Wow, so many replies so quickly! Thank you. I will try to answer all the questions but I might miss something... * In our part of Texas, there are NO basements because the water table is simply too high. * We also do not have a garage. * The laundry room is too small to steal any space from (the washer and dryer back right up to the kitchen's adjoining wall) nor is there any room in there for the freezer. * Totally agree about the wasted space 'down south'. My ultimate dream would be to bump out the wall and build a 'great room' there with tons of windows to catch our spectacular sunsets. * With 4 kids always in and out for drinks, balls, or potty breaks, or for hubby to get to his grill or the shed, the back door really is used very regularly. And yes, it really is only a 30" aisle. * The entry/front door measurements are a bit off since I started too near the top of the paper and ran out of room, lol. The entry itself is 53" (of which the open front door cuts into by 36"), but there is a framed walkway into the kitchen/DR which only measure 46" W , if that makes sense. It really is a bizarre layout. I apologize for the crude sketch - I know I need to do it properly in some online software or something but I still need to learn how. :)

I had the same thoughts as RHome about the island being underutilized and prepping against a wall. Personally, I'm a big fan of prepping facing out into an open area -- but in your case, that would mean adding a prep sink in the island or moving your main sink and DW to the island, which would really cut into the countertop space there -- so no easy answers... If you think you would prep beside the sink, I'd go for a larger window there (and possibly deeper countertops?) to get more daylight and head room. If you think you would prep on the island even though it's not right by a sink, I'd be sure your flooring in that area is waterproof and non-slip. On your tall pantry -- Since it's not so wide, I'd be inclined to make it not so deep either. Where cabinets are relatively narrow, going 'deep' means things get lost in the back. Or better yet, switch it out for a base drawer cab with a much-wider set of uppers for dish storage instead, making your hutch pantry storage. What's behind your range wall? And what is your exterior siding? What I'm wondering is if you could access that blind corner from one of the other sides. If you could, you could use that area for trash & recycling and get full use out of otherwise lousy space.

Thanks for the hints, breezy! Thanks for your thoughts, Janet. The length of the kitchen is also 11". My husband isn't wild about cooking, but he will prep for me when we have the space. My 6 year old likes to pitch in, but isn't doing much yet at her age. You second my thoughts about putting a sink or range in the island. That's what my architect wants me to do, but I DO want to use the island as a casual eating spot while I'm prepping. I wouldn't feel comfortable having people sit there if I were cooking (I WAS worried about splattering) or washing (who wants to look at someone washing dishes?: lol!) I suppose that's why I was thinking about putting a smallish prep sink at one end of the island, where it wouldn't be used for cleanning, just prepping, and hopefully wouldn't interfere with people sitting at the island. I was thinking about a fridge with a bottom drawer freezer and probably just one door, unless french doors would give me more room. Currently I have a S x S counter-depth fridge in the space, but I've never really been a side by side gal. I DO want a microwave or a speed oven somewhere, but need to figure out where. Originally the pantry was going to be on the shallower wall on the other side of the fridge, but my architect said that the L-shaped couch might interfere with it. So, I'm not yet sure where it would go, if not there.

My Electrician was asking me where I planned to install my microwave -- he assumed I was going to do a built-in. Nope, just plugging in my $60-65 guy on the countertop, close to where I keep the dishes I'd microwave on. Yes, the fridge is further into the kitchen, but on the way out I'll microwave, and then walk out to the dining region (or outdoors) to eat. I guess most food I nuke is either for hot tea, takeout leftovers, and occasionally parmesan'd asparagus. Serve on whatever I nuke the food item on/in! Having it on the counter on the way out to the dining table is also useful if I host pot lucks. If I get tired of having appliances on the counter top, I can always put them in the pantry -- but I don't want to be moving it in and out especially if guests are going to be using it. (I will store *ugly* appliances in the pantry, or under the counters.... my crock pot is hopelessly stained, for instance.) I don't use it all that often, but often enough.