all that food sounds yummy- it's people like you that inspire me to want to try to cook and more importantly, to teach our children to want to learn too. My mom always let us help when we were kids. Unfortunately, she passed away when I was way too young (13 years ago). I sure wish I would have paid more attention. No recipes- just a little of this and some of that and lots of great memories too! I really am going to enjoy experimenting in my new kitchen. I have been putting lots of thought into storage for the new kitchen. I'm thinking that the shelves above the microwave can be used for storing bowls and I will also have 1 drawer below the warming drawer. Pots and pans will go under the range and spices in the pull outs on either side of the cooktop. That leaves me with 2 additional upper cabinets for food prep supplies (oils/sauces) and additional bowls/small appliances (hand mixer, chopper) and measuring devices. Even if I lose the base cabinet space below the microwave for a 2nd trash, I think this should be enough storage. Also, with the microwave out of the island, I think that space at the cook top end will be perfect for additional items (large mixer, baking stuff). What do you think? I really need to try to find pictures or more info on the standing desk. It sounds like it would be great. If I move the 1st trash to the sink side (in place of stack of drawers) would you recommend putting that stack where the trash was originally at the end of the island? I had planned that for dish towels, wraps, ziplocks, etc. One other thing- a few months back you helped me with some elevations and sent me some photos from your kitchen. I liked the way you used different finishes in your space. I want to do something similar and plan for the island, the area above the cook top and the hutch to be different than the perimeter cabinets. I am looking at distressed creams, blacks and sage green or distressed red. Would you mind sending them again? Thanks so much.

I have thought about the suggestions given and am very appreciative, thank you all very much. Been a crazy week since I am going away this weekend, but I keep looking at the diagrams and putting blue tape down on the current counter. I will try to list some points and elaborate my thinking. 1) Back access to the blind cabinet - Maybe we could but it will create some difficulty since the return vent is behind that spot. Maybe it could be done.It is a stacked upper and lower return and we are already cutting off the upper to make the opening, so I am concerned about more mods. 2) Corner sink size - I am told we can get a 24" sink in there. We are thinking of this one Blanco Sink. 3) Moving DW over to desk area - There is a window in front of that area that limits height to 30.5", so could not put any normal appliance there. Additionally my wife very much wants her desk. Half the desk will be relegated to cat food storage. 4) Getting real vented hood - I can not add a actual vent to the home due to association. If I could I would have considered areal hood to start with. 5) Microwave - If I did not need it for range hood I probably would not bother to have one. I am not a fan and it is mostly a bread box for us.I used it to heat something today, but had to empty the bread, bagels, and pretzels. 6) Putting sink next to the corner cabinet and on the straight side of peninsula - I need to sell my wife on this idea. She has a preconceived notion that she does not want a sink in the middle of our eating peninsula. She loves the corner solution. Our needs and uses. In our 5 years living here we have entertained another couple for indoor dining once. We have a single friend who joins us, but that is very casual and infrequent. Normally I do the cooking and can not think of a time when two of us prepped together. I have given allot of consideration to moving the range down and bringing that cabinet up towards the sink to create a larger area. Being a righty I like having some work area on the right side of the range.I have looked at my cooking over the last few days and usually I use the counter on both sides of the range.I actually cook using 3 areas as follows. Next to the sink for wash and prep foods. They all go into bowls and then to the right side of the range. The tools and off the shelf products such as seasonings or oil go on the left side of the range. While I have made a fine argument to myself that it works for me, I am aware creating something that is to weirdly personalized diminishes appeal when selling. The other side of that coin is that this is for our use long term. If resale value were a high priority we would never move a bearing wall and just keep our current worse layout. Spending what we are going to spend can only be justified because it is what we want. It is drastic over improvement for a small 55+ community house. I am going away for the weekend (National Home Brewers Conference) and will keep studying the options. I will also work a full house diagram I can post.

An additional 48 sq feet is tempting and could be done IF you do 2 things first - (1) change or add to the fencing so the deer can't nibble through the fence (much smaller openings needed), and (2) clear a /grass weed free space on the outside of the fence like a 1' wide band of pea gravel on top of thick plastic. Some do this with weed killer but that has to be done before any crops are planted and it doesn't last all season. Otherwise, from my experience I can attest that both of your concerns are valid ones - they do eat through the fence and weeds will sprout and be difficult to eliminate between the fence and the beds. Dave