[warning: this is a stream of consciousness piece I don't have time to rework. Be patient here.] Do you anticipate entering the house from the garage most of the time? Your drawing seems to imply that the route to kitchen from front door is to go through the dining room and great room. I grew up in a house that had a route like that. The front door was only for guests; it was rare for us to use it. Dad had shortened up a houseplan that should have had 4 more feet side to side and an internal shortcut from front to back door. Entering from the back door in the kitchen, we walked the entire perimeter of the first floor in order to go upstairs. You have a "living" room, a "great" room, a "dining" area/room and a "family" room, all adjacent to one another. Do you really have a clear idea of the different activities that will take place in each of these spaces? Will the living room become a formal parlor that is essentially unused? Your kitchen has surprisingly little counterspace and as you said, only one sink, yet there is such a big first floor. Imagine your daughter as a grownup. Where will two women work and enjoy the parallel activities of two cooks? Throw DH into the kitchen also...where will you all be? Believe me, the dynamic between two women in a kitchen is different than that of a mom and a middle schooler. I'd push that island seating out toward the "family" room area--this is assuming that people looking out to the left in the diagram will have a clear view from some good seats there. But it's also important to note that people sitting at the island are there for kitchen reasons, not scenic ones--you have two more rooms which are closer to the windows--bird feeder watching? contemplation? etc. If I have misunderstood and the view is at the top of the picture or the top left, I'd turn the kitchen 90 degrees and put the backs of the island toward the great room. That gives more space back to the family room for a proper viewing area out there and the cook gets to look through both adjacent rooms at the views. Consider carts or a second small island as places for all the kitchen paraphernalia that sits on countertops. Better still, given the amount of space you have, there have been some intriguing two parallel island designs on the GW and in mags, etc. Here's a radical new idea: put the pantry and kitchen closet between the living room and the kitchen, a set of two hall-like spaces entered from the middle of the kitchen where you have the range currently and perhaps also with an access facing the door to garage. Move that kitchen wall six feet or so toward the family room, pushing the kitchen back toward the family room. The pillars there can be part of the semi-wall defining each side of kitchen. This puts people much closer to the fireplace when they are in the kitchen and makes the "family room" concept of kitchen and leisure activities more logical. Also, this puts the kitchen closer to...

Thanks Lisa_a, and yes, I DO want that kind of help, please! 51.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"> Numbers written in pen on the above layout are for the grainte guys...they refer to counter tops only. So the aisle between the sink/fridge wall and Island is 48", but there is only 39" between the slider wall and island and 39" between entrance from mudroom and Island, so a little tight (but no appliances on either of those sides). There is more than 5 feet between island and sofa, but that is adjustable (we will be buying new sofas). I know the other measurements are hard to make out, so: -Total dimensions of room (kitchen and fam room combined) are 187 1/2" x 366" -sink wall to kitchen entrance will be 76" -doorway from mudroom to kitchen will be 47" (I say "will be because we are expanding the doorway by 7.5") -wall between kitchen entry and family room entry is 134 1/4", we are planning to put the pantry and bar area there (18" deep by 72" wide, combined) -From the sink wall to the sliding glass door is 112 1/2". Right now, the island is 56"x72", so maybe I can shave a few inches off the length? I am trying to fit a microwave as well as two 18" bases (one for recycling, one set of 18" drawers). My KD put in a 27" space for a MW, could I fit one in a 24" space? We only use the MW for small items/ reheating. Maybe I can even do a space saver? I am not picky when it comes to the MW at all, and quite frankly I hate the look of most trim kits...I would be fine with just a shelf, I think. I think the other few inches on the island are for panels? I would LOVE to fit at least 4 seats... This is my new inspiration for the island: What do you think...can I fit something similar? Feel free to be honest, everyone. I can handle it and I am only doing this once! I want to get it right! Thanks so much for all of the help!

Thanks KarenSeb! I like those layouts, but it's my number two priority to have a door to the toilet, so I'd have to go with the first layout, or figure out how to put the door in on your second layout. I like having the entry door open into a wall, so no space is wasted, right now there is a foot or two of wasted space behind the door. Kudzu - I'd like a larger shower too - it just depends on the cost difference. If they tell me having the larger shower is going to be 8k more or something, then .... I would probably choose not to move the toilet. I really just need to have a plumber come estimate for me what it would cost to move stuff around, but we're not ready to have the job done yet. I guess I'm going to try to get a couple layouts I like. One that seems less expensive, one that's moderate and one where we move everything around and see if I can get quotes on each of them.

I bought 40 of these pulls and found a dozen knobs that match nicely, so these are my starting point! I picked up some green and some cream 4x4 tile samples. What do you think? Cream cabinets with green tile is my favorite. (I had to use a tile to simulate cabinet color) Navy cabinets and cream tile backsplash. Love the hardware on the blue, but feels off otherwise. Thought maybe tile the are behind stove with a decorative tile like the third pic??? constructive criticism & suggestions welcome.