Hi again. After taking some time to think about some thing (and recuperating from the flu!), I made a few decisions. but my architect strongly recommended putting the clean-up sink on the island because it "fosters social interaction with friends and family . . . especially teens For the most part, I agree with this. However, I've decided to keep the clean-up at the window and keeping a prep in the island. One reason...I realized that almost everytime someone comes over, I am standing at the sink doing dishes. Whether it's another mom or a family member, they are sitting on a stool and I am washing dishes. I am very tired of that and I imagine it doesn't make them feel very welcome. Another reason...when I am doing dishes and the kids are sitting there for homework, either I am not giving them my undivided attention, or I get sidetracked and the dishes don't get finished. Also, since the kid's pretty much clean the kitchen after dinner, having their backs to the great room would certainly keep them focused on their task. Is that wishful thinking? Finally...we all like to prep together and that will be more fun if we can all be around the island. And I love the idea of using the island prep sink for drinks at parties. I'm guessing you are not a baker Actually, we are avid bakers. I like the idea of the MW and ovens separate so that while one might be using the MW another can be removing things out of the oven. I don't see a problem with meandering teens with the wide aisles. Yes, the DW needs to stay on the cooktop side since that doorway leads to the pantry. It also leads to a guest suite which will probably be occupied by my mother. However, thanks, to Rhome, I am seriously considering putting a second DW in the island. The handyman will be back the first week in March to pour footings where the load bearing walls are coming down. After that we order the 20 foot headers! Thanks so much for your input. It really helped me put things into perspective. Now I need to decide if that buffet counter is going to be nothing more than a clutter magnet!

Those are all very pretty colors. Did you do the poster board samples? I ask because the colors you've chosen can be tricky when put in a room with say certain other colors that can reflect off of them. Normally, and I'm not saying you have to do this, but it is usually recommended that you chose the 3rd from the lightest on a color sample. I notice Everlasting and Limestone are second from the lightest. Let me just mention my experience in picking too light a color on my sample card and not doing the poster board samples around the room. I was trying to paint the walls a mauve (keep in mind this was 20 years ago, LOL). Well, I thought I found the right "mauve" just by looking at the sample strip and chosing 2nd. from the bottom. To me the 3rd. one up looked too dark. Well, I put that mauve on the wall and honey it turned out to be light baby pink. The worst part was, I had to live with those pink walls in my living room and den for a few years. I decorated around them, but I know everyone who came in my house had that one question on their mind "what was she thinking?" LOL Whenever I screw up something I just try to pass that experience on to someone else just in the off chance they too could end up with my version of mauve. Hope you don't mind the extra advice, just trying to help.

I like Option 3 the best. I also prefer the refrigerator location in Option 3. It looks to be the most functional layout of the lot. The problem with the refrigerator on the opposite end of the kitchen from the range (on the sink wall) is that it's now inaccessible to the Prep & Cooking Zones without either running around the island or doing a lot of zone-crossing...refrigerator-thru Cleanup Zone-to-Prep Zone and back; refrigerator-thru Cleanup Zone-to-Cooking Zone and back. It's especially an issue b/c you have such a narrow aisle b/w the island and sink wall (it looks like 36"). Imagine doing all that running back & forth with a DW open and/or someone else working at the sink. In that location, the refrigerator is also pretty far from the MW and most foods that are MW'd come from the refrigerator or freezer. OTOH, with the refrigerator on the wall near the garage, it's right next to the Cooking Zone and easily accessed from the Prep Zone (the counter b/w the sink and range). (If you plan to use the island as a Prep Zone, I recommend a sink and, possibly, a wider aisle b/w the island and sink.) It's also right next to the MW. Personally, I like having all the appliances nearby that I need when prepping & cooking...without having to navigate around obstacles...things or people! The other advantage of having the refrigerator (and pantry) near the garage is that when you bring groceries in, you enter the kitchen right where they need to go to be put away. Island...you will have only a 9.5" seating overhang. 1.5" overhang + 24" cabinets + 1" decorative door on the back of the island = 26.5" 36" - 26.5" = 9.5" seating overhang You also have a rather narrow aisle behind the island (only 40" to the back wall). Even though you're skimping on the seating overhang, people will still take up the same amount of room in that aisle as if you had at least a 15" overhang...the stools will be pushed out b/c you can't fold up your legs to fit under the overhang, all you can do is have the stool farther out into the aisle and then lean forward...or maybe "straddle" the island (legs spread to "shorten" the distance b/w your hip and knees). With the minimum overhang, it's still recommended an aisle behind seating be at least 44". If that aisle b/w the island and back wall is going to be as busy as you say it is, you may regret it over time. My SIL has a 36" aisle b/w her refrigerator and island with a 12" seating overhang on a similarly located aisle (door to garage w/DR on the left and FR straight ahead)...and she became so frustrated w/the lack of space b/w them plus all that traffic that she removed the stools from the kitchen. It's not that the refrigerator is there, it's that if someone is sitting at her island, no one can pass by without forcing those sitting to get up and move out of the way....and they're a very thin family! I don't know what to tell you about the seating...except not have it...and I know you really want it. I guess this will have to be one of the compromises you make in your kitchen; we all have to make some compromises when our "wants" aren't compatible with what we have to work with....... Dimensions....in option 3, the arrow goes b/w the wall and the cabinets...not to the other wall. However, when I count boxes, that 11'4" measurement appears to be DR/FR wall-to-sink wall. If that's the case, I think you have a little less space than you realize. (The refrigerator wall cabs appear to stick out no further than the DR/FR wall, is that correct?) 11'4" = 136" 25.5" sink wall + 36" aisle + 36" island + 40" aisle = 137.5" So, one of the aisles will be 1.5" narrower than you show...which one? The work aisle really needs the full 36", minimum, and the busy aisle also needs as much space as possible... [Of course, if you have 0" counter overhang, then the overhang doesn't count and you're back to the 36" and 40" aisles.] Another compromise somewhere? Good luck!

I love the godmorgan sink for their clever plumbing moving the ptrap to the back so that you can have drawers. I got one but my plumber threw up all over it for the cheap quality of the plastic in the plumbing. He did agree about the design and is building ours with the ptrap in the back so that we can do drawers using better quality stock parts. Mirrors.. I would suggest picking this first as this will drive much tile you need. Have you looked at IKEA mirrors. They are a good price point. Also home goods etc.. Faucet.. Online prices are much better.. Do you like the look of the faucet in the picture? I went with a simple version from a good quality brand for my regular bathrooms with a single lever. For powder room, I also wanted it to be fun and did wall mounted in antique copper.