desert, I plan to get out to some showrooms this week to see what's there and I'm really hoping that will help move me forward a lot more. When we built this house, we hooked up a trailer and drove to Dalton GA and came back with all the flooring needed to do the entire house. It was easier to make choices when we were looking at the entire roll and not just small samples. We got terrific deals and then just paid the labor to have everything installed by a friend of DH. For the majority of other items we spent hours at Lowes. lanval, I plan to give the island a new top along with whatever we choose for the countertops and I know that will help spruce it up more. Originally we were told there was no room for an island at all, but our cabinet guy designed the funky shape to fit one in. I wish we had space to redesign it to allow more of a rectangle shape with an overhang to fit a couple of stools, but there is just not enough space around the u-design of my current layout. Anne, DH is assigned the reno to his brother. He doesn't have time to get involved in the work itself. That's probably a good thing since we end up disagreeing on details most of the time. I've learned we just see things from different perspectives because I'm considering details he thinks are not important. And since the kitchen is not really his domain, I don't want to get into a power struggle over the choices I make. I tried to discuss the timing with him yesterday and he sees no problem moving ahead with the April schedule. I pointed out the events coming up that will coincide with the time the kitchen is torn apart, and his basic outlook/comment is "it's no big deal"...he's just a 'get'r done' kinda guy. I tried to remind him this is not one of his empty houses that is unoccupied and the fact there is more involved than just slapping on a countertop and being done. Maybe I'm just thinking too hard, but I can see the entire kitchen torn apart and me being stressed enough over that while trying to juggle our spring busy season and my DD's precious time left living at home knowing the activities associated with that. Plus the responsibilities of finishing up our eoy business details is difficult enough alone, and now I'm sposed to be doing research/legwork to plan a kitchen reno. I'm sorry if I'm rambling, but when I say 'overwhelmed' I'm not exaggerating. If I could just put everything else in my life on hold right now, it might be no problem, but everything else is not going to just stop. I'm glad you see what I'm feeling about the timing of my DD last days at home. Just last year when she wanted to have her after-prom party here, I had some mini meltdowns feeling overwhelmed with my regular daily workload and then adding more to it. This year isn't looking much better... Anyway, to clarify some of the questions you asked: I broke the measurements into 2 sections since the bar seems to separate it into 2 areas. The nook area is 13'x9'8". The kitchen area is 9'5"x13'2" but that is only the actual floor space. The cabinets are 25" deep so you could add that to the width of 9.5 for a size of the actual room. The garage is on the other end of the house. There is door to the backyard patio in the nook area. The original plan called for columns and a more open floorplan. DH chose to change it to large c.o. I posted pics from different angles to try to show this. I measured everything you asked to help clarify; fridge is 35"Dx35"W - cab depth is 25" - MW cab is 29"D - raised bar is 12"D. I checked the face frame of cabs and it appears the only ones sharing is the section to the right of the sink where the raised bar is. The rest are chopped up due to the DW, stove, and corner that leads to the MW cab. I'm trying to visualize the changes you suggested...I guess I need to sketch it out to understand it completely. Since his brother is doing the reno, it actually gives me more comfort b/c I know is fully capable of any little details I bring up. At this point...right now...I'm in panic mode after talking with DH last night and he totally doesn't get my lack of enthusiasm about the schedule. He makes it sound so easy. The ct can be done in one day, the floor can be done in one day... what's the problem??? Arrggh!! happy, Glad to hear of your wp sucess, painted and stripped. I hung every bit of the paper in this house and have 3 baths of wp also facing stripping.

My island is 9' long, curved on the seating side, and 6' deep at its longest (yes I reach a bit to clean the 2" that are farthest from me). Some thoughts from my experience: i just never ever ever would put the sink in my island. Rinsing and loading dishes is he least glamorous job in the kitchen and I prefer to do it looking out the window, pretending I am elsewhere and surveying my garden. Plus all of the dishes on the island, where 5 people are presumably eating. This would make me miserable. My island has 4 seats. With my family of 6 never has every seat been taken at the same time. The island is for coffee and laptop, chatting with the cook, light meals like breakfast or lunch or "leftover night" taken in small groups. My table is a lot closer than yours, though, so it allows many seating options for these meals. Real meals are consumed at the real table most nights. My point is: do you need 5 seats? I thought I did too but I'm glad I didn't bother. 9 is a lot of island but it still allows for easy circulation -12 seems a bit much but idk if I can pretend I would notice 18" on either side. I would be more worried about it looking silly For all that island, there doesn't seem to be much space to the left of the sink im not going to dig in to the specifics of your space but if it were me I would try to orient the kitchen to the right, keeping the sink by the window and making the island shorter. I would also consider if there is a way to fit a table in the kitchen, eliminating the need for so much island finally, while your current set-up seems kooky, I can say that 15 years cooking in a kitchen with an island stove, when set up properly it is great, so don't necessarily let your experience with the current kitchen sour you on the idea if it is in the mix

Doug already knows my views about cooktops on islands. So, I didn't share it when critiquing the original design. My opinion only, but putting a cooking surface on the island is a decision of last resort. Both safety and efficiency are compromised by this type of arrangement. I think the Buehl's idea of using that beautiful front window area for dining is inspired. It would get you and additional 28 sq.ft. in the kitchen. That's not chump change. That front window would be a lovely spot to sit with a cup of coffee and watch the kids. The light would be glorious. Seriously consider moving the kitchen to the rear, moving the dining room to take advantage of the window and sew/craft in the now freed up space in the front of the house, The old dining room in front could be used for a flex room/library/study/extra bedroom for overflow guests/sewing room/home office. Like Doug will tell you, everything is a compromise. Every decision effects another decision. It's just a question of how many comprises you have to make.

I need a to scale floor plan and without that there is no way to know what will fit where. There is nothing very special about the cabinets and I would not save them but get a good kitchen design and new cabinets . But before doing anything you need to get more lighting into that space . LED pot lights and in 4000K and lots of them.Once you close off the garge entry how will you unload groceries? IMO you need a good interior designer with kitchen experience too. Post the floor plan with reference to the surrounding spaces , make sure all measurements are clearly marked along with doorways and windows.THis space needs a real overhaul.