5' is not enough for 4 lockers. I would absolutely keep the coat closet. Do you have front loading machines? Will the machines have a folding counter above? I would eliminate all the counterspace next to the sink in favor of a broom closet next to the sink - cabinetry would be fine but a built in closet would work too. I think most people have more than one coat and lockers are really a one coat deal - the one you wear most often. In the 5 foot space you could do hooks and a seat. I like the ones with the sliding hooks and two layers of them. That would easily cover 2 kids, lunchboxes, gym bags, coats, brief cases, etc. I wouldn't lose the coat closet for the lockers. We have both and I think we will use them both extensively.

Wow HollySprings - tell me how you really feel. This design is a colloboration between me and the KD, not just the KD trying to make a showy kitchen. This is also after I have thought about, researched, read a lot on GW (on zone areas specifically), posted some intial layouts and gotten feedback and made some changes. Yes, I need to continue to tweak it and incorporate the feedback I am getting - like making the left side of the sink 18" and moving the MW (which I need to change anyway b/c of how much it sticks out it makes the counter top space underneath it almost unusable and that is suppose to be my baking area). I don't understand why you don't think someone can prep and someone else clean at the island at the same time? I did have a trash pullout in the island originally but moved it out so I would have more storage where I use it daily/need it. Instead, I incorporated 2 trash pullouts instead of just one (left of the cooktop, opposite the island and far left of the oven - but still close to the sink). I don't bake that much and I almost never do "sear and finish in the oven" dishes so yes the oven is far away but that was a compromise I was willing to make. I don't know where a "better" place for it would be. The door to the garage is actually going to be on the "other' side of the couch so right next to the mudroom-like lockers. Basically where it is in the as-built image below. We already have hook for coats there and use it regularly. What everyone is referring to as the Butler's pantry isn't that exactly. It is more of a bar area and will be used to store liquor, wine, tumblers and wine glasses - no dishes or silver. We need to have a place for this stuff and this is what worked so it was away from the action in the kitchen but you could still stand there and make a drink for someone who is sitting at the island or in the keeping room and converse with them while doing it. And, someday when the dining room is a DR again, it will work well to have the bar there. I realize it sounds like I am trying to defend myself and the design. That's not my intention as I am open to suggestions but I am trying to give the rational behind why things are currently designed the way they are. Here is the as-built with dimensions: Starting with a "clean slate" what would you do, to open the space and make the kitchen better for casual entertaining and a comfortable place for family and friends to hang out? Would it be helpful is a posted photos of the existing space? MtHouse - very interesting idea. The thing is it would work well to have the playroom at the back of the house, but I wouldn't want it there once it is a dining room again. It would be a waste of the view and windows to the backyard for a room that is rarely used as a DR. The other potential problem is the current playroom is right at the front of the house so I'm not sure I would want to make it into a mudroom. I hadn't thought of making the current breakfast room into the kitchen but I'll give it some thought. I wonder if it would be big enough...

That is very annoying... I am lucky enough to belong to a gym where that does not happen very often. I belong to an women's only gym called "Fit For Her". It has circuit training machines along with treadmills, elipitcal's. bicycles, stairstepper's, free weights, a rowing machine and many others. Each machine has it's own tv with headphones provided. It it very annoying for a person who is seriously using the circuit machines the proper way and trying to concentrate on breathing and counting. My gym also has two little private rooms with wonderful massage chairs and with various relaxing DVD's to listen to. There are also two lay down tanning beds and one stand up, free for members to use. A very nice sauna room, A seperate large room with all sorts of videos if you want to do a boot type or aerobic work outs, all sizes of the big exercise balls and mats. They also offer all sorts of bootcamp or aerobic type work out classes that are free for gym members. The dressing and bathroom area is always spotless. They have a really nice clean shower with Aveda hair care products provided. The dressing tables offer nice various items incase you forgot to bring something, like spray deodorant, body lotions, hair spray, pony tail holders, various great smelling body sprays from Bath and Body Works, cotton balls, etc. A never ending supply of clean and wonderfully smelling white towels. It is accessable 24 hours a day with a fob to get into the main building, the fob also works the elevator and door to get into the gym. They also have a really nice and clean playroom for the kiddo's with a tv and movies provided and monitors around the gym so you can monitor you child while you work out. I like to go about 1pm, I practically have the whole place to myself then, and some days I am the only one there about that time. I can honestly say there is not one single thing I do not like about my gym. I can highly recommend Fit For Her if you have one in your area... it sounds like I work there.. haha.. but really I don't...Debbie

We had a house with open cubbies near the garage, away from public view and the kids always shoved their coats and backpacks in the cubbies. They looked messy but at least were off the floor. We recently moved to a new house which has gorgeous built in closed door cubbies and I’m contemplating remodeling them for these reasons: 1. When you open these beautiful doors, you get hit by a nasty strong odor from their belongings which hasn’t dried properly. (am trying to figure out how to vent these) 2. It takes too much effort for these elementary kids to open The beautiful drawers below to put their shoes in, and even if they did manage to do that, they wouldn’t dry properly - again. Need venting. 3. These kids can’t seem to find their belongings when they are not openly visible to them, causing a lot of stress during those late mornings. 4. You can fit a lot more things in open cubbies versus having to account for door and drawer fronts. If anyone has advice on how to make closed door systems more real-life friendly, I’m all ears. But for now, I’m investigating my options on how to convert the cubbies to be more open without ripping the whole thing out.