1) Are you not planning any uppers on the range wall? Will you regret it if you place a window that will keep you from adding the hutch?

Those things are important, functionally, which I place above cosmetics. But I see that you have a somewhat symmetrical thing happening there, and you might be happier with the 2 windows. Will it adversely or positively affect the exterior either way? I do think the hutch or hanging something on the wall can help balance the window if it's better to have one large window.

If you're having 4" Craftsman trim on the windows throughout the house, why are you uncertain about the kitchen window? I really believe in consistency in such things through the house. I also prefer some wall space around the trim so the trim and window get their due focus. I have 3" on one side of my window...and would've preferred 6" or more. I know others think differently, but I think running cabinets (or hood) up to the trim looks like you were trying to fit as much in there as possible without regard for the design elements, and a little breathing room...so it looks crowded. I hope that doesn't offend anyone, and I know it flies in the face of my 'function first' claim above. ;)

2) Is your fridge a single door, is it French or side by side? Those latter 2 would give you more space when the doors are open. If it's a single door, you definitely need more room in that aisle. I think you'd benefit from a wider aisle in any case...What if/when you have to pull out the fridge?

3) We have smallish people in our family and have 4 ft aisles between the cleanup area and our island. It works well for multiple workers, since we often have the dishwashers open with others moving around the kitchen. I'm concerned about your dw opening across an entrance into the room. Is there a reason you have it to the right of the sink instead of the left?

4) I have no potfiller knowledge or experience to share.

Best wishes! How exciting to be down to final decisions to give your builder.

Is the window light important in that area? Is there an issue with money or with fixed items in window wall? Is there a view? Do you need openable windows?

My mother in law in her architect-designed Midcentury Modern house had windows below her upper cabinets. There was no significant view so looking out didn't matter. The windows were openable. The room was on the 2nd floor so we looked down out of the windows. The sunlight illuminated the countertop and sink during the day, preventing the need to turn on lights when we did something like wash hands or fill a drinking glass. We had to wash the windows often because of dirt and splash. She had undercab fluorescent lights as well, which were switched on a single switch.

I also wonder if architecturally interesting narrow windows could flank the hood area in a kitchen. It might be the making of a room, but perhaps not a very traditional looking room.

I've seen some good looking glass block wall segments also. And some ugly ones.

Hi April.

I think the thread you referred to about asymmetry flanking the range was mine. I had plans for a single, larger window on one side of the rangetop, but then ended up doing two smaller, flanking windows instead after someone(s) suggested it. I chose fixed, inoperable windows also. Now that they're in, I kinda wish they opened, but I didn't want to break up the small 2' expanse of glass with horizontal lines if they opened. I can say that I am 100% completely happy with the two windows. But, I will have a dish storage hutch cab on another wall.

I planned on leaving 6" between each window and the hood, assuming my window trim would be about 3". We were replacing all the trim in the house, and I hadn't picked it yet so I was guessing. It turns out that the way the windows are now trimmed, I have about 5-6" of open space b/w trim and hood instead of the 3" I planned. The hood isn't in yet so I can't know for sure, but I think kits a good mistake. The hood will have its space that way to really show off.

I suggest the wider aisle for the fridge opening.

I think the aisle you have behind the cleanup sink is fine. I second rhome's suggestion of moving the DW to the other side of the sink. I sometimes round corners faster than I should. I know I'd run my shins into that DW when open more than once as I wouldn't see it was open until I was in pain.

Potfiller--have you searched some threads about the placement? If you don't get enough feedback on this thread, start another one specifically about that. If you're just starting to build next week, you don't need the exact placement of the pot filler today. Or next week.
Side note, I can't tell where your trash pullout is. Is it by the prep sink in the island? Also, I would do some research or talk to a lighting pro before you commit to the lighting placement as shown.

You gals are so awesome. I love this forum.

Ok. I've decided on the 2 windows instead of one. My husband told me that the window trim is not 4". It is about 3" and we would like to do the kitchen windows in the same trim.

rhome - 1) Yes, I would like to leave the option open of adding a wall cabinet/ to the counter hutch in future. I think a wider (24"-30") hutch would be more useful than two 12" ones, so I am thinking of pushing the first window up to the corner near the porch. That will leave me enough space to put a wide-enough hutch on the side nearer the pantry if I need it.

I feel like the tall rather than wide windows will look better from the exterior as they'll be more consistent with the window shapes of rest of the house.

The information you and breezygirl gave about space around the trim is just what I was needing to know. Thank you!

2) My current fridge (which I will use in the new house) is a side by side, but I want the option to replace it with a single door in future. Think I've decided on 45" between fridge and island, and I'll leave the rest of the aisles alone.

3) The dw is on the right of the sink because we are right-handed and it feels more natural to rinse the dishes in the sink then load the dw on the right. I think it would be awkward for us to do it the other way. You make a good point about the dw door opening while people are crossing, I just don't see how we would comfortably switch the two around.

florantha - yes, we have a lovely view of a large creek that surrounds the sides and back of our house. I love light and would love to have a wall of windows in my kitchen but we may already have overdone it on the windows and openness throughout the house! No real issue with fixed items in the window wall, except perhaps the 42" wood hood, which I have flexibility to move a few inches back and forth.

Breezygirl and florantha: Openable windows - I have a sliding glass door between kitchen and porch, so that will bring air in. That's why I'm leaning towards picture windows. Like breezygirl, they're small enough windows without breaking them up horizontally, and the full glass will prob. frame the view better. I still love the idea of opening windows right above my counter though! I can't justify the extra cost of casements, esp. since we have the door for ventilation. DH cares only for the fullest, biggest view possible, while I like fresh air at least as much. Breezygirl, would you still prefer opening windows if you had another source of fresh air?

Breezygirl, btw, I am thrilled that you are chiming in! I can't tell you how many times I have read your post about the same subject, and it was so helpful as I've been trying to work out this window/ assymetry issue. I am glad to hear that you're happy with your 2 windows!

I have 2 trash pullouts - an 18" one as the last cabinet in island on cooktop side, and another 18" on left of main sink.

On the space between window trim and hood, I have a couple options:
1) Leave 4" in the 4 spaces between trim and everything else: wall, hood, hutch cab. End up with a 24" hutch on wall next to pantry.
2) Leave 3" between trim, hood, and hutch, and ONE INCH space in between trim and wall on porch side. End up with a 30" hutch.
3) 6" between trim and everything else, and end up with no hutch.
4) 6" between hood and trim for 2 flanking windows. 3" between trim and wall, and trim and hutch. That leaves 23" for a hutch, so I suppose a 21" hutch.

What would you do?

Btw, do you need a filler between an upper cabinet and the wall? If I'm correct, you need to have at least a 3/4" filler wherever your base cabinet runs into a wall, but I don't know about uppers.

Please excuse me if I am less than coherent. I really need some sleep!

I hear ya on the sleep!

I'm so glad some of my past rambling, struggling threads helped you. I do have a window over the cleanup sink that opens from both ends as well as a glass door just outside the kitchen proper that opens so I will have fresh air. I live in a colder climate and chill easily so it's not like my windows are open all the time anyway. I know the small windows not opening will be an acceptable trade off for the appearance.

DW--Funny that you say you need the DW in the right. I've worked with them on the left my entire life, and I am very right-handed. I think it works better for righties that way. Hold the dirty dish with the left and scrape with the right. It's simple. That being said, my DW will move to the right in the new kitchen because that worked better. I've been slightly worried about that off and on, but the many threads I've read over time say that you get used to having it on whatever side it's on, and that its better to have it placed correctly for your layout than your handedness. I'll get used to it.

Of your trim spacing options, I'd do 1 or 4. It sounds like your cabs aren't custom if you're working in 3" increments. I'd chose 4 if your cabs were custom and could do a 23" hutch. A 21" hutch wouldn't leave symmetrical spacing down that wall. You'd have to re-adjust on the other end.

Let's both get some sleep now!

Hi, April. I have a wood hood between windows. My situation was much tighter than yours, and to get standard-size windows in (wrapping a corner), I had to run the sides of the hood right up to the 4-1/4-inch frames of the windows. I was really afraid that would be too tight, but it looks and works fine.

BTW, in spacing, don't forget to take window treatments into account. FWIW as your panes willl be fixed, as I mentioned on another thread our curtains are mounted inside the frames, and decorative wood pieces arcing down from the frame to the wall mean they could never blow over the stove-- although they're just not long enough to reach there as it turns out.

I mention our very tight configuration and how well inside-mount curtains work just to ease concern about how many inches to allow between window and stove a bit. 3 inches is a big space compared to 0, 6 very big, but you might someday want to mount flammable materials over the window frames onto that wall.

Also window frame size--our 4+" looks very nice and proportional. I do feel it could have been narrowed a bit very happily to fit the situation and still have looked very good.

Finally, why don't you just have your carpenters make a custom hood cover for your fan unit? It's very inexpensive when they're on site, much less expensive than a decent prefab, and that way you get exactly the design you want and the size you need to fit in between whatever standard size windows you prefer. Better quality too, probably. I designed ours, taking elements and proportions from hoods I liked online, particularly the wonderful Finished Kitchens Blog.

Here are a few pics on hoods with windows.
It is going to be GORGEOUS...
~bp

Pot fillers...

We have dishwashers on both sides of our sink. I'm right handed. I don't find a problem loading either. I find a problem unloading the one that's on the opposite side of the sink from the dish storage, because of no where to set the dishes that places them closer to where they're going and lots of walking back and forth with one or two items at a time. For the one that's adjacent to the dish storage, I most stand in one spot and do some turning. Much faster.

I would urge you to consider placing the dishwasher where it works best in your layout...and, additionally, maybe where it doesn't create a hazard for getting in and out of the room. Banging shins and scraping the side of your calf on the nasty corner of an open dishwasher, I think, is far worse than whatever adjustment to having it on the other side. Many people here, when asked, have said they get used to whatever side it's on and don't ever think about it.

I have found 2 previous discussions about right or left dishwasher placement. One is linked below, and the other is here:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0217295731461.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Previous discussion about dw placement, right or left

As usual, rhome says what I meant to say so much better. ;)

Boxer--gorgeous pics as usual!

April--How are your plans coming along?

Yay, I get to be a recipient of boxerpups' magic! Love those pics!

rosie - thanks for your perspective on the spacing between window trim. It helps to have different people's input. My cabinet guy said that although it is subjective, he likes 1"-2". I think I'd better do a mock-up to see what kind of look I prefer! I like your point about the window treatments. I do like that look, and it makes me feel more sure about my decision to do inoperable windows there. I'd never seriously thought about getting a carpenter to do a custom hood - and that it might be at a reasonable cost. Thanks for the tip! I will have to check on that.

Breezygirl and rhome, you win! LOL. We have decided to flip the dw to the left of the sink and the trash pull-out to the right. When I explained what you two had said, and taking pros and cons into consideration, DH thought it made a lot more sense to do it that way. He also explained away my other concerns about dish storage placement. Oh where would I be without you good people? *shudder*

Breezygirl - about the lights, this version does not have my additional lights. I have 4 wall sconces to provide ambient light. The recessed lights are providing the task and general lighting, and the island lights are both decorative and task lights. Being open to the other areas and with creamy white cabinets and butter yellow walls, I was thinking I would not need as much lighting as say, a darker or enclosed kitchen. Do you think this will be enough light layering?

Good point about the custom hutch. Although I am getting stock cabs on the perimeter, I am getting (semi)custom cabs for my island. I asked my cabinet guy today and they are able to do a custom 23" hutch. Of course! I don't know why I was stuck on the 3" increments, prob. because I've been trying to figure out my perimeter cabs based on the stock sizes.

Btw, I am getting almost all drawers, including for dish storage on the island opposite the sink/ dw side. What is a good drawer size for dishes? The drawers are solid, all-wood construction, (full extension, soft-close) so I'm not worried about weight, but about the inconvenience of using two handles on a wide, heavy drawer everytime you want to get a water cup. I looked it up on this forum, and it seems anywhere from 24" to 36" will work. Do you have a preference? My current plans are for a 36" and a 33" drawer on the clean-up side of the island. These will hold everyday dishes, as well as cups, children's dishes, tupperware and paper plates.

I was thinking of putting in an 18" fixed-shelf cab just for flexibility in case I need the adjustability of shelves (this cab has no designated use yet, maybe it will serve the back porch). Is that a good idea? In this forum, I've seen that people who get fixed shelf cabinets tend to not have a pantry for odd-sized items that may not fit in a drawer, but I have a walk-in pantry.

Also, I have a 15" base drawer unit for pot holders, trivets, aluminium foil, etc, between cooktop and oven, 18" drawers for things like prep items like mixing bowls, cutting boards, measuring cups, in the island, and 21" drawers for baking pans, most-used baking items etc. between oven and pantry. Is it even worth having drawers those sizes, or would you just do normal cabinets with inserts or roll-out shelves in those? There seems to be a preference for wide drawers here.

Maybe I should start a new thread on this!

Progress: I got my cabinet estimates today, I've decided to go with a wood mantle-style hood (but not decided on exact design yet), and we have most details in the rest of the house sorted. It's exciting but a bit nerve-wracking too!