Granite-girl, No, the estimate was for cabinets, labor & sink. It seems high to me too but this is the first estimate so I don't know if what I'm wanting to do is going to cost this much. I've got other companies I'm working w/ so I'll be able to compare. I'm wondering if the 2 pantries and all the paneling w/ molding detail around the island is making it go up in price. I had an appt. yesterday AM and noticed the initial quote on the desk before some changes we made was around $17K. So after 2 hr appt. the changes I made increased the price $6K!! YIKES... The only changes were the glaze finish which is a 15% upgrade, the additional pantry which includes tearing out a coat closet & fixing wall w/ door, wood veneer w/ molding detail on island, corbels, wider crown molding, a mullion door at bar & decorative detail on spice pull outs next to oven. Does these changes seem like a $6K increase? I like the design except for bar area. I really would like to make the wet bar a desk for laptop, phone etc... I'd like to have a place for a chair and 3 drawers on right side. Not sure if there's enough room between wet bar & island. It's 40" between the two. Does that seem tight if someone was sitting in a chair to pass behind? I've chosen granite for countertops. The quote for granite is $3630 for 77 sq. ft of Level I granite. Additional $540 for Level II w/ standard edge.

I was surprised to see your name attached to a layout post! Another kitchen to plan...Fun! Even for my family, this plan is BIG. Lots of walking. It's really nice, but I'm not sure I'd want it this spread out. But I love it, too. As you can tell, I'm waffling. ;-) I'm not comfortable with the stove location, as it seems to be somewhat of a walk-through area and the island isn't oriented well to be prep space. If the stove were on the back wall behind the island, it would be great in relation to the island and prep work area. Your aisles are too wide for me! With the stove behind the island, I'd snug them closer together, for easy prep-and-turn. The widest aisles in my kitchen are 4 ft, and I wouldn't want them wider, especially where I work on both surfaces to each side at once. Maybe this is all too specific for where you are in the process right now. Will your local building code/regulations allow this many windows? Ours wouldn't. Have you thought about things like where groceries will come in, etc?

Are you interested in another layout? If so, I came up with one using your inspiration pantries (2). You may have already tried it an nixed it, but I thought I'd draw it up (I enjoy doing this). I wanted to make a comment about the pantries--ventilation! As you may or may not know, there's a fairly recent thread concerning ventilation of pantries and having venting both high & low. Your inspiration pantries inherently have just what seems to be needed--open at top & bottom! So, in addition to looking unique, it's also a well-ventilated design! First, here's the layout: Changes: * Added 2 pantries on either end of the range wall similar to your inspiration picture * Centered the 36" range and 42" hood in the remaining space--gives you 31" of counterspace & 25" of upper cabinets on each side of the range/hood (For adequate venting, it's strongly recommended that you have a hood at least 6" wider than your range or cooktop.) * Moved the MW oven over to where the pantry was * Moved Refrigerator to where the MW was * Moved the DW to the other side of the sink so the DW & Range don't interfere w/each other when both doors are open...this may not be necessary since the aisle has more than enough space to have them both open at the same time, you just wouldn't be able to stand in front of them if they're both open. In its new position, you also will not be trying to prep while someone else is trying to load the DW and if the DW is running, you won't have to prep in front of it. * Required the move of the wind chiller to the other side...this is the main reason I don't like the move for the DW Comments: With two 36" wide pantries (total 72"), you gain quite a bit of additional storage space that is also very flexible. You could even hang a broom or mop on a side wall. I showed 15" shelves b/c that depth gives you the flexibility to be able to store small appliances, dishes, pots & pans, etc. as well as dry goods. You maintain a good work flow: Refrigerator-to-sink-to-prep (island)-to-range You have plenty of workspace around the range as well as on the island Zones are somewhat separate...the only real overlap is the prep & cleanup b/c you only have one sink. However, I don't think you really have room for a prep sink--it will rob you of necessary counterspace; plus your kitchen is small enough to allow easy access to the sink from anywhere in the kitchen. If you can corral your dirty dishes to the right of the sink, that will leave you the left side for prep. (Dirty dishes will be coming from the table in the Nook so the right side is the natural place for dirty dishes) -- Prep: 38" x 42" of counter space -- Cooking: Two counters 31" x 24" each -- Cleanup: 38" x 42" of counter space Landing space for MW and refrigerator is the island The refrigerator and MW are in a position to make them accessible from both the kitchen and the Great Room without interfering with the kitchen work flow and zones. Putting the MW cabinet b/w the wall and the refrigerator helps the refrigerator not block the Great Room doorway when open I didn't change anything in the Nook It's not that this layout is better, functionally than yours, I was just trying to give you something closer to your inspiration picture/pantries. Just some food for thought!

If you haven't come across the New to Kitchens thread, I'd suggest reading the section on storage (I'd suggest reading the whole thread, plus the NKBA guidelines, if you want to know the science behind the 'rules' we all want to bend on occasion ;). Then make a list and prioritize. Aside from cutting boards and knives, what do you use most for prep? Keep those items in the prep zone. Do you always use a colander for draining rinsed fruit and veg? Large salad bowl in use every day? Same for pots and pans--can the stockpot move to a spot a little more distant? Although in this kitchen, nothing is more than a step or two away--which is going to be great when you get everything organized. As lucky998877 mentioned, you could move the prep zone trash to an undersink pull-out, and use the narrow cab next to the prep sink for knife and utensil storage--unless you like a knife block on the counter. I don't know your style of cooking and prepping, or your family's needs. I do a lot of baking, so if this were my kitchen, I'd keep dishes in the uppers and drawers to the right of the DW. Mixing bowls and baking dishes could fill any unassigned space, according to use and frequency of use--casseroles, cake pans, roasters, etc. I would dedicate most of the kitchen space to prepping/cooking items, and keep foodstuffs in the pantry, but if your family members make a lot of toast or sandwiches, keep bread and peanut butter in a drawer to the right of the fridge, or in the appliance pantry to the left of the fridge, if that's where their toaster will be kept. If they eat cold cereal, make space for it there, too. Spices, oils, and vinegars in drawers to the right of the fridge--near the prep zone and range, but not next to the heat. If the MW is not used often, or you don't need a drawer model, put it in the appliance pantry or the WI pantry--or skip the extra seat on the short side of the island, and put the MW drawer there, facing the WI pantry, to keep users out of the prep triangle. I would look into drawer dividers, to keep everything organized--you can check with the cabinet supplier, or search for kits to customize for your needs (I made my own with some wood scraps). Take your time and do your research--it's apparent that you've already done a lot, and that you know what you want to achieve. NKBA guidelines New to Kitchens? Read me first.