Your GC should fix this. The round duct is ok, but no insulation is wrong. The original square duct is very expensive in comparison. The round ceiling grilles should have been square adjustable grilles. It is cheaper to install round. You can cheat and not use a transistion boot. This boot adds about 10 dollars to the job. To change the round to square, you will need to patch the surface. You should use a 3-way register in the kitchen.

Looking at bbdf's mock-ups made me realize something: I forgot to add spacers between wall and cab for the cab next to the DW in Plan D. You'll lose at least 3 inches and perhaps as much as 5", depending on door and door handle depth from this cab. If you don't allow for door and door handle depth, you won't be able to open the drawers because they'll hit the fridge door or door handle. Same will be true if you do doors instead of drawers. That means that the cab next to the DW in my Plan D could be as narrow as 15.5". Looking back at the plan posted in your OP, it doesn't look like the drawing (created by the cab maker?) included spacers between wall and cab to allow for the fridge door and handles. That's a big uh-oh. So I went back to bbdf's #7 option and one of LL's lay-out suggestion for fridge placement. I think it's the best solution for your kitchen and one you should revisit. Yes, it takes a bigger bite out of the budget but there are ways to accomplish this without breaking the budget. For instance, choose inexpensive backsplash tile and laminate or wood counters instead of stone (wood would look very true to your kitchen's age, IMO). You can always update finishes later but it's not nearly as easy to update lay-out and function later for minimal investment. Plus you can opt to do the full plan in stages as budget allows. You can either opt for the wider opening and fridge location as bbdf drew up in her post of Wed, Nov 12, 14 at 23:01 or you can remove the wall completely. You'll need to install a beam for either option but moving the doorway and recessing the fridge will require new headers so the cost difference may not be as great as you think to widen the entry or remove the wall completely. Widening the doorway or losing the wall will also open up the view to your backyard from your kitchen, which you only get through the one window now. If you choose the lose the wall between kitchen and laundry area: You gain 4.5" to use along the sink wall (I'm assuming based on the age of your home that it's 2x4 construction, not 2x6 construction). I butted the fridge up against the existing upper cabs (you plan on keeping them, right?). I allocated 39" of width for your existing 36" wide fridge and a surrounding cabinet. Depending on cab construction, that could change by an inch or so. In case you missed it, this plan allows you to keep your existing fridge, which is money you can put towards widening the opening or removing that wall. With the fridge next to the sink run cabs, you don't lose cab storage between fridge and DW. I added a cab with counter across from the fridge. I estimated its height, based on where the window sill is compared to the back door handle. This could be as far as you take the plan for now, keeping existing W/D closet in place. Or you can remove the W/D closet, stack the W/D at the far end (I realize the ceiling slopes but unless it's lower than 6' 6", you should have room to stack the W/D units) and add a 30.5" wide pantry between W/D and fridge. This would give you loads of storage for broom, mop, kitty litter, pantry goods, small appliances, etc. Across from it, I added another 30" high counter above kitty litter pan alcove, dog feeding station, etc. The W/D could be visible, as they are in this kitchen: [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/san-francisco-white-kitchen-traditional-kitchen-san-francisco-phvw-vp~602970) [Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by New Holland Kitchen & Bath Designers Rutt Regency Cabinetry Or you can put them behind cab doors like they are in these two kitchens: [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/chelsea-home-renovation-transitional-dining-room-atlanta-phvw-vp~6950087) [Transitional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/transitional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2112) by Ridgewood Architects & Building Designers TerraCotta Studio Now you see it [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/cow-hollow-residence-traditional-kitchen-san-francisco-phvw-vp~43688) [Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by San Francisco Interior Designers & Decorators Amoroso Design Now you don't [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/cow-hollow-residence-traditional-kitchen-san-francisco-phvw-vp~43687) [Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by San Francisco Interior Designers & Decorators Amoroso Design I changed the small bistro table to a fold-down table attached to the wall. Fold it up when you need it, fold it out of the way when you don't. This will make accessing the buffet storage and side cabs much easier, plus the beauty of that buffet will no longer be blocked by a table. This is the idea but not the execution of what I envision for your kitchen. [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/alterman-eclectic-kitchen-new-york-phvw-vp~2948642) [Eclectic Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/eclectic-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2104) by Jersey City Design-Build Firms Brunelleschi Construction [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/alterman-eclectic-kitchen-new-york-phvw-vp~2948640) [Eclectic Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/eclectic-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2104) by Jersey City Design-Build Firms Brunelleschi Construction This style is more what I have in mind for your kitchen: [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/exterior-traditional-minneapolis-phvw-vp~352298) [Traditional Spaces[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-home-design-ideas-phbr1-bp~s_2107) by Edina General Contractors John Kraemer & Sons bmorepanic did something like this in her even-smaller-than-yours kitchen but I can't seem to find links to her old kitchen threads (her kitchen was finished several years ago) nor does her kitchen show up in the FKB. She still posts periodically so you could always give her a shout-out asking her to show you her table. As with my Plan D, I moved the range to the left to give you more counter between sink and range. The upper cab to the left of the range would have hinges on the front (facing the kitchen) and side (facing the DR doorway) so that you can access items from either side. Shoot, I can't find the example of this that I had in mind on houzz right now. Pretty sure a GWer (maybe beekeeperswife) has done this so you could also ask for examples of this. Anyhoo, having it open on 2 sides means that you won't lose things in the back reaches of a fairly narrow cabinet. Or you can just have it open to the side and put a false panel on the front. Oops, I forgot to note that the sink cab is 30". I think a 30" apron front sink would be period appropriate. This post was edited by lisa_a on Mon, Nov 17, 14 at 12:59

Well, they do two different things. A kitchen designer should help you with a layout and choosing finishes. A GC should supervise all of the work, including hiring subcontractors and arranging their schedules. If you plan to use ikea cabinets and are happy with your existing layout, you may not need a kitchen designer. But I would suggest posting your current layout here to see what suggestions you get. If you are going to all the trouble of remodeling, you should defintiely make sure you are maximizing your space. You may also wish to talk to a couple of kitchen designers to see what they have to offer you. Depending on your layout and door style, you may find that ikea isn't the best or even the cheapest option--especially since you are not planning to diy and will need to pay someone to assemble and install your cabinets. (Although we did just that in our last kitchen and felt that we got an excellent value despite paying for labor, but ymmv)

Update: The pyrolave is a match. We will meet with the carpenter in 2 weeks. We are planning to repaint the cabinets. They are 20 years old now so as much as it pains me to paint over something that is working I think it will make everything more cohesive and it's probably "time" to paint the cabinets. We are considering BM Edgecomb Gray which seems to work with the countertops. The actual limited painted kitchen walls are currently BM Navajo White. I think that will still work. I may have to repaint trim and the ceiling. From what I have found on line it sounds like BM Dove White is a good choice. It's all northern exposure. I am leaning toward a stained island but using pyrolave for all the countertops. I am also considering a painted island. I think the stain may warm up all that stone. Question now: We cannot match exactly the marble tile and we are putting in one little section of open shelves in place of the hutch (over the new counter). Should we just have a painted wall behind the shelves or try to get some sort of matching tile to the kitchen tile across the room? Or should we use the countertop pyrolave as a small back splash? Do we paint the coffered ceiling beams to match the cabinets?