First, please reconsider Home Depot. They did my countertops a couple years ago, and I'm still mad about it. They were very quick to take my money, but they did not deliver on time. I had to keep calling them to ask when they'd have the items (which were not special order in any way) ready. They didn't install 'til 5-6 weeks after the original promise date. Then they discovered - after the ountertops were in -- that the backsplash I'd ordered wouldn't work in my kitchen. Why couldn't the man who came out to measure the kitchen figure this out?. No apology, no suggestions on what else to do. And they weren't nice about refunding my money. I would not go to Home Depot again-- not even for something simple like light bulbs ot trash bags. not even if they were giving things away for free. As for your plans, I like them . . . Except I'm not sure that in such a small kitchen you can afford the space for a dedicated mixer lift.

Take out oven wall so you just have an L and not a U. Put ovens at right side of sink wall, with pull out pantry (9 or 12") between ovens and wall. Delete ridiculous bended island. Instead create new island facing fridge/range wall. Put prep sink in it. Turn cabinet at the bottom end of it to face cleanup sink for dish storage. I would make the current sink window 3 windows so as to echo the DR windows across the way, and make them as large as possible while still being centered on the wall. As is, the scale of the one little window is kind of pathetic and jarring (sorry, no offense) when compared to the DR windows, and I think you will notice that in real life. I would also the windows down to the counter. In this layout you could swap ovens and fridge, but I would only do so unless you access the fridge way, way less than the ovens while prepping/cooking a meal. The layout I described is basically my layout, and I much prefer the fridge closer to the cooktop, island, and perimeter (for snackers) of the kitchen.

If you're not going to water in the summer, then anything but St Aug will be better than St Aug. It will die if not watered once a month or so. If the zoysia does not do well in the shade, then St Aug is the only option. So then, in prep for sod, no need to rototill or aerate. Just rake or scrape off the surface dead growth. Then lay the sod. Make sure they leave no gaps between sod pieces. The sod pieces should be staggered meaning that it should not look like a checkerboard. They should roll the sod down to ensure good contact between the roots and the soil. Then start watering briefly (5-10 minutes), 3x per day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner times), for the next 2 weeks. Then check a few pieces to see if they have knit to the soil. Try lifting a corner. By then the roots should be biting into the soil. Then you can back off on watering until you are watering deeply (1 inch) and infrequently (once per week max during the hottest heat of summer). That watering schedule may be much different from what your neighbors say and all your local advice, but their daily watering schedule does not develop a great root system. Daily watering also encourages every weed seed to sprout, and you don't want that. So as soon as the sod knits down, start backing off on the watering frequency. Are you interested in an inexpensive organic fertilizing routine. Here is a picture of a zoysia lawn with a handful of alfalfa pellets (rabbit chow) applied a month earlier... You can see the improved color, density and growth. Alfalfa is usually applied at 15-20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. You can buy it at any feed store in 50-pound bags. You and your daughter might appreciate organic.

Those little bumps do look to be scale. I've been lucky enough to not have to deal with scale, but I'm fairly certain you treat them like meallybugs. First remove the ones you can see by picking them off. Then gently scrub with a soft toothbrush and a solution of rubbing alcohol, a few drops of liquid dish soap, and dilute with a little water. You will have to do this over and over till they are gone. Check once a week. Each time there should be less and less. Once you are for sure they are gone repot into new mix and clean the container really well:). Still keep your eye on the plant. All it takes is a couple that you missed. Keep this plant away from all other plants:)! While doing this treatment keep out of direct sun. Goodluck;). Here's a YouTube video:) that you may find helpful:).