I don't have any ideas or suggestions on layouts but I do have a folder full of pass-thru photos that I've saved over the past week (we may have to keep a pass-thru because of it possibly being load bearing so I'm looking at all alternatives).

Anyway, if you would like me to post some of the pass-thru photos I'd be happy to do so.

Leia_in_lalaland,
Yes, please post 'em. That'd be great. Thanks!

You are dictating where everything has to go...is there any flexibility in your list? If everything has to go where you say, there is not a lot that can be moved/changed to increase functionality.

So, is the list "musts" or ideas to work with? Remember, the more constraints you put on a space, the less that can be done.

If you are flexible, then I think a better description would be to state your goals (e.g., cooktop off the island, open up the DR wall, etc.) rather than saying everything has to go in a specific place.

Measurement questions:

• How wide/long is the wall b/w the bay window (?) and the DR wall?

• What is the distance b/w the DR wall and the left pantry wall?

• What is the distance b/w the "top" wall and the short wall on the "bottom?"

• How long is the DR wall?

• How wide is the DR doorway? (26"???)

• How wide is the window? (35"?)

• How high off the counter is the window?

• How wide a pass-through are you thinking of?

Other questions:

• Are you "gutting" the kitchen? (I.e., are all cabinets & appliances going and being replaced so the kitchen can be any configuration?)

• Do you plan to put a table in the "empty" space to the left of the island?

• Can any walls me modified (moved, taken down, shortened, lengthened)?

• Can the DR wall come down instead of just opening up the part of it?

• Can the window be changed? Moved? (e.g., wider or taller or changed to a counter-height)

• Can the short wall in the right bottom alcove be removed?

• What appliances & their sizes are you planning? The same or different? E.g., range instead of cooktop + oven(s), counter-depth refrigerator, etc. and 30"/36"/48"/other wide range/cooktop, 27" or 30" ovens, 36"/42"/48" refrigerator, etc.)

• Is that 5' alcove the "butler's pantry"?

• Are you changing/remodeling anything else? For example, the Powder Room?

About that pass-through...are you sure you want cabinets hanging down into the pass-through space? Most people remove such cabinets (usually over peninsulas) when they remodel...they get in the way/block the view/access. Glass doors help...but you still have to either duck to speak under the cabinets or talk loudly to get "through" the cabinets. I can possibly see cabinets whose bottoms are at least 6' off the floor (6.5' would be better) - at least in the middle 3' or so.

Buehl, thanks for your thoughtful response and questions. I should have phrased my request better. In attempting to be explanatory, I may have erroneously limited myself. I am absolutely up to any ideas that will improve functionality. That's my primary goal. I will get to work on addressing your measurement questions and reply over the weekend. Have a good holiday.
Thanks,
Maura

I can relate to two of your reasons for renovating. We're also going to move our cook top from a tiny island to the perimeter and widen our DR doorway.

I'm trying to figure out how much room you have to play with. It looks like you have 146", including wall oven cabs, along the top wall. Is that close? It's a little harder to tell how much room you have on the fridge wall but it doesn't look like it's as long. We really need more dimension info than your drawing supplies.

You would need 113" on the existing fridge wall to do a corner sink (42") a 12" cab (need this between sink and DW so you can stand at the sink when the DW door is open), 24" DW, 2" filler (to support counter) and a 33" oven cab for 30" double oven (could be as narrow as 30" depending on oven mfg specs and cab construction). You can shrink that a bit by going with a 36" corner sink cab - that means a smaller sink - and a 27" double wall oven (30" cab or possibly 27" cab).

To do a corner sink (42" cab), 30" cook top, 39" fridge cab (for 36" wide fridge) plus 25" counter on either side of cook top, which is minimal between cook top and sink, you'd need 161". If you do only have 146", then you'd only have 17.5" on either side of the cook top. IMO, that would be frustrating, as frustrating as your current kitchen set-up with the cook top in the tiny island. Shrinking the sink cab to 36" would give you 20.5" on either side. Better but still tight.

I have questions, too, so if you can answer these when you answer buehl's, that would be helpful.

Would you be willing to go with a double oven range instead of a cook top and a double oven?
Or could you put the double oven in the butler's pantry area (I'm assuming that alcove in the bottom right corner is the BP) with a counter next to it to use as an oven landing zone?
Would you be willing to move the fridge into the butler's pantry?
You'd have to leave your pantry where it is in both of the above scenarios.
Is your gripe with the island cook top because you have little counter space around it (that's my beef)?
Have you considered a peninsula lay-out instead of an L with island?

An idea for you:

I moved the fridge to the Butler's Pantry area, along with a pantry cab, widened the DR entry, moved the sink and DW to the DR wall with a pass-through. I split the window into 2 to flank the cook top that now has ample room around it to work. You can use the island as a banking center.

The pass-through is inspired by this pic:

[traditional kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by boston architect Battle Associates, Architects

It looks like you have the height to do something similar with cabs above the sink and DW. Notice that the back of the counter behind the sink is raised a bit. A bit of definition and splash zone protection.

I didn't do anything to your existing pantry area but I'd be tempted to remove the door and drywall and inset a cabinet there ala how cjc123 has done one in her kitchen.

Her MW is hiding in that flip up door area.

Buehl/Lisa,
Already your questions/ideas/photos are helping me see a greater potential. Let me address your questions:
*Top wall is 145.5" (to the left, there's a 74" window seat that's staying, but is flanked by about 16" of wall on each side. We can "steal" some of that 16" if we need to.)
*RF (DR) wall is 113"
*Wall b/t Bay window and DR wall is 27".
*There's 161" from the DR wall and the left pantry wall.
*Distance b/w the "top" wall and the short wall on the "bottom" is 176".
*DR doorway (excluding molding is 30"; with molding is 35 1/2".
*Window is 44.25" including molding.
*Window is 8 3/8" above the counter.
*Pass-through width--45"??
*Gutting: We're open to replacing cabs, floor & appliances, but when you say "any configuration" it starts to sound expensive. I hate to have our imaginations limited by budget, but the truth is we're comfortable spending around $60K. (H keeps saying sky is limit, do what works best, but I know he'd have a coronary if I came to him with a $100K plan).
*Our kitchen table is 54" round. Big, I know. But it was my DH's family's and he doesn't want to part with it.
*Walls can modified. I hadn't considered taking the DR wall down completely. The kitchen is already open to the FR on the other (left) side. Might feel cavernous if it's too open??
*I would consider moving either the wall ovens or the RF into the BP (5' alcove).
*The window can be changed or moved, but again, we'd have to really consider how this would effect the budget (ie: if we have to re-side the exterior as a result).
*Yes, the short wall in the right bottom alcove be removed.
*Appliances/Sink: My DH is a Consumer Reports junkie. That means we'll likely go with whatever their "CR Best Buys" are. ie: 30" cook top, 36" RF. I am considering a double oven range, rather than cook top/wall oven, but am loathe to lose the height position of the wall oven. FYI, I'm the sole cook, am 5'2" and have lousy knees! Current ovens are only 27". Less than ideal, IMO. So, 30" there. I covet a wider, shallower RF, but haven't seen a decent one under $5K. Also, I'd love to keep the sink to at least 30" (single bowl).
*The laundry room will likely get re-arranged, and the powder room will likely get new fixtures, but with this budget I don't think a full remodel is in store for it.

Pass-through cabinets: Again, my imagination is somewhat limited. I'd proposed glass door cabs to compensate for the loss of storage...Yes, I agree, center cabs would be at least 6' off the floor.

I don't mind leaving the pantry where it is, just need to re-org it. Love the idea of a built in cab there rather than a door.

You got it, Lisa--my gripe with the island cook top is that I have so little counter space around it.
I keep coming back to the idea of a peninsula lay-out, but KD said absolutely not. (!) Guess she felt it would chop up the space too much and "trap" me in the prep area. But honestly, with kids & guests perpetually standing in...

Still crunching on this...
Lisa, how's your kitchen coming? I'd love to see pictures!
Maura