reading nook in the passage? well,whatever-you could convert it to storage later if you want. We have a rental and there is one closet that is locked for owner access only-critical.supplies and extras are kept there/etc. If you have family using this space in between corporate rental,or situations in the future that you are just not sure how they will evolve,think about secure storage. Do you really need a 36 in fridge for a rental? I'd get the standard 18 cfoot at most. You could reverse the couch so the walk in the door and to the left to bedroom suite is thru a zone with back of couch along there and people seated face the better placed table and sufficient kitchen. Don't think you need the full 2 c ft microwave over the range. A decent countertop unit will work also in a rental....let an electrician provide you with any problems about venting a hood. I can't imagine- a good hood will be a good investment[doesn't have to be the top o the line] and they have lites for the evening to help out illumination. don't get too large of a sink...is there nothing else to use the pantry space for...[it's so excessively large]...maybe a locked section in there/or partition a closet somehow for broom/mop/vacuum cleaner/etc-or are you using help?

Ideal layout is pretty subjective and about patterns of use and personal preferences but I would tend to want the fridge easily accessible and not to have people walking through where I'm cooking to get drinks or snacks. If I'm reading the plan correctly I would think about putting the fridge where the drawer stack is to the left of the sink (added bonus it shields the sight line of the sink if filled with dishes or any other mess). I would also consider moving the stove to the other side of the window so it is better protected from traffic (if you get a lot of traffic from the driveway entrance through the kitchen then that's a different story). If storage behind door to porch serves as pantry then moving fridge also makes pretty good sense in in relation to zones. Other bonus is the really long counter run this layout creates - lots of room for helpers out of your immediate cooking area. No question it would be tight around the sink but I think that might be the lesser evil (for me - hate the clean-up anyway so why not make it a bit more miserable). Good luck.

I am just finishing my very similar kitchen only each side of my galley is only about 9'. I have 4' between the two sides of my galley. My range side is laid out exactly has you have drawn yours. I like it. My sink side does not have a steamer but I have a counter to ceiling cabinet in the location of your steamer. I used a 36" sink base, even in my small space, for a super single Silgranite sink and I am really glad I did. I would think about expanding your sink base. My dishwasher is to the right of the sink. I prefer it that way being right handed. I like to be able to open it with my right hand and load it with my right hand. I am a little confused about what you have drawn to the right of your 18" to the right of your sink base. I would flip my dishwasher over to that side and add the 36" sink base. I am the queen of removing pocket doors. I removed two (one on each side of the kitchen) in the house I sold this fall and one in the current kitchen with a similar layout to yours. I am not sure I would remove one opening to the foyer but I do love the look of the open space. As I type I am looking from the living room into the kitchen through the area which used to have a pocket door closing down the view.

I am definitely liking the dishwasher to the right of the sink. If I do that, I do think there would need to be another cab to the right of the dishwasher to store the dishes. I also think it would be great if we could remove the wall to the dining room except the part that runs along the cabs in the lower right. It would really help to tie the dining room and kitchen together especially since this isn't an eat-in kitchen. I am still letting all of the other great ideas settle. My original plan had a peninsula in the upper left. Buehl - I think you said you had ideas for a peninsula. I would love to see any ideas. A peninsula would be great because it would give my kids another place to eat snacks and do homework. It would be great as a serving place. The cons of course are a reduction in walking space and constriction. Having those corners also really reduces the amount of long counterspace or other useful places to put things along the wall. Do you think I should skip a peninsula? Does anyone have ideas for one? I see that a peninsula could be on either side. If it is near the dining room it might constrict it too much. If it is on the family room side it would really reduce the counterspace. That's why I had it extending into the family room as much as I thought was feasible. I should add that because we live in SoCal and our house is small, most people eat outside for our large parties (except Thanksgiving and Xmas). So it is better if the serving area is on the left side of the kitchen. However, the left side of the kitchen plus the right side of the family room is where many people stand during our parties. Anyway, I would appreciate it if any of you had some great ideas (or not) for a peninsula before I head down the road of a straight galley kitchen. You guys have been so helpful, thanks!!