Look at your inspiration photo (the last one) again. It is not wall to wall windows. There is breathing room and wall space around the windows. While a wall of glass might be different, I don't like a wall of windows, especially without breathing room. Go back to three windows or even one larger and two narrower ones. I like the C-shaped idea, but I would make the cabinets stained like your main ones. Your hood is more like that one above, the barrel shape, right? You are using the chimney style in the drawings and that just doesn't look right with panels around it. I don't think a hood looks sad and lonely if not connected to cabinets -- I think it looks clean and functional, but I wonder where my oils and things, my serving pieces, etc. will go. LOL (You could look into putting in some niche space in your backsplash or to the side.) If you do uppers, I do like the idea of stained better, and I do think the same height is better. Or just put one on the window wall to the counter to balance the one at the other end and forget the other one. (be brave -- the copper is beautiful and can shine on it's own). Make the island less of a cabinet that turns the corner and treat it more like a piece of furniture added to the rest of the kitchen. Give it a different color, different counter, different trim, hardware and even a different (but related - not too different) door style. Maybe put it on feet. My thoughts, anyway. ;-)

"Why wouldn't the sales person tell me they are not truly white?" They are white, just a white with grayish undertones. Every "white" has some other back tint, gray, yellowish, etc. Technically white is not a color but a shade. You blame the dealer but why didn't you look at the color white and match it against the paint color you wanted to use?

The original post makes no sense. First, the company is Andersen; Anderson went out of business long ago. The Andersen 400 series is made in 2 versions, the Wainwright and the Tilt-Wash. Both have vinyl clad wood frames but the former has a fibrex (PVC & wood fiber composite) clad wood sash and the latter has a PPG Flexicron epoxy painted sash. The 200 series has a vinyl wrapped wood frame and a painted sash. In the regular and Tilt-Wash versions its inferior in every way to the 400 series. Renewal by Andersen is a separate division that sells and installs all-Fibrex replacement windows directly to homeowners so builders and architects rarely sue them. I would say the recent post is SPAM if it weren't for the misspelling of the company name.

Hey There: Longer Curtains don't really make your window appear bigger - it will look pretty funny at the end. Beth H. has the best suggestion...with the trim you make your window appear bigger. And if budget allows it, replace them with taller units...will make a huge difference in the feel of the room. Good Luck with your project.