I'm no layout expert, but I did a minor refresh very similar to yours! I switched my fridge with a small base cabinet adjacent to increase the functional counter space and replaced my laminate with butcherblock.

I considered both Oiled Soapstone and Pearl Soapstone from Wilsonart, and I think Oiled Soapstone would work just fine with your current floor and wall color; I'm having more trouble picturing it combined with wood, though...do you know what color of wood? Mine is a little brassy with Waterlox on it, and that's the shade I keep envisioning, but I bet a darker wood could look nice. If you're still in doubt, see if you can get Wilsonart to send you a bigger sample (I have a 5x7 sample; I think I had to create an account as a 'designer' or something to get it, but I can't recall details).

Have you seen Janie_k's kitchen? Her father DIY'd her laminate, and they made it 3cm thick, like a real soapstone counter. I think that's part of what makes the look. YMMV, but the thickness was part of what I hated about my laminate.

Here is a link that might be useful: janie_k's oiled soapstone kitchen

The frig needs different specs of the cabinet sizes around it if indeed that is your size to keep for the future.Move frig down to next to the dog cage...take out the turn of cabs at the end-it serves no purpose anyway.Get the deeper top cab/sidepanels /graduated depth on the left that meets the standard depth on the long run....and range can be moved down to the left somewhat... Moving that frig closer to window would give you 2 items with greater depth flanking the little window-I wouldn't block that up. I would do a backsplash and do 2 finishes of cabinetry in this kitchen. Do budget for back panels across the peninsula/island.

Thanks for responding!

Jessica, cherry is the wood for the counters. My dad had some milled ages ago before he died and there is enough left for the raised portion of the "island". I would love to use it for all but the sink run but doubt there is enough. We recently had the kitchen table in the bottom photo made from the same wood. It doesn't show up very well but it is stained a danish walnut and I am thinking a similar stain for the counter. Yes, I have seen janie_k's kitchen in my reading on this forum - it is saved in my research :)

Herbflavor, interesting thought about the deep refrigerator blocking the window. That is something that never even crossed my mind and is exactly the sort of observation I was hoping for from this forum! Light isn't an issue for the great room as the south facing wall is basically a bank of windows. My husband mentioned that he would like an under counter beverage refrigerator where you suggested moving the current refrigerator. We're on a lake and he is thinking that would be useful when entertaining.
That end of the kitchen is the main access point when it is just the two of us. While the refrigerator would be shallower than the lazy susan that is there right now, would that just move the bottleneck? As near as I can figure there would be about 37 1/2" between the refrigerator and the opposing counter. Also, I don't quite understand what you mean by the refrigerator needing different specs than the cabinets around it. Are you talking aesthetics or fit? And yes, panels for the back side of the island are on the list!

cabinet specs of "refrigerator cabinets" are different than regular wall cabs-you would look at a deeper top cabinet and a panel on each side and the first adjacent cabinet would be better at 15 or 18 in depth...then transitioning to your 12 in deep cabs. with the better fit of cabs around a large protruding frig,you will accomplish an aesthetic improvement which would be worth it. Refrigerator is the largest,bulkiest item in any kitchen-I would be "fitting" it out in your re-do,and work in the undercounter beverage frig where space allows.I know-guys like those-we have a couple between 2 homes-I think they are over rated,but probably because I'm off the soda and fizzy stuff and I chill 1 bottle of wine or a few beers as needed in the regular frig-plenty of room.... oh well.

I think the oiled soapstone would look good with your cabinets. Are you taking out the L with the lazy susan and replacing with drawers that are flush with the rest of the cabinet run? If so, do you have extra tile?

I don't agree with moving the fridge to the other end UNLESS it will greatly increase your function - for example, if you find people are constantly walking through the kitchen from the deck to get a drink, and the wine fridge you propose will not fix that. This is because I would rather have the open space and light at the end of the counter by the patio doors than the light from that teensy window at the other end.

1. The lazy susan across from the refrigerator creates a bottleneck with only two people in the kitchen. Our thought was to slide the refrigerator 18" to the left and/or replace the lazy susan with 36" drawers.

I would consider putting a microwave between the fridge and the window. You can reuse the MW & cabinet over your range, or you can buy a drawer microwave and put it under the counter. This way you can put in a real hood over the range, which will provide real ventilation and be a nice focal point, and also keep reheaters out of the cook's range area.

Alternatively, you can put the MW above or below counter between the fridge and the range, or across the aisle below the counter, but it will be a bit more in the way there. In any case, the MW is best placed close to the fridge for reheating leftovers.

2. The 36" drawers/wall cabinet currently to the far left side of the refrigerator would be swapped with the 18" drawers/wall cabinet currently to the right of the refrigerator. This will provide more workspace to the left of the stove.

This would be nice; see my comment also above.

3. The cabinet maker says he can change the base cabinet currently to the right of the stove to drawers so there would be 36" drawers flanking the stove.

Very nice, that will be a lot of great storage.

Even though I don't love it the tile floor will likely stay. It runs the entire length of that side of the house, so replacing it would also involve the utility room, laundry and half bath - a bigger project than we want to get into.

Can you put a floating flooring product like cork over the tile in just the kitchen? You can get them in planks that look a lot like wood - see beekeeperswife's original kitchen. I'm not sure how you would handle the transitions to the other rooms though - glue them down, maybe.

The raised portion of the counter, and possibly some portion of the counter to the left of the refrigerator, will be wood. Despite friends being quite emphatic that we need granite counters, I believe I'll be quite content with laminate for the remainder. We already have the hard tile floor and, being less than graceful, a hard countertop surface isn't all that appealing.

The kitchen is part of the great room. The wall color is BM Grant Beige and the carpet is a funky gray blue that will be replaced down the road. Do you suppose a black counter such as Wilsonart Oiled Soapstone works with the gray floors? Or should I consider something closer to the wall color? I think the counter needs to be fairly plain since the floor has some pattern. We've lived without a tile backsplash for the past ten years so I don't feel the need to add tile there.

Sounds pretty :) I love wood counters, and the wilsonart soapstone seems neutral enough to work with the floors, but very classy as well. The dark color will ground the paler colors in your kitchen nicely.

My husband mentioned that he would like an under counter beverage refrigerator where you suggested moving the current refrigerator. We're on a lake and he is thinking that would be useful when entertaining.

Seems like a good idea. Perhaps you would like to put glass fronts on one of the uppers at that end to show off your barware and make it easier for guests to help themselves? You might also consider an undercounter ice maker next to the bev fridge.

That end of the kitchen is the main access point when it is just the two of us. While the refrigerator would be shallower than the lazy susan that is there right now, would that just move the bottleneck? As near as I can figure there would be about 37 1/2" between the refrigerator and the opposing counter.

I don't think you should move the fridge to that end, but that's the dimensions AFTER the lazy susan is replaced by drawers - and the dimensions if you keep the fridge at the end it's at? Eek, that is very tight. You need to be able to both get the fridge in and out of its hole for both installation, repair, and eventual replacing. Make sure to replace your fridge with a counter-depth model when the time comes, because standard depth fridges are almost 36" deep and that may very well be impossible to get out in a 37.5" aisle - you have no room to turn, etc. Actually, I would test this before you are done with the kitchen to make sure you don't trap in your current fridge. Counter depth models are actually very nice because you don't lose things in the back.

If you keep the fridge where it is, the lazy susan on that side would also need to be replaced by drawers. To make up for the loss of counter, I would consider making that half of the island have a counter-depth overhang to give you back some of that lost prep space, and half of it (maybe starting at the sink) keeping the bar-height overhang. There are some cool pictures of this kind of set up floating around.

Also, I don't quite understand what you mean by the refrigerator needing different specs than the cabinets around it. Are you talking aesthetics or fit?

I think he might mean what I discussed immediately above about getting the fridge in and out with that teensy aisle. Or, that the fridge is deeper than the cabinets so you need to account for that when ordering the panels to surround it.

This was long.. hope it make sense!

Herbflower, I could very easily live without the beverage fridge, especially since we have one on the three season room right off the eating space. My husband is not demanding at all, so I thought we should try to make it work for him : )

One drawback to moving the fridge to the end is that the two sets of upper cabinets to the right of the stove are used more than any other.They are conveniently across from the dishwasher and that is where plates and drinkware are stored. Guess I'm trying to think my way through everyday function. You don't think using the fridge on the end would kind of choke off entry to the kitchen?

Marti, I'm fairly certain the tile runs under all of the cabinetry. We pulled out the small base cabinet between the fridge and stove and there is tile underneath.

no-the frig at the end of the run by the dog crate would suit me better than front and center in the middle or over near window. If I were concerned about"choke off" I'd do a diag cut base cab opposite-with open shelves perhaps so it would not be high use drawers or whatever your concern is about conflicts. Your long outside wall would actually be a good run for a cab depth frig-I would push myself to do that for long term satsifaction even tho you say the frig is okay for now. In reality-that particular frig would probably have been put in down next to the pantry-right where the window is....it feels like this space had a different incarnation at one time. Actually-given everything-I might just hold off on "bits and pieces" approach-look at the space in relation to what is adjacent there and do a bigger remodel-I think you could get a better end product and honestly-with the high angled ceiling -I'd think to ADD windows on that wall,and so-a different configuration would ensue. There is nothing technically wrong with the kitchen-but it could be a whole lot MORE.While I would be planning something bigger-if it would take a year or more to save and plan-put in a tile backsplash-easy// and it would change the look for now.

Such interesting ideas from everyone, thanks a bunch.

Herbflavor (got it right this time!) I've included a pic of the other side of the great room. We've rearranged furniture but you get the idea. The small window down by the fridge is across from the rarely used dining room. My first instinct is that moving the fridge next to the dog crate is putting it in a more prominent position relative to the living space.

You mentioned a two tone kitchen in an earlier post. I do really like the navy island of deb52899.

I would love for my kitchen to be as nice as what you are envisioning although I'm afraid I don't have the sticktoitiveness or attention span to make it through that without having a meltdown.

tracie.erin, you put a lot of thought into your post! Here is a looong response. I like the idea of a hood over the range, which is probably along the lines of what herbflavor is suggesting about the kitchen being MORE. The extra venting would be fabulous and probably not a huge deal as it would be on an outside wall. Moving the microwave down by the window is something I hadn't considered. There are a couple of outlets there already that could probably be moved up.

Maybe an "armoire-ish" cabinet including the microwave and incorporating the cherry counter to the left of the fridge? Moving the espresso machine, and maybe toaster or coffee maker, would free up work space close to the stove. That way I probably wouldn't notice the narrower counter across from the fridge with the change of the lazy susan to drawers. The idea of making a counter top prep area at the frige end of the island sounds very functional but I am so bad about not tidying up (been married 27 years and that hasn't changed any) I really need the raised counter to mask the view from the great room.

Yes, the 37 1/2" aisle width measurement would be the distance between the refrigerator handle and the opposing counter after changing the lazy susan to drawers. It is only about 32" now and the refrigerator measures about 31" deep but I can't see how far anything attached to the back might stick out. That tight squeeze there now is another aspect I hadn't considered. Counter depth is sounding pretty good right about now : )

As far as the beverage fridge, I was thinking of orienting it toward the kitchen table. Maybe there is no reason for that, but since that way it wouldn't be as deep as the width of the lazy susan that is there now, maybe there would be room for a narrow pullout for cookie sheets/baking tins under where the coffee maker and outlet are now. If that explanation makes sense? Since the lazy susan is basically square I suppose it doesn't matter which way the beverage fridge is oriented, there should be room for that narrow pullout either way.

Vinyl wood look planks would be my inclination for a new floor if we were to go that route. I should just go ahead and have the flooring place out for estimates on options such as transitions and demolition versus leveling of tile grout lines. Don't know how much, if any, room there is to raise the dishwasher.

So much to consider. How do people do a kitchen from scratch?

Here is a link that might be useful: [houzz layout inspiration[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/kitchen-traditional-kitchen-philadelphia-phvw-vp~771538)

If you want to see how soapstone and wood work together, go to my thread on the seeing the bar from the other side here and scroll down to the last picture (at least last as of now) posted by socalsister.

Thanks marti8a, I like that.

Have you considered removing the raised bar area and making the island one level? It looks like you don't have room for bar stools, so the raised bar doesn't make a lot of sense. You could take out that wing cabinet on the end, shorten the island, and build 12 inch cabinets and open shelves on the LR side. It would look like a real island instead of a galley kitchen and be so much more functional and attractive. Then pull your sofa away from the carpet edge so it's not crowding the kitchen area.

We just took off the raised bar on our peninsula and we love the openness. We have a cabinet on each end and open display cubbies in the middle. Our peninsula is 36 inches wide x 96 inches long. We have a sink, DW, and trash pull-out on the kitchen side.

may_flowers, you must be one of those tidy people I'm envious of : )

I would make the island one level in a heartbeat - if I wasn't so NOT tidy. Been that way my entire life and don't see it changing. I feel like I need the raised counter to help mask the counter clutter from the great room view.

The prior owners had bar stools but we use the counter as more of a buffet when entertaining.

We have moved the sofa so it is perpendicular to the fireplace wall. The new layout is much better.

I hate to even throw this out there. We had quotes from a lot of places for laminate. We found out that the laminate we chose (I think it was a soapstone lookalike). Was actually two hundred dollars away from the bottom level of corian, which was only seven hundred away from quartz. This is at lowes, mind you. Apparently, the more edges that need to be done the more the cost goes up. It looks like you have a lot of edges due to the bar. I thought I might let you know just in case. The laminate we had was bulletproof, the stuff my friend down the street put in, which was comparable to what you've chosen, has already gotten a bubble. It's already needed to be fixed. The quality and the thickness isn't the same. I'd say that your house was built/remodeled around the same time mine was. Lowe's was having a special on quartz, which was 50 per square foot. They put my sink in the wrong place. To compensate, they gave me 500 dollars back or have the counter completely redone. I was very happy with the level of help and would recommend lowes if the prices for fabricators is high.

We don't have a raised bar on ours, I really like that it isn't there. Gives me a lot of space to put things and spread out.

kimiko232, thanks for the heads up on counter edges. I did get a beveled edge laminate estimate of about $1900 from the cabinet maker, which included milling and installation of the cherry for the raised bar portion. This did not include corbels for the raised bar as we were talking about possibly using cabinets on each end. We're not far enough in the process to get firm pricing yet. I did a rough per foot calculation but don't remember what it was.

Also got a rough bid on honed absolute black granite of about $4000. That didn't include milling or installation of the cherry.

Neither bid included counter for the desk portion way down by the pantry. I've been planning on putting a free standing piece of some sort there.