lambic, 20 some years ago when I moved into my current home I was distressed to realize that all of my countertops were 38" high. I'm 5'5" and the prior owners were both over 6' tall and had the cabinets custom made to accommodate their height. The range and dishwasher were both on platforms to also raise them to 38" and put them at the same level as the rest of the countertops. Over the years I have become accustomed to this height and most of my prep work has actually been done at 40" because I have a 2" high hugh cutting board sitting on the 38" countertop. Finally, I am getting my new kitchen and I'm going to do the countertops all at 38". The wall oven will be under the cooktop but with the 38" countertop height it won't seem to be sitting on the floor. This works for me (and everyone in my family is taller so they don't want lower counters)but you may want to think about your height in relation to the height of the countertops but it sound like you have this well thought out.

slightly off topic, but still connected with ergonomics... 1) I am unhappy with "farm" sinks that have a cold front panel to lean into when doing dishes or washing veggies. I find myself holding back, which makes the lean forward an even bigger back-killer, plus I'm not relaxed because I'm worried about touching that cold sink front. I decided to put in a regular sink, not a self-front-panel one. 2) I have a popup camper trailer with built-in countertops of a sort, but they are very low, as low as the camper bottom section. In order to work in it, I bought two folding bed trays, the kind for breakfast in bed. They were in a department store, cheap but useful. I elevate the dishpan, the cutting surface, whatever. Very handy and it might help someone with similar issues in a house kitchen. 3) I read somewhere that the new deeper sink trend is a response to people's desire to camouflage dirty dishes in an open-architecture kitchen. If you are embarrassed to have a working kitchen, build a wall between it and your table. Don't compromise your back!

It looks like you may or may not be able to salvage the lowers. If you could open up one of the doors on a base so the guts could be seen in a photo it would be helpful. The counters might be salvageable or might not. It depends on how they were attached and whether they were epoxied together during installation. There is a risk that even using the same cabinets that the counters would crack. So, just know that you'd need to have a reserve to replace ALL OF THE counters if it happens. What live wired oak is alluding to is that the existing cabinetry may become damaged by uninstalling it and moving it. This is particularly likely on fillers and molding. (And, molding is expensive and difficult to match.) Removal damage may also happen to end panels or other bits and pieces. You may have plumbing and possibly electrical work to do - the plumbing would likely be fairly trivial - to shorten drain lines. The electrical could vary between just about nothing (undo the island outlets and reconnect later using the same wire) to more than you'd think - mostly because of moving the uppers. It depends on whether there are undercabinet lights, how those are wired up plus how the countertop outlets are positioned. If you do move the upper cabinets down, you also have to do something up at the sofit - adding to it or the moldings. If you're ok with less space between the uppers and the lowers, I'd think about adding an undershelf instead of moving the cabinets. This is my personal taste, but I'd consider taking the uppers off completely on the window wall and replacing with some open shelving at a height that was pleasing. Don't know if I'd do it, but I'd think about it. The cabinet doors are a pretty standard design - so you could likely get replacement lowers and have them stained to be close or possibly get the same thing from the original maker. Even if you can get the same thing, be aware that it may take a year or so for the colors to equalize. This is because of exposure to sunlight. You might want to do some cabinet replacements in any event so you could have more drawers. All of this is why people like me say to live with it a little while if at all possible before deciding. Tactically, you could pull the island only and replace it with something more your height. This would provide a work area while awaiting funding to redo the perimeter. If the existing cabinets can't be re-factored, having a contrasting island is done all the time - so it wouldn't look totally weird to replace it with something painted or in a contrasting wood like walnut. Islands like that are available retail - so no special cabinet work except for removal of the existing. Whether you can do a different shape or size would depend on whether the flooring is continuous under the island. Even if its not, it's not that bad an expense to get flooring feathered in. Altho, you'd still likely have some electrical and the countertop would need to be different too. Or cut-down. I did happen to price out getting some stone recut to a different size and it wasn't too horrible where I live. Or you do only a new island out of cabinetry that is close in color and style to the originals. If you're thinking about asking for a consideration in the price to redo, think about two things. It would lower your purchase price - but that may not yield enough cash to actually accomplish what you'll need to do. The second thinking is to be sure you start off asking for enough - including labor. $50k may be enough or not in your area to replace with relatively equal stuff.

I'll have to chime in with another vote against counter height tables. I just don't find them comfortable and I also worry about my kids sitting on them. The way my 2 1/2 yr old bops around in his chair at the dinner table, I would be a nervous wreck. He almost knocked out a tooth when he fell off his Aunt's counter height barstool and hit the granite counter. We are looking for an expensive table to get us through the young children yrs (who knew little kids could be so hard on tables!? I have a thousand fork dents in my old table to prove it!). I am seeing a lot of counter height tables in the lower price ranges...Not sure why that is...Or maybe it is just "the thing" right now. I am also seeing a lot of chairs with upholstered seats...Another thing I want to avoid right now... The little ones are just too messy. I am just going to keep looking until I find what I want. Good luck to you. I hope you find something that meets all your criteria. It's out there!