I will need a floorplan or pictures of the space to help out. SInce it is completely gutted, can you move things like plumbing, where the stove would be etc? If so, your options are going to be endless-changing the U into an L with an island, moving the sink into the corner instead of the bottom of the U, etc.
I would suggest going on some websites and just finding kitchens you like, noting which elements of them you like and going from there.
I am So sorry your house was essentially ruined. How stressful and awful. I hope you didn't lose anything irreplaceable to you guys.

Photos attached

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen before photos

What is the wall with what looks like an entry door by the fridge? Is that a support wall? I'd consider removing that wall/entry door type thing if you can. Even if it is a support wall, maybe making it so it doesn't wrap around into the other room(remove the piece with the decorative wooden thingy(sorry-name of those is slipping my mind right now). If you can remove it, you can put an island there and remove the peninsula or have both.
Did you like how your kitchen flowed? Think about how you moved when you made meals. Was your prep area too far from the fridge? Ask yourself questions like that.

i liked the flow as it gave me some privacy in my very open concept home. Also the kitchen feels big and airy.
The columns give the room a division between the formal dining and tghe informal family room, I could rather leave them as it is.
Also prefer a peninsula to an island as it gives me lot of options for the arrangement of the place.
I am thinking of putting a pantry next to the fridge.
If i can share a photo of another user; please see the link; the colors are not same as what i am looking for; but rest of the room flow feels great.

Here is a link that might be useful: Another user's kitchen idea i loved

Added the main floor plan; i am open to changes in floor plan as well; as almost 70% is currently gutted.
Mostly looking to do the most open still private and effective floor plan and useable surface.

On which side of the fridge would the pantry be? I think if you "move" the divider wall out to allow room on the right hand side(when looking at the pictures), then that would be a great place for a pantry.
I like peninsulas better than islands as well--I just know the overwealming majority of newer kitchens are including islands. Islands typically OPEN the space, though, so if you like a bit of a seclusion, the peninsula is the way to go.
Another option would be to make the wall with the entry solid--I just cannot tell what is on the other side to tell if it will be unruly to not have 2 access routes to the kitchen or not. I mean, if the whole place is gutted, you could even turn the kitchen around and make it more of a galley kitchen-so put cabinets, fridge, etc on a wall built where the current separator wall is and knock out the wall the fridge is currently on(again, I couldn't tell what was on the other side of that wall, so if it is something like a bathroom, forget it!LOL)
Also, it didn't look like the kitchen had a window. If thw whole downstairs is gutted, you could MOVE the kitchen to a more prominent spot with a window for more natural light if you wanted to.

Whoa! You're trying to do years of work in only a few days! Put on the brakes. It would be better to have a sink in a plywood counter set on sawhorses and grill on the barb-b-quefor a couple of months than it would to make major expensive decisions about a space that you use daily and make WRONG decisions. A water damage event is the chance to reassess the functionality and aesthetics of your kitchen. But, you cannot make hasty decisions about this. You will come to regret it.

Behind the fridge is the stairs to basement. So cannot remove that wall. About the column in between, is a load bearing one so not an option to change much there as well.
I am also not able to place an island effectively in the area, so any ideas are welcome.
Greendesigns, can you please explain in detail what looks like a wrong design. I am not planning a major change from what it was; so confused here.
About the window, the kitchen peninsula faces the breakfast nook which opens into the backyard and hence lot of natural light comes in. But any other idea of moving the kitchen which can open into a window is also welcome.

I obviously cannot see what your living room set up is, but what about moving the kitchen to where the living room is and living room into kitchen space? No clue if there are windows in the living room area or not, doors outside, etc, but just giving an idea. With a pretty much blank slate, just force yourself to view the various rooms in different directions, etc for new ideas. I saw the window by the dinette isn't really a window but a sliding glass door outside, so that doesn't make sense to have a kitchen there.

2 problems bahacca- living room can be seen from the front door; plus living room has a big window overlooking the backyard. so the flow of light is from the front door till this big window gives us tons of natural light.
somehow the kitchen feels best where it was. But any other suggestion is always welcome.
Thanks everybody.

Well, you seem pretty happy with the old layout minus perhaps adding a pantry, so I'd go with that. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?
Only minor suggestions I'd make is to perhaps update the post by making it cylindrical rather than just a square wood post(depends on how your decor is in the home, though) and I'd personally not put in the decorative balestere if you put in a separation wall again. I thought that dated the space. You could perhaps do a cut out that is functional with glass shelving instead.

thank you for the cylundrical solution; this is like why didn't i think of this great idea ones.
Also love the cut out idea, now let me try getting them in my plan.
Small changes but i can envision them bringting up my kitchen, family room area.
Can't stop smiling on these brilliant suggestion.

removal of the lg cabinet above the peninsula [end of the run]and go for open shelving with some decorative brackets. I'd invest in recessed can lights and add undercab task lighting. do a mosaic backsplash, change sink to deep single with a good looking faucet, do a hardwood floor and the space would keep me happy.

some of the suggestions were in my thinking list:
- open shelving one i am thinking about; recessed light is almost in finalizing status; undercab task light - any idea how it is cost wise vis-a-vis use; is single deep sink better than double? faucet is getting changed so any good suggestion is welcome; we have a tile floor in kitchen; never heard of wooden floor there; need to do more research on the same. But loved getting great ideas.

Double sink vs single sink: I currently have a double and have always had one. THing I HATE about them is when washing things like cutting boards, cookie sheets-you have to tilt them, grimey water gets in the other side, etc. I'm strongly leaning towards a single since the items I wash by hand are larger and more cumbersome. If you wash all dishes by hand, I'd go with a double, but most people no longer do this.
Wood floor in kitchen-MUCH softer on your feet than tile. Just have to be careful about spills, splashes from the sink, etc.

Some suggestions:

• If possible, remove the soffit all along the "back" wall (the wall the range run is on that goes into the DR)

You don't really have room for the pantry you see in your inspiration picture, plus I personally don't think they did either (it's rather cramped in that corner) What you do have that your inspiration kitchen does not have, I think, is room to put in a pantry where the door next to the refrigerator is. You could make a nice step-in pantry there. I don't think I'd go for a full-blown walk-in b/c it will be taking room out of the Family Room. Based on your overall pic, I think you can afford to carve out the pantry.

Something like this:

Thank you for the picture; i am planning to show it to my conductor to get an estimate. Thanks a ton

Aynb-- Exactly the same thing (major water damage to our kitchen) happened to me a year ago. I am so sorry you are having to deal with this. You are so lucky you found this site early in your process. I know your pain about living without a kitchen, but I just wanted to tell you that for us it was really, really worth dealing with the kitchen-in-the-garage situation so that we had enough time to make plans. Take some time to set up your temporary life with temporary kitchen (we used downstairs powder room for washing dishes, microwave meals, take out) so you can get your kitchen right!

In the FAQ on this forum, there is a lot of really good advice about reconceiving your kitchen and planning well. The only things I regret about our remodel are things where I rushed or had decision fatigue from the fast pace of decisions.

Good luck!

Feel you. We had a major slab leak in July 2010 which took the kitchen and one wall of family room down to the studs. Insurance reimbursement left only $8000 after mold remediation. I kept the old configuration, but moved the cooktop a few inches,reconfigured cabinet functions. The lower cabinets were all replaced with drawers and corner suzies. It took 4 months to find the soapstone, cabinets, etc. (all appliances were fine as was a five year old Franke sink). It was WELL worth the wait. I love love love my new kitchen. It took time to select and order things. Good luck

Thank you all for the understanding, looking at all the possible options and my thoughts pre-water damage; i came to realise that my kitchen was one of the reason i loved the house when we bought it early last year. If not for this problem, i had no plans to change anything in the kitchen for some time; may be atleast 4-5 years as the flow, space and storage was sufficient for our family need. Hence i am planning to keep the same configrution just add a few simple things to enhance the usability of the kitchen like:
1. back splash (like a few type; coming in different query)
2. Granite/Quartz countertop
3. Small pantry and
4. because the stove range is destroyed by water, a new one.