I'd say treat it like any other piece of stainless steel.

Gadzooks!!! What has that man been smoking? You are 100% right in every little feeling you have. This does not work. It's hard to come up with alternatives without a scale drawing. Is that a bar as in belly up from the den side and be served by a bartender? Is that something that'll really function for you? Do you do a lot of cocktails entertaining in the family room? Because you sound dubious. Is it your dear desire to have your own private "pub", or is this mostly the architect's idea? Do you really want the laundry in the master, or is this also his notion? Some people like it close to the clothes. Others want it in the working part of the house. In moving it are you giving up function? For instance, would you have to have a stack pair (and if so, do you like using them?). Will you have a good place for sorting and folding? If all of that is cool with you about moving the laundry, have you considered moving the kitchen to where the laundry is, since your goal is to be open to the den and that area lines up better with it? Where does the door at the left lead? Backyard? That would be good for barbecue, but not so good if it's the only way out there though it doesn't appear to be the case (doable but not great). If that's okay you could even extend the kitchen proper into the current passage space. You'd give up some symmetry, but that's not bad. You'll add usable space and mystery. And the whole point of a den is a casual space that you enjoy having open to the kitchen, while having a more formal and private living room. Having the opening more toward the DR rather than centered gives you that without losing the flow. That should also limit the sight line from the entry. You could then put a bar, if desired, in the front corner and have it accessible to the formal ares as well as the den. If you love the whole bar thing and it's really just the fridge you're concerned about, just put it back in the kitchen and get an under counter bar fridge and/or wine fridge for the bar side. Tiny in a kitchen is workable, i.e., fridge, stove and sink all crammed together. Going from a normal, functional kitchen to the fridge in another room on purpose and paying good money to an architect for the displeasure is not. That's the kind of inconvenience that people remodel to get rid of!! Remember that he's working for you on your own house. Your (residents') opinions are the only ones that count. Just keep repeating, "The fridge goes in the kitchen" over and over until he gets the message.

These are also called Chicken Bundles and they are yummy! Savory Crescent Chicken Squares Recipe #12572 These are very good. You can also make them smaller using the "triangle" instead of the "square" and have as an appetizer instead of the main course. by Lali 30 min : 5 min prep SERVES 4 -8 * 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened * 3 tablespoons butter, melted * 2 cups cooked cubed boneless chicken or 2 (5 ounce) cans boneless chicken * 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste * 2 tablespoons milk * 1 tablespoon chopped onion * 1/4 cup chopped olive (optional) * 1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls * 3/4 cup crushed crouton Blend cream cheese with 2 Tbsp butter until smooth. Add next six ingredients and mix well. Spoon 1/2 C meat mixture onto 2"triangles" of dough. (don't separate, so you actually have a "square") Pull 4 corners to the top, center of mixture and twist slightly and seal edges by pinching. Brush tops with remaining butter and sprinkle with croutons Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes in a 350* oven until golden brown. Source: RecipeZaar.com

Thanks for the ideas! Unfortunately we do need it for the sink. We discussed swapping it out with one of the unplanned base cabs, but they are all bigger and really throw off the layout of everything. I don't want to paint the cabs (they are natural cherry and high quality, so pretty in person), but I love the idea of making it look like a free standing piece next to the stove! I could really play around with that as far as colors, etc. Hm. We also have all the corian that came with those cabs. It's too expensive to fabricate for the whole kitchen, but if I did the freestanding hutch type thing we could just have it fabricated for that... Hm. a 28" ikea cab would fit there nicely and could be painted. Or we have a 30" in the basement that I think can be repaired... The ikea cart was another idea floating around my brain. bmorepanic - you kinda lost me on the first paragraph ... oh, unless you are talking about the backsplash? That's a pretty idea! Thank you! More ideas floating around in there now ;)