And here's the current layout. Again, terribly hand drawn, not to scale, etc., etc..

Okay, this made me laugh, because your proposed layout is exactly what three different kitchen designers *told* us to do with a similar (though smaller) space! :) (We didn't, for a number of reasons, none of them having to do with light or a wall effect.) Our finished kitchen looks a lot like your top layout if you put the door where your wall oven/pantry are and make the mudroom door a blank wall, and then put the fridge at the end of the lower cabinet run on the right instead. We kept a floor-to-ceiling built-in cabinet that is about the same size as a counter-depth fridge where you're proposing your fridge, though.

I can't tell exactly what your dimensions are, but our space is 11'x17'--looks like this is maybe more like 21' with some more width too? I've never seen our space without the high cabinet to the left of the sink, but it has never occurred to me that it was blocking any significant light from the window (ours is a 6' double window over the sink). It's just not that deep, and the window is large. We do have windows at the bottom of the diagram near the table, though, so maybe that helps? One thing I really like about having something tall at the end is that it helps keep the eating space and cooking/cleaning space visually separate, though I can also see people disliking it for this reason.

At any rate, we built a design that several KDs we interviewed thought was crazy--keeping an old built-in cabinet next to the sink and keeping the fridge on the opposite side of the kitchen from the sink/stove L--and it has worked out beautifully, so while I'd listen to the KD's arguments to be sure you understand the pros and cons, I also wouldn't be afraid of doing what is right for you, even if she disagrees. Where would the fridge go otherwise? Seems like swapping it with the ovens or pantry would have the same issue.

Blocking light or "wall" aside, this is what I don't like about the layout:

• DW is in the middle of the primary Prep Zone (b/w the cooktop and sink b/c that's the only source of water for prepping)

• It looks like there's little or no space to the left of the sink

• Oven opens into the Mudroom doorway - although it does help that the pantry is b/w the doorway & oven - so not necessarily a "deal-breaker" for me (depends on width of pantry)

• If there's seating on that island, there does not appear to be enough room for those "base cabinets" behind the island

• Is there enough room b/w the table and island?

• The refrigerator does look too close to the window...

Some things cannot be determined b/c your layout is not to-scale.

Use graph paper and draw out your kitchen and proposed layouts showing measurements and it will be easier to help you.

So to answer a couple of things -

- The kitchen is 15'4" (by mudroom door ) by 12'3' (by slider door)
- Currently the KD proposes just switching the fridge/ovens, so the oven will in fact open right into the mudroom doorway. Currently we have a SxS fridge there, so it only blocks half the door when open. I thought getting the fridge out of that space was a good idea.
-For the pantry by the door I was thinking 12'" or 18" wide. Like half the width of our SxS fridge. Then push the ovens over into the rest of that space.
- Current island is 7'4" from sink, so we have space to push that in and make room for the base cabs behind the island (and they'll be shallow, either 12" or 18" although those are still a discussion point.)
- We currently have a DW which I forgot (Duh!) to put into the 2nd pic but it's to the right of the angled sink.
- Maybe put the DW on the other side of the sink, next to the fridge?

I will work on graph paper - I was jotting down ideas and wanted some insight into what the KD was thinking. He is going to explain more when we meet on Thurs but that's a long time away. Hoping to get some other ideas before then!

Check out the "Layout Help" topic in the "Read Me" thread. It describes what information we need as well as how to draw up a layout for us to work on. See link below.

Scroll down a few posts to find the "Layout Help" topic.

Here is a link that might be useful: New To Kitchens? Posting Pics? Read Me!

Hmm, so that is actually closer to our dimensions than I was guessing, since apparently I was blanking on sizes I used to know by heart--ours is actually 13'x18'. We played around with putting the fridge in the L and mocked it up (to the right of the range) and really hated it, so I tend to agree on that one--of the two options, I'd rather have it to the left of the sink. We do have our dishwasher to the left rather than the right (I think based on buehl's advice some years back!) and I would 100% do that again. I think I was worried at the time that it would feel awkward since we're right-handed, but it's fine.

Our space is tight for an island--I think it's officially 12'10"--but we've been using a 24" work table there (no seating) with standard-depth cabinets on both sides, and it's worked well. Narrower aisles than would be ideal, but workable. If you've got 15' to work with, an island should be fine, especially with shallow cabinets.