If you want lay-out suggestions - which it sounds like you do - then you need to give us a floor plan with dimensions. I read your previous post and saw hollysprings' comment that your aisles are tight but couldn't for the life of me figure out how she knew that because I couldn't find dimension info in your post anywhere. (Maybe I'm blind?)

So, give us total room dimension, then wall dimensions to openings (doors and windows), width of openings, note what things you're willing to move or remove, what doorways lead where, etc. If you read the "New to Kitchens?" thread (link below), you'll see the information we need to provide lay-out suggestions. A photo just won't cut it, sorry. At least not for me.

Congratulations on your new home!

Here is a link that might be useful: New To Kitchens? Posting Pics? Read Me!

with the first superficial glance...the assembly along the range wall could likely be left as is, or similar,whether you get new, or re finish/whatever....the cabinet or 2 to the rt of the arced doorway would be adorable as open shelves-display bowls/pottery/etc.-it would highlight that cute arc. Are you okay with frig placement and cabs/counter there? Another cute spot for open shelves maybe-linking and creating a style around the doorway-adorable-What happens over at the sink can be addressed easily-it looks a nice window-with wall above I would do a chunky curtain rod with some design and hang a valance in eye catching pattern-rings or scalloped fabric-do you want a blind behind it to cut sun glare?-fine-that works. Just need some style heft over there...good looking sink/faucet...The island-and perhaps counters/backsplash is where some capital investment would be worth it. Can an island be reshaped-elongated between range and the other end..where the stools are?It looks almost 5 ft wide down at the stools-is it 2 tiers? A one level height-with this elongating-and the ability to put stools in different spots rather than 3 crammed at the end....In a way-living with the kitchen first, would help you to know what you feel about the island re-do...add a pendant light or 2 above the island?? Nice kitchen-loads of potential.

Lisa, count the floor tiles to get a rough dimension of those aisles. It's not a tape measure, but it works for a guesstimate.

But, we can't guesstimate the whole kitchen. We need a floor plan to help you. Hand drawn is OK, as long as it's dark enough and clear enough to read. If you have a graphics program that's usually quicker though.

Hi -- Well, I'll leave it to the more experienced posters to help with the layout, as I'm by no means an expert. However, just had to share a seemingly minor layout change we made that has made an unexpectedly huge difference for me... every single day.

We changed a bank of upper and lower cabinets immediately to the left of our dishwasher into a full length set of cabinets that houses all of our daily dishware, serving pieces, glassware and cups and mugs (58" tall cabinet with a 24" tall cabinet on top -- all around 11" deep).

Now emptying the dishwasher (or putting away handwashed items) is a breeze. No more carrying, bending and lifting throughout the kitchen to put stuff back where it belongs like a reverse scavenger hunt!

Our remodel was completed in the spring, but the ease of this chore I had come to despise in my old kitchen STILL makes me smile. Our flatware is close by now too, directly across from the dishwasher in a drawer in the island.

Perhaps this would be no-brainer for most. I'm just grateful I got it right. So, if there's a way you can create storage for your daily items near your dishwasher, you will not regret it.

I'll be watching the forum to follow your progress. Good luck to you!

Thank you so much for all your feedback. I have close measurements of the space where the fridge is, stove, and sink area. The sink area is a bit tricky because it has a bay window area, with out the bay window. It is deeper then the counter's to the right. I have the measurements width and length of the island (which will be replace). I don't have the doorway measurement or the the isle measurements. I gave all these measurements to the guy at Lowes and he came up with a layout map but it has has the configurations of the "upgrade cabinets. I just drew out the 3 area's and I can post those as well but they look like I drew them..yikes. Should I post all of what I have, or would it be best to wait until I can get isle measurements?
If you think those will be fine I can certainly post them..
Thanks again!

If you give us the dimensions of the space - not of what's there - that works for me, especially since it sounds as if you're going to ditch what's there and start fresh. If you were trying to work with what you have, that would be a different story. Does that make sense?

I would also give the arrangement/size and sense of how the other adjoining rooms meet the kitchen. Sometimes moving a doorway is a fairly simple, and cost efficient way to get more usable space.

Okay, I don't know if the measurements I have will work but what I have is this:
Entire Kitchen space is suppose to be 17x16 but that is including area's in front of doors and pantry space.
Measurements of current configuration:
Fridge area from wall to wall: Length: 97"
Upper Cabinets from top to bottom: Length 3' 4" Depth 13"
I didn't measure the space between counter and upper but I would guess at least 1'6"
Current Counter Depth 25"
Lower Cabinets: 3' 4"
Possibly able to cut out behind this area since it is the empty stair space.

Stove side from left to right counterside (ending where soffit cuts down lengthwise): total length 124"
Stove: 30"
Upper Cabinets: Length 40" Depth 13"
Counter Space 25"
Lower Cabinets 34"

Sink Side from back of stove wall to the right side counter end: 81" length
From window to end of sink lip counter depth 36"
Then remaining counter to the left of sink depth 24"

Current Island: 62"x46" with approximately 3 feet on each side.

I am attatching my drawing, if you can't tell I failed drafting in 7th grade! I also have a few other angle pictures. Hopefully this will give an idea but if not I will be back in a couple of weeks with more indepth spacing.. Thank you again!

I'm having a hard time understanding the measurements you've provided (it could be me, don't sweat it). Here's what we need, or at least what I need, to give you lay-out ideas.

I *don't* need existing counter depths, height, etc if all that is going and you're starting from scratch. We need measurements as if the room is already empty. That said, I am asking for the distance from doorway to existing range (that's I) so that I can try for a plan that does not require moving existing venting - that will save you money.

Fill in the blanks for each letter. Doorways and window spans should include molding around each - I consider molding part of the opening. If you're replacing molding - say, going with 4" wide molding instead of standard 2.5" wide molding - we need to know that because that will reduce how much space we can fill up with cabinets. Measure walls to molding around doors and windows.

Measure as accurately as possible and double check that the individual measurements add up to the same number as you provide for the whole span. In other words, E + O = B. B is distance from Kitchen/DR wall to slider (actually to molding around slider, not just to slider). D + C = A. Does this make sense?

N is measuring the span of the existing cabinets but only because your drawing makes me think you want to stop or need to stop the cabinets short of the slider & molding.

In the current arrangement I don't know how you will get an island with seating for 5. Your island is squished into it's current space as it is now and there is no way you can put seating on the sides - you just simply don;t have the space.

How much floor space do you have between the kitchen and the family room? Is there room to extend the island and add seating? Although doing that I think extends the island to being in front of the sliding glass doors. Is there no eating area in the house now except for the DR? If you were to take down the DR wall and create a kitchen with an eat-in table would that be ok or does it have to be island seating?

I will need to go back and get better measurements, which won't be for 2 weeks. As soon as I get them I will come back. Should I start a new post or just find this one to follow-up?

We measured out changing the size of the island to around 50" in width and were figuring out the length. It would end up being in front of the doors but with room.

An eat in table would be fine..

Lot's to think about. Thanks again!

I think it would be best to find this thread and add to it so that the history of what you're trying to do along with information and photos is all in one place. If you start a new thread, please link to this thread.

I had the same thought as blfenton - it's going to be tough to get 5 seats at an island in your space but I really need to see the whole space and play around a bit to know for sure.

Right now, two ways to get seating for 5 at the island occur to me:

Open up the DR wall, ditch the "formal" DR set-up and eat most meals in the DR with island seating for 5 in the kitchen. This expands the kitchen into the existing eat-in space so we'll need to know the dimensions for that area, too. This would up the ante on costs, fair warning.

The second option leaves the DR wall intact - that saves money - but does much the same as above. Ditches the eat-in space in the kitchen in favor of a larger island with seating for 5. Your dining space would keep a "formal" feel.

All stuff to think over while we wait for your dimension info.

The dining room will go largely unused and it isn't the largest space 10 x 12. Our first thoughts we had was to knock that wall down, opening it up with a reconfiguration of the kitchen layout. Which opens up a whole other design/function possiblities and issues. Then we thought to just demolish this island and build a different one but I too stuggle with the thought of an obstacle being in my way. This house is a fixer upper so we know we will need to put money into it.

I look forward to seeing the optons I have. When I come back I will have the dimensions of the kitchen as well as the dining room. It think it would be benificail to work with both ideas to see what we can realistically accomplish in the one space and the two spaces combined..

Thank you!

I am excited to seeing your ideas, it will be a couple of weeks and I will link back up to this thread.

Yes, there is no way an island located where that island is located can possibly have room for seating 5 people. If you shrink the island from 62" to 50" you still won't have room, firstly because 50" is not enough room for 3 people to sit side by side--it will only fit 2 people, with a bit of elbow room to spare--and secondly because you cannot seat people on the ends without them blocking the aisles. (Those aisles, which are 3 feet wide now, will still only be 3 1/2 feet wide once you shrink the island. A person sitting there will occupy at least 18", leaving only 18" in which to squeeze past them. Also, either you have to leave stools there for them to sit on or you have to make room to tuck the stools under the counter, in which case your 50" island counter sits on top of only 36" (max) of cabinet storage, which is just a complete waste of space).

To seat 5 people, they need to sit elsewhere. Either in the dining room (knock out the wall, put a counter there with overhang...) or elsewhere in the kitchen. It's just a recipe for frustration and a waste of money (because you'd spend so much and end up creating frustration and losing valuable storage) to try and stuff 5 people into that space.