It's definitely a matter of opinion of which looks nicer, because I think the 90 degree doors look far better. I don't like the way the diagonal style comes over the counter, and on base cabs, takes up floor space, making the kitchen seem smaller, and only accomplishing making a deep corner all that much deeper. The 90 degree doors offer wider access to a cabinet that isn't as deep and cavelike, as others have already said. To me the diagonal doored cabinets look big and awkward, especially in layouts in which they don't have a cabinet next to them on each side. We had the 90-degree door with the center hinge in our last house and I never found it to be a problem, as I just knew what to expect from it and how to operate it. We had another corner cabinet (base cab) that was at an odd angle and had to have your 2nd option...the 2 doors in which one overlaps the other in the center. This is OK, too, as long as you (and family members) always remember which one closes first and don't end up doing it twice every time. ;-) Also, you have to open and close 2 doors instead of one a lot of the time...So it depends on whether that bothers you or not.

I think I was one of the few in favor of the U in your original thread, but then I cook in one every day. I think it's important in a U that the stove be centered, so I didn't need to look any further than option 1 to see that it will work fine. Someone posted the math here and found that two drawer bases in a corner have more storage than a Susan, so don't feel bad about not using the corners. I don't think you need to have seldom-used appliances hogging your prep/cooking zone cabs, so I'd consider making the pantry a 12" deep cabinet with shelves (and save several hundred dollars by ditching the pull-out). You could divide that cabinet up to hold brooms on one side, or have open shelves on the top for cookbooks and display items. Lots of ways to divide it and pretty it up. Or the cabinet by the fridge could have pull-out shelves, which some people like for small appliances. I used the cabinet over the fridge for small lightweight appliances--ice cream maker, yogurt maker, electric steamer, popcorn popper. I find it to be very useful deep storage. Many use it for cookie sheets and trays, but that wastes some space in the back. My heavy crockpot and waffle iron are in a bottom drawer. I don't like diagonal uppers--first, they look dated, as is staggering the height, which I see in your notes. Why would you want to draw attention to a big box in a corner? However, some have small glass doors and they can be pretty, though hard to get into. The diagonals also put more cabinet in your face while in your prep zone, and I have read that stuff gets lost in the deep cavern.

The dining room looks fine to me, the windows seem to be centered with the light fixture and the table. There is extra space on the one wall which will accomodate the server or hutch without taking away from the table room. That room works out fine. You will probably be very happy its that way when your furniture arrives! You can center the rug under the table and it wont interfere with your hutch, etc. I love the color, what is it? The family room is a tough one, I dont like when windows are crammed into the corner, it makes it difficult to hang window treatment hardware. What does the rest of that room look like? Is that the wall you will put an entertainment unit on? That might take your eye away from the window issue. I wouldnt worry about it now, it will probably look better with furniture and paintings in the room.

Well, if you've decided, you've decided but frankly, because you have a small kitchen, the 18" would, I believe, be more fitting both in terms of scale in that space and would not be a detriment during resale. The 18" does give you better storage options - you're not going to be able to store tons and tons anyhow, so what's the point of having the provision to wash tons of it. And realistically anyone who looks at your house isn't going to come in with the requisite 2.3 kids, so the 18" just is not going to be an issue. Personally, I'd get the 18" DW, make provisions for an end support for the granite at that end, and then put two 36" cabinets on either side of the stove. I don't know anyone who would want to go marching about their kitchen with an arm full of variable sized loads in a variably-weighted DW rack. It just wouldn't be safe. And if you want to do that, I'd say the 18" DW is by far the safer configuration to do that with ;-)