An elderly couple I know has a breakfast nook that looks practically identical to photo #5. Even the placement of the window on the wall. It's charming, however I've found it difficult to get in and out of when asked for coffee,ect. They couple seemed to have no problems all. Maybe I need to lose more weight!

Why do you need two different eating areas? Can you draw out a floor plan of your full space including the rest of the floor including the laundry room since that's important.

My gosh there are TONS of people that have vinyl flooring and are very happy with it. You do realize that 99% of people that go online to write reviews, are those that are unhappy, right? I am very happy with my Armstrong Vivero floor in my kitchen and laundry room. It's exactly what I had hoped it would be. It is the glue-down version (they have matching colors in the click-lock too) because I did not want a floating floor - I was worried about the movement and "clicking" noise that so many have issues with, although I am pretty sure that that issue is related to uneven areas in the floor, and so would be avoided with the correct prep. Also, I have a desk in my kitchen, and a rolling chair. Per the Armstrong warranty, I removed the rollers and replaced them with a felt-bottom slider insert. There have been zero issues.

Hi Emily- Congratulations on your new home! The dining area is the space with the wood floor adjacent to the kitchen counter. I would remove the bench to ensure there is enough space to pull out the chairs and to walk on either side of the table. There should be three feet of space on either side of the table to ensure chairs can be pulled out and people can sit comfortably. As to your musing- " It feels strange for the dining room table to be on the carpet, so far from the kitchen but it also seems strange to have a breakfast nook on one side and a dining room table off the other side. " You are absolutely right. It is downright ridiculous that these days houses are designed with three places to eat so close together, a breakfast nook, counter space, and a dining are, all open to each other, and there is no real design thought put into it at all. I am not a fan of eating at a counter, find stools markedly uncomfortable, and not at all conducive for family meal conversations and appropriate table manners. Furthermore, I sure as heck don't want to be treated like a short order cook. Do you? Can people really not walk 3 more feet to the dining table and sit in a proper chair and face each other? I would get rid of the counter chairs and use the space where the chairs are for more storage. There are many things you can do with the "breakfast nook," depending on what your needs are. A reading room is a great idea, and if you put a table in there it can be your study/office. Another though is if you need a place for your children to work on the computer in the open while supervised, that might be a good place as well. That could be the homework room and reading room. You could get a comfy chair and ottoman for the wall opposite the door, a small low bookcase on the wall under the window and put it next to the chair and the top can serve as your "side table" if there is no room for a side table on the outside of your chair. On the far side of the bookcase you can have a table and straight chair for laptop use in front of where the outlet is. If you have two children you can get two tables and put the tables at right angles, one against the wall under the windows, and the other one at right angles to that. One chair faces the window. The other chair is at right angles but on the outside of the other table.