Forgot to add - Thank you everyone for any suggestions!

Please measure and post the dimensions. I'm almost sure there has to be more room between the end of the peninsula and the fridge. How do you even walk between them?
I would attempt to get the DW next to the sink if this was my kitchen.

Without actual dimensions (numbers!), it is difficult for us to give good advice. We can wing it, but that would be doing you a disservice.

Just add the dimensions on the same layout you posted. We need the widths of all walls/windows/doors/doorways and the distances b/w each of the walls/windows/doors/doorways.

See the Layout Help topic in the Read Me thread for more information (linked below).

Here is a link that might be useful: New To Kitchens? Posting Pics? Read Me!

Hi again. Sorry for the prior picture. I spent a more proper amount of time drafting up our current kitchen in sketchup with actual dimensions. The two blockish things in the lower right and left corners are pantries.

Once again, I'd appreciate any suggestions. Our ideas are to shorten the peninsula so it's not as tight when the fridge is opened and widen it to put some stools in. It may be nice to move the fridge, but not sure if there's enough room next to the stove. Thanks!

Is that a table, under the window? Do you have enough room for chairs? If you make the peninsula wider (for stools) what will the measurement be, between the stools (when people are seated there) and the chairs at the table?

If you didn't have the peninsula, you'd have room for the dishwasher next to the sink...then the slider. Is there anyway you could remove that wall on the right side of the 36" doorway and have the peninsula come out from that wall? Maybe something like this? Also, a smaller, round table might fit better in the space :) {{!gwi}}From Cottage house plans

I am truly horrible at this but one thing I would do for sure is get rid of that peninsula. It is totally closing that space in!

might be better with a galley-and tighten it up: clear the frig and the item to the left of it and cut back that barrier part of the wall on the side of the frig. When coming through the 36 in doorway, you get an immediate right turn to window/table zone. The 2 runs of the galley will be the 137 in stretch and a run opposite with perhaps 52 in or so,rather than 57 in for the aisle.Frig and range go on 137 in wall...sink on opposite side. Eliminate the middle section at the top where sink is. It can be a nice compact,efficient space: simplify and put in good materials.

Swap the door with the window and continue the kitchen counter down all the way to the end, under the window, and put the sink there. Make the door a single french door to the outside. Consolidate the pantry next to the fridge and replace the pantry with a banquette with your table there next to the new single french door. You could even add a window over the seating area.

That separates youre cleanup and prep zones much better and gives you a lot more room to spread out your prep without being so crowded into the corner. It also gives you a bright and sunny spot to eat without cramping access to the fridge.

thanks, I didn't even consider putting the peninsula on the other wall. Unfortunately, the window by the table overlooks our driveway so it's not possible to switch that with the slider.

Just out of curiosity, a lot of people advise putting the dishwasher next to the sink. Is this ideal? if so, why is that?

JT, your last question suggests your current DW placement is working for you guys. The idea is that you don't want the door opening into the area you need to stand and rinse and and that you don't want to have to turn and twist uncomfortably to load the DW. That said, as I suspect you realize, any placement that works well enough to not "need" fixing is ideal enough.

Regarding the issue of removing the wall, I could go either way; however, if I opened the kitchen to the dining table I'd then use as much of the "breakfast" space as I needed for our kitchen work space, with--at most--a little space set aside for an easy chair or loveseat close to where I was working. (I have this now.)

For us, there'd be no point in maintaining 2 separate tables and 2 sets of chairs right next to each other (no matter how many people do just that). We only use one at any time, after all, and accenting my main living area with something like 36-44 chair and table legs would be...not to my taste.

Can you show us the other rooms, by the kitchen? Although your wife doesn't seem interested in removing the wall, I'm curious what's off both doorways. I also like your idea of a small seating area in the kitchen, if you do take down the wall. That's a nice feature :)

I've attached an expanded view of the kitchen showing the 10.5 x 11.5 dining room off of the 60" doorway. I agree that in principle it doesn't make sense to have a kitchen table and dining table so close to one another, but we almost always find ourselves eating meals in the kitchen rather than dining room (used for formal meals only, but indispensable.

I think our ideal goal would be to maintain both rooms, but incorporate the eating area more into the kitchen design so it's more than just a wooden table shoved against the window, all the while optimizing our kitchen work area in terms of storage, prep space, and appliance layout. That said, our current layout is serviceable if our ideal layout doesn't exist.

*Note - the white spaces represent hallways.

Do you have a window, over the sink? How high above the floor are the windows, by your current kitchen table space? Do you have a gas or electric range? Would you be willing to rearrange the kitchen and maybe replace the small breakfast table with peninsula seating? Do you need/desire any additional appliances? Maybe a snack area, coffee bar, baking area, larger pantry? If you had the peninsula (and dining seating) would you like the loveseat...or prefer a small table in the kitchen?

You might consider having an island to use for meals (and storage) instead of the peninsula. That would open up the space by eliminating the division, and it would allow you to lose the table.

Then the space around the window could be made into either a sitting area with cupboards or shelving flanking the window and a bench in the middle, or a work area with a desk in the middle. Neither of those would necessarily interfere with the walk-line between the sliders and the dining room.

I like lavendar's idea for putting the DW next to the sink (very convenient for rinsing and loading) and moving the refrigerator to the range-side wall next to the 36" doorway, facing the window. You could move it in toward the range a little so it doesn't close off the entry when the door is open. That also would give you some counter space next to the fridge for putting things down that you take out, either on both sides of the fridge if you move it in, or just the right side if you don't.

Yes there's a window over the sink. The windows by the kitchen table are only 30" off the floor, so they are pretty low. Rearranging is definitely on the table, assuming that we would still have seating for the eventual family of 4. Electric Range, only appliance we'd like to add is a build in wine fridge.

As far as prep area, we'd like at least the amount we have now, but probably slightly more. Overall pantry size works as is, but more is always better.

A table isn't necessary if we have the dining table and some sort of family seating. If we have the space, a nice reading nook by the windows where the table is now could be nice. I'd also mention that running along the wall beneath the windows are baseboard heaters (forced hot water).

Could you post a layout with all measurements? E.g.,
What's the distance b/w the left wall and the sliding door?
The distance b/w the sliding door and the right wall?
How wide is the sliding door (including trim)?
You said there's a window of the sink...how far is it from the left wall?
How wide is the window?
How far is it b/w the window and sliding door?
etc.

What we need is a full set of measurements...the widths of each wall/window/door/doorway and the distance between each wall/window/door/doorway. All doors/doorways should be labeled as to where they lead.

Where are you flexible?

Can windows be changed/moved (you seem to indicate so in your last post, but I'm not sure if you're referring to the windows or the overall layout of the space)? E.g., changing them so they are 36" off the floor or moving them along the wall one way or the other or even adding windows.

You mentioned your wife was against taking down the wall b/w the DR and Kitchen - is there anything else you or your wife do not want to change?

Regarding the DR wall...is there a particular reason your wife does not want to consider it?

You say you rarely use the DR. Would you be willing to make it a less formal DR/more formal every-day eating space? That's what we did and it opened up so many more options than we would have had otherwise! We went from a small table space in the kitchen and a seldom-used DR to a bigger, much more functional kitchen and a DR used every day...it's one of the best things we did! We still have a china cabinet in the DR and a DR table and chairs.

Or, would you be willing to begin using the DR as-is for all your family meals...

You don't need to take down the wall b/w the two rooms to use your DR on a daily basis.

If you eliminated table seating in the kitchen, you would have more options - including island or peninsula seating for a snack or quick meal when the family is not eating together.

Here is a link that might be useful: New To Kitchens? Posting Pics? Read Me!

Here's an example of what we're asking for:

Note the various measurements and how the doors are labeled.

Just to clarify...this is NOT JTRenov's space!

ok thanks for posting the example, i was having a hard time visualizing the detail you were asking for. It'll take a bit to go around and measure everything in that detail, but I'll be sure to post back when I do. thanks