Though I personally like a left-handed dishwasher, I'd consider putting the dishwasher to the right hand side of the sink. Would that work at all for you? Is there enough space, or something else in the way? If it is to the right, you could keep the narrower counter on the stretch of counter that runs to the doorway and have the wider counters to the right. I don't think that would visually be bad.

Have to think about how the Shaws would work. You'd probably still be able to frame the Shaws sink in some way to make it cuter - maybe allow for 6 inches of cuteness space on either side or vertical pullouts or something?

plumeriavine - I can't have the dishwasher on the right side because there's also a doorway just like on the left side, but on the right. You come in from the dining room (to the right of the kitchen) and you can leave out the back of the house through the door to the left (or - this is funny - you can go out a third door if you want to exit the kitchen through the nook/office which continues on in a circle around through the living room bringing you back to the entry way (which leads to the dining room) OR - don't laugh - you could go out a 4TH door which is in the remaining corner of the kitchen, which sits atop a few kitchen stairs and leads to the main stairs which go up behind the kitchen wall. So, 4 doors. Ugh!

If we put the dishwasher on the right side, it would block the doorway in a much more severe way (that's how most enter the kitchen), and also all the cupboards that are big enough to house the dishes are to the left of the sink (above and below).

Thank you for the 6 inches of cuteness space idea. What would I put there? Little drawers or just nothing? It's hard to imagine losing 12" of kitchen space in such a small kitchen! Man this thing is tough. But at least I'm not living in Haiti with no home, shelter, food, water, family who've been killed....

First question that comes to mind is do you need/use all those doors and could you enclose one?

A floorplan - even a sketch - would be great.

Here's an idea - bump out on the left for the dishwasher, and then bump back in to the original cabinet depth for the stretch that goes towards the left hand door. Then, on the right hand side of the sink, do a bump out to match the bump out on the left, and bump back in to keep it symmetrical.

remodelfla - we've considered taking out the door w/ stairs (cute little skinny door) and to some day fill that in w/ countertop and more cupboards but we can't afford that now. That door, and the one that goes to the nook, isn't the problem. The two doors near the one and only countertop we have (on either side) can't be taken out. The one from the dining room is the way in, and while we hope to tear down the wall of the exit-out-the-back one someday (mudroom and half-bath), that's a huge project that we also can't afford now. :( Good suggestion though!

plumeriavine - yes that's what I'm thinking. I'm just hoping the fact that it's jogging out an inch or two past the door line won't be noticeable at that distance. The other option is to just go asymmetrical, doing it only on the left side (where dishwasher till come out) but I think in an old-fashioned kitchen, symmetry is key, don't you?

Draw it up! Putting it on paper really helps. Might work with or without symmetry, or even some combination.

You might want to jog back in one cabinet's width or 24 inches or so since I am not sure how to put a cabinet in that would have the right tapering of the far side. Countertops wouldn't be hard to do that way, but the cabinet boxes, unless you go custom, are more or less rectangular shapes.

If it's several feet out, it's unlikely the eye would notice it. Symmetry is key!

I'll agree with plumeriavine said here - quote: "bump out on the left for the dishwasher, and then bump back in to the original cabinet depth for the stretch that goes towards the left hand door. Then, on the right hand side of the sink, do a bump out to match the bump out on the left, and bump back in to keep it symmetrical."

Also, if you could put in a smaller door on the left, that might buy you 2" or more.

Maybe having columns or molding to kind of hide
that it juts out. Here are some visuals of what
others have done. Maybe this can help.
~boxerpups

This pic below is from AnnettaCM a GardenWeb friend's kitchen. Notice that she created a
wonderful space even though one of the cabinets sticks out.

The Kitchen Designer

Notice this is not even on either side but looks lovely.
from a soapstone goodle image

Green Kitchens
Notice the clever way they created a lovely kitchen
with different counter depths.

Soapstone Supply

Runge Cabinetry
Here they used columns to hide the different depths

plumeriavine - I would draw it up, but I wouldn't get it accurate in terms of finding out whether one would really see that it goes beyond the doorway from a distance. It's rather simple in that it's just a symmetrical extension of the poking-out sink area, on either side. While I'm not sure, I imagine the contractor could just angle it in on both sides the way it's already angled in on either side of the sink, right?

resueyla - thanks - I think you (and others) are right that symmetry is key. I'm glad you don't think it would be too noticeable! :)

kathy_wa - thank you for the suggestion of how to buy more space!

boxerpups - Wowy wow wow thank you for the several very helpful pics! I love the column idea (square versions would be really appropriate in my arts & crafts house that has a lot of square columns, wouldn't it? How fun to imagine... ). The only issue is that it's not just the sink that sticks out, as it does presently in my picture (link) above. I wish that were the case cause I kind of like the look of just the sink sticking out. If the area to the left and the right of the sink were to also get brought out into the room to the same depth as the sink, then the sink no loner looks like a centerpiece and the columns or even cute little feet if nothing else, may not work so well?

I guess that's what I'm asking now. I think I'm convinced things should be symmetrical for THIS particular kitchen which doesn't have much of a choice due to that long line from doorway to doorway. But am I correct to assume that the soon-to-be sticking-out area (including both sides of sink) will no longer have a way of looking special in some decorative sense beyond that? I mean could I put columns just to the left of the future (sticking-out) dishwasher area and just to the right of the future sticking-out area to the right of the the sink? Sticking-out area? Sorry - I'm tired and obviously very inarticulate at the moment! ;)

Is it an exterior wall? If not, perhaps a good carpenter could recess the DW.

How do envision doing the project?

Generally, what people do is work up a plan (with or without the assistance of designers and others) and figure out what they need to order.

Then, cabinets and moldings are ordered.

Then, installation people come and put it together according to the plans.

We can't rely on the contractor or his hired men to figure out the design on the spot, generally speaking.

Your kitchen will look great - - such a fun space to remodel.

In the picture, it is hard to tell if the cabinetry itself is angled or just the countertop. Are you hoping to maximize usable space? Most of these designers really work with straight edges. You may end up with dead space if the angled part of the cabinetry is achieved solely with filler wood instead of usable cabinet boxes. It might mean a loss of 8 to 12 inches if 4-6 inches is used for the angling of filler on both side. Custom boxes might alleviate some of this loss of space, but would be more expensive and are harder for me to visualize.

I am not a designer, that's just what I would be wanting clarified if I were exploring angled edges like your current design has. I do love the angles, by the way.

I think you could trick the eye regarding the symmetry issue by doing the bumpout, as needed for the dishwasher and sink, on the left side, and then lowering the countertop to 'baking station height' on the other.

I assume you are getting new cabinetry? Have you posted a layout here on GW? Maybe some of the talented posters could help. They are very good and are able to keep a tight budget in mind.