I forgot... here's another top view that shows the relation to the family room, and where we're thinking of placing the kitchen table. On the one wall (bottom) there are sliding doors going from family room to backyard, another set of sliding doors from kitchen to backyard, and a tall window by the kitchen table. We're north-facing so it doesn't get too hot but we get a great view of our backyard and very nice light.

{{!gwi}}

Very nice.

I wouldn't prioritize framing the range with the island pendants. That visual will be perfect only from one precise spot in the family room. The actual sight lines will be all over the place, right? (Different situation if the sight line started at a doorway with a fixed sight line - then I might agree with trying for a balanced frame.)

Way more important is a longer counter work run between sink and cooktop as shown the second picture. Especially if the DW is between them. Sink ideally needs 2 ft either side dedicated to sinkwork and cooktop needs 1 ft absolute minimum, far better to have more. That first drawing looks like there is only 2 feet shared. No way would that crowding be worth any amount of symmetry for me!

Love the open shelving right up to the window wall. Great look.

That column is tricky...How about an L shaped island (counter top shaped like a trapezoid or piano with seating on the curve). It could tie into the collumn, improve landing for the fridge and add a bit more storage. Graceful taper at the prep sink end might improve traffic - with the island as shown the overhang point could make passage trouble there by the table. Check your clearances there.

Oh and as far as the look of the range wall, I prefer the symmetrical upper cabinets either side of the range. So two reasons to vote for version #2.

Since you care about symmetry, does the sink not being centered under the window bother you?

I think that's a good call - kill two birds with one stone! Symmetry of upper cabs + more counter space between sink and countertop.

I do care about the sink not being centred to the window, particularly because the window has a vertical pane down the middle and our windows are 2 years old so we won't be changing them anytime soon. I told our contractor to increase the base cabs below the sink from 36" to 40". Our cabinetry is custom btw. Our sink is 33" wide so i told him to roughly center it to the window, especially cause our faucet will be tallish and prominent.

Any thoughts on the number of open shelves? We were thinking of doing 3 evenly spaced ones so we have room for more tall or special dishes, pitchers, etc. Those shelves will hold more showy pieces, while the glass upper hutch on the cooktop wall will have the everyday dishes.

Another question on the open shelves - do you think it looks weird having the shelves just run into the sink wall on the right, rather than running into some type of upper cabinet? I was thinking of having a l-shaped corner cab to the right of the open shelves so it runs into it, rather than the wall.

Maybe these views will help you to picture it better...have a look at the upper cabs to the left of the window. According to the new design, these cabs would be removed and we would have open shelves connecting directly to the sink wall.

{{!gwi}}

Another views. Shelves would start roughly where our current range hood is, and run across to the right side of the wall. (Gosh, is our kitchen ever dark and outdated! I can't wait to put in the light cabinetry.)

{{!gwi}}

The prep sink in the island...we were going to move it to the other side so it's closer to the main sink. I don't like having it in the middle of the island because I like as much continuous space as possible, plus I don't want it directly across from tehe cooktop.

Do you think it's a bad idea to move the prep sink to the other side? Our thinking is that we'll have a "prep zone". There will only be a garbage drawer under the main sink, so that's another advantage to having them close. We won't have disposals for either sink.

I sure agree that you need more than 2 ft between the sink and cooktop.

I'm not a huge fan of open shelving, but visually, I like the shelves going to the wall, as shown. 3 or 4 shelves, either one, would be fine. If you have things you want to display that won't fit in 9", go with 3.

I don't know why you'd want the 2 sink nearer each other. Potential problems of people interfering with each other, and especially a problem if the dw is open.

I am worried about the new fridge location and having to go around the island to get to it from the stove area (again, especially if the dw is open). I would like it better in its current location so you can keep the prep area at that end and cleanup zone separate, rather than in the middle of the work triangle for fridge-prep-stove.

I would try to do something to work the column into things, rather than having it stand separate like that.

Rhome 410 - Good point about the prep sink interfering with the dishwasher. I don't like the idea of having it at the far end so perhaps we can move it one cabinet to the left.

Where do you think the fridge should go? Would love people's advice on this!!

With this layout I think the fridge might be best where it is in the current kitchen...which would be to the far right of the new cooktop location. That would also work with keeping the prep sink toward that end of the island, maybe with a bit of counter on the end for landing space.

redroze-
just curious...what is the name of the countertops in your 'before' kitchen?

Thanks

Another vote for symmetrical cabinets over the cooktop. Not because I'm into symmetry- but because the cupboard sizes in pic #2 are far more useful. You'll probably want to put dishes and glasses right over the DW and a good-sized cupboard will be better than a little 12-15" one.

I think the open shelves going into the sink wall will be fine. You could put cookbooks (if they're not too tattered :>), and right by the window you could even have a plant or two.

Amy0406 - They are a faux slate textured laminate. Really cheap from Home Depot and we knew we would only need them for a few years...