Sorry for the delay in responding; I was away till this morning. bmorepanic: Thank you for taking the time to rework the plan. The hot water rads never get too hot so we're ok that way. Silly I know... I admit that the reason I didn't want to go around the corner with cabinetry etc was to keep that end wall clear to have a place to display my artwork. We do need 2 chairs & table. Currently we have a 54" round table (pre this house purchase) with 2 chairs and it is a very tight fit with a utility cart too behind the north chair along the long wall. Definitely a tight fit. We've been living with it for 7 1/2 years so downsizing to a 28" square bistro style will feel positively spacious! I close the door when seated at the table, but have thought of putting in a pocket door instead. David: I hadn't thought of an island 3 different widths. I'll give it a try. laxsupermom: Due to placement of stairs to the basement & to upstairs attic/loft bedroom the DR door can't be moved over. The appliances have all been ordered. I went with the KA convection micro/oven combo for the features of having a dual oven without having to purchase a double. buehl: I don't mind at all the personal question. I realize I should have given more background. My DH & I are empty nesters (mid 50's). Our 2 children (1 grandchild - 2yrs) live at a distance and visits to here are about 4 times a year for a weekend duration. I have a non-functioning ankle (fusion or ankle replacement hopefully in my future). This causes issue with inability to bend correctly from the knee to reach down & lifting. A raised oven will be so much easier & safer. This injury also causes instability in balance, so having to move only a couple of steps when carrying anything hot like pasta water to dump in the sink is important. A place to sit to chop veggies etc is necessary from time to time. jejvtr: Good question about soundproofing, but not an issue. The music studio is only a couple of steps down from the kitchen level, cinderblock wall with the hallway in between and a door on each side. It is almost completely soundproof. lascatx: I mixed up my dates and the cabinet guy comes next Saturday. It's good the hear from someone who has lived with a similar setup. Even though I'm the only cook, there is at times 2 of us trying to do things in there at the same time. Thank you everyone. I will take all your suggestions & work on more layouts and see what revisions I can make that will make me happy. Jazzie

Hi Mike, yes, the cabinet would have to have some kind of grill on the front or I'd be heating the inside of cabinets only. I also am concerned about the cabinet finishes getting affected by the heat. So, I'm not too keen on this idea. There is a basement under the kitchen and the plumber said radiant floor heat with steam is " very expensive" and since we are doing oak flooring ( to match the rest of the house) we would have to be careful about the temp since the steam could warp the wood flooring... My husband already nixed this because it would blow our budget out of the water. Are there any other cons to doing the electric toe kick heaters besides the cost to run them? Thanks again, Mike:)

Thank you, Aprilneverends, for all of your input. I want more storage and you gave several suggestions, cabinet color is off putting because it clashes, but extending the counter may help as I could pick something more complimentary. As mdln suggested, adding cabinetry in the dining is an excellent idea because there would not be a buffet or anything other than the table/chairs. I never would have thought of that - that is exactly why I am reaching out to those of your who know what you are doing! Regarding budget, I am flexible, and as stated, I really don't know the costs of certain projects. I realize cabinetry and counters are a big chunk of change, and the existing cabinets are OK, I just really don't like how they stand out so much compared to the rest of the kitchen. Again, the counter replacement could help that. It just seems really odd to me to have that big cutout where the metal-front piece is placed in front of. It really cut down the counter and storage space and makes the area to the right look out of place, in my opinion.

Jared, no. sorry to say I've had that pic saved for awhile and cannot remember the source. I've looked around for them but cannot find them. I know they are Walnut, so try starting w/ 'walnut island chairs' and see what you get. I don't like the barber type of stool w/your kitchen. those are too modern w/the chrome for your style.