clue the members in about your style/function needs...as well as your overall goals, things you can and can't do, structurally.
Superficially-what seems in need of consideration is the 70 in opening, 90 inch width, 60 in walkway. That is a lot of space devoted to walk thru and around, back and forth, etc....and I'm one who likes "negative space". Seems something isn't quite right here,not sure where to start the surgery.Others here can do their laser analysis I'm sure.Is that a dinette behind the bar stools? So you want a dining room, dinette and bar stools, all flowing together??

My old house has a very strange layout. Just past the bar stools on window wall is the front door. About eight feet of dead space from peninsula to door. On the other side of the front door is the dining room. We used to have the dining room table in front of the window wall, but it was too crowded there.

Is this a multiple cook home? Helpers? I'm wondering how to put to better use all the counter space you have between the frig and pantry. So much real estate... so little use. Would it work for you to have a multi person setup? Let's say for starters, separate zones with a sink and DW on the wall where the pantry is and place a prep sink in the other zone. That would define separate spaces and give you more then the corner for prep between where you show the sink and range now.

Yes, please share more info.

What are the 3 27" cabs for?
What's on the wall next to the stools?

My gf had a similar layout and it wasn't the ideal layout for her/2 tweens/husband,and they like to host parties.
So she changed it to an L (instead of a U) with an island and shallow pantries (on your fridge wall).
Her new layout functions so much better! No one walks into the working area now, as she prepares dinner, etc.
Whereas before, people didn't really know where to linger; people didn't hang out at the peninsula, but more in the center of the work-triangle. Weird.

Amanda

I'd try for a banquette on the frig and pantry wall, and get your kitchen functions over on the opposite wall-eliminate the peninsula-say, perhaps an island with a counter run-or a long single counter run with the turn where the sink is. Very nice with people coming down the stairs in the morning, or in from outdoors and slide onto the banquette now in a great position.This could really "dress up" the space...just not feeling great about that peninsula and wasted space behind it.

My original plan was to have an island, but didn't think there was enough room.

This is a sketch I had made up with my current plan.

I agree I do not like the "dead space" between the peninsula and the front door. I need help!

well, if you wish to keep the frig/pantry all where it is, then how about a banquette on the wall across from all that. Or a long farmhouse type table-pushed closer to wall with window.Actually, give a clue about what seating/eating functions you want in this area.

Darn it.
Lost a whole post.

Not trying to convince you; just showing how well it worked for my gf when she switched from U to Lshape with island.
Check out her reno in link.

You can put your fridge where sink is.
Move sink/DW to island, and make the pantry wall shallow like 12" deep.

Amanda

Her flow is so much better.

Here is a link that might be useful: kristin's kitchen

Thank you so much everyone's input! You are giving me a lot to think about.

Some background: it is just my husband and myself in the house. We are a bit "older" and certainly no gourmet cooks! When we do cook together, space does get tight. The only large group entertaining we do is with our family (which can be as large as 25 people!) We have a large dining room where we usually have our meals, but would like to have a space in the kitchen for the two of us.

I have quite a few questions...about measurements, the entire first floor layout, the size of the DR, the purpose & need for what looks like a short wall to the right of the refrigerator, etc. Have you had a chance to read the "Layout Help" topic in the "Read Me" thread? I think you will get even more detailed help if you answer most of the questions in the "Layout Help" topic as well as draw up & post a fully-measured & labeled layout (including that front door that you've mentioned but doesn't appear on any of your posted layouts).

Can any doors & windows be changed?

Good luck!

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

If it's just the two of you, then you really don't need all of that space as "kitchen". If you have the front door separating the kitchen from the DR, that seems a bit, well abrupt way to enter in to one of the more private areas of the home. Do you like coming in the front door straight into the kitchen? Because I wouldn't. I would want an entry way separating the kitchen from the DR that would give more of a "decompression" area for those entering the home. Or, if you don't want an actual foyer there, what about using that area as a small sitting area adjacent to the kitchen? You could add a fireplace and it would be nice and cozy and more welcoming than coming straight into the actual kitchen.

Don't know if this is better or worse but here's an idea for you.

I moved the working portion of the kitchen to the L perimeter with an island with 2 seats. The pantry is an 18" deep x 48" wide x 84" tall cabinet. It offers 42 sq ft of storage.

I estimated the fridge depth at 36".

I tallied up the cabinets in your plan and added 15" overhang to arrive at 156" that I could use for the long arm of the L. No idea how accurate this is or if it's possible to expand the counter a bit more to allow for 36" between sink and range. It would be helpful to know exactly where the front door is - or where the window on the other wall is, for that matter. You wrote that the window on the entry wall is TBD. What about the window on the other wall? Can that be moved?

It would be helpful to see more of your first floor.

"...We are a bit 'older'..."

Something to think about...neither my mother nor my in-laws like sitting at my peninsula - it is not comfortable for them. My peninsula has counter-height seating (36" off the floor). As we age, raised seating becomes problematical...from issues with knees & backs to balance issues and just trying to climb into/out of higher seats.

I would seriously consider either a lower counter for seating or a small table and chairs at "table-height" (30" off the floor).

OTOH, if you don't mind having seating that may eventually become too difficult for you to use, then go ahead with the peninsula (or island) seating. It will likely be used when you have family over, so it will not go to waste all the time.

Thanks so much guys! Until I can put together a drawing of the entire house with dimensions, I thought I would post a few pictures of the house as it looks now. You will see a large wood cabinet in the middle of the kitchen. Please excuse it! I stuck it there to see what a peninsula would look like! In the third picture you see the dead space between the cabinet and front door. Should we go with the peninsula, I could have a section of the counter lowered to table height.

Now that I see your pics, I have to say that this isn't a "kitchen" problem as much as it is a whole home layout problem. You need to define what type of feeling you want for the space and how you might actually use it rather than how you dream you'll use it.

You may like the openness of the front door dropping you right into the kitchen and dining area and my suggestion of creating an entry might not work if you do, but you have to tell us what you like and don't like about this situation and why. Also, you need to assess your DIY skills and budget for the project, because you may get some out of the box ideas like moving the kitchen to another room rather than keeping it at the front of the house. (It's something I'd consider.)

If it was my space, I think I would be tempted to create a very small foyer for your front door area, maybe 3.5 to 4 foot in size. Then, inside your front door, your could place a small bench with coat hooks above.

Maybe you could experiment with your floating wall cabinet as a divider between the front door and kitchen? Building a knee wall might work if you prefer to have the space open.

Also, if you do like the penninsula, I think I would slide it a few feet towards the front door so that the window is on the working kitchen area. Or make the penninsula similair in width to the window so that it aligns better. Just some ideas.

Really nice floors. What kind of cabinetry are you considering?

What if you turned that corner with the microwave cart into a coat closet? Just an idea. Not sure if the door near your garbage can is your main entrance.

While my house may not work for the masses, it is fine for me. The kitchen will stay where it is. My husband and I will do most of the work ourselves and are hoping to stick with a budget of $25K for everything.

Thanks for your response dilly. Good ideas! We just had the floors installed and love them! White oak with a natural stain. We have looked at maple Kraftmaid cabinets in a medium stain, but will also look at other brands.

While the door by the garbage can is a side door, we use it a lot as it is closest to the garage.