Oh wow, thank you powermuffin - I had NO idea! I am new to gardenweb and the format is still a bit new to me. I will seek out the kitchen forum!

I would not close off the current entrance. There have been many threads on this forum from people trying to figure out what to do with their corners. If you decide to go with the 'L', I would not angle anything in the corner, as it is a huge waste of space. I think that the 'L' also makes the kitchen look smaller than it really is with the tall items crowding the range. I like the entrance there as it allows the kitchen to breathe. Functionally, I think it makes more sense to 'zone' your kitchen and put food storage together on the shorter wall to the right of your entrance. I would flank the refrigerator with pantries or pullouts and place a MW drawer across the aisle on the short end of island. Although it sounds like a great idea to have the frig near the dining space, it is not necessary. I had that in my previous kitchen, and there was just too much going on in the same space with my cooktop. Snackers can then get to the refrigerator and MW without traipsing through your cooking zone. It's also less steps when putting groceries away. I would use a range and as many drawers as possible on the long wall for all of your cooking needs. By eliminating the refrigerator and double ovens you would have a very spacious look and a tremendous amount of storage and prep space. Dirty plates will be coming from your dining space, so I like the DW on that end of the island, with dish and cutlery storage either across from or next to the DW, making it easy for someone to set the table without getting in your way at the range. I would also extend the island and make it as long as the range wall.

I think you're looking at too many stars. If you choose a waterfall counter you should know that it will add not only extra material cost, but you also will incur extra costs for fabrication as the ends have to be mitered exactly to get that seamless look. You need to ensure that your fabricator is experienced in this area. If you decide on the waterfall counter, I would not do a contrasting island colour, and would probably do a quiet backsplash.

Thank you, everybody. @herbflavor I really appreciate you thinking this through. -The fridge is a counter depth, so I think it may be a little wider than a standard fridge. -Yes, I do want the island to operate as part of the kitchen. I'm personally not a fan of diag cut countertops and cabinets (there is an upper diag cabinet in this layout, but that is going to be switched out) -I'm intrigued by the idea of putting the coffee bar on that north wall, but I worry about this looking like one large long wall kitchen as opposed to keeping it in the "center" of the house. There's also the question of what I'd do with the rest of that long south wall. @biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley) -Yes, there will be a mini-fridge / wine fridge in the bar. No running water though to keep costs down. It is a little annoying to walk to other sink to get water for coffee, but for me not a dealbreaker. Adding snacks to that is a great idea! The first response to this post got my heart beating and I almost texted my designer to call the whole thing off. (I appreciate truthful and frank comments that appear on houzz.) Feeling a little better now. This may not be the most ideal set up, but it will meet our family's needs better than the current open nothingness. Let's call it "a creative solution?" Also I think @herbflavor is correct that just updating the surfaces will make the entire kitchen feel better. We plan to move in the next 3-4 years, so I'm hoping this won't be SO offensive to a buyer that it's a dealbreaker.