FWIW, here is the layout DH and I came up with... fridge is recessed into 30" deep pantry surround. MW is built into full height cabinet with doors above and below. Range is flanked by 2 windows, sink on the end in front of bank of 3 windows. Island (4' x 7') SHOULD be 7.5 feet long to accommodate five diners, but in reality will be seating four most of the time. Little dead zone in the lower left corner can be a 20" cabinet on the DR side for seasonal/big serving dishes.

I think we did a fairly good job of keeping the zones separated? I can cook and have access to water and trash without leaving the area. DH can clean up and not come near me while I'm near the stove. Kids can set the table, gets drinks, etc without coming into cooking zone. Tried to leave wide walkway behind prime dining seats. Area will be heavily traveled with laundry, etc.

I'm really having trouble with the island set up. if you're not going to use one side of it, but still need it to be 48" deep to accommodate two people on the end...what are you supposed to do? Should I just forget about seating 5? Is there a better way?

Thanks Mama G! We had talked about leaving the old BR as the pantry...it's nice that you saw it too. I LOVE the open wall b/w the kitchen and DR. It never occurred to me to have seating on both sides of the peninsula! What would you put under the island?

The only drawback for us is when we squish the laundry for the fridge, I lose my laundry basket/detergent storage area. Any thoughts on that? We are over here plotting madly....

If your washer and dryer are 30" wide, and you can squeeze out another 5", you can use a roll-out to store detergent boxes and bottles. I don't have stacked appliances, so I don't know the total height--can the basket go on top? Any chance it could go in the mudroom, opposite the stairs?

5" wide roll-out storage

[Similar but wider--maybe you could DIY?[(https://www.houzz.com/products/roll-out-laundry-caddy-w-3-shelves-in-white-finish-prvw-vr~14462297)

I drew the island as 42" wide, so that you can have a corner susan + 17" of knee space for the 5th seat. I'd have nothing under the rest of the island, except for another leg on the corner (the two squares on the other corners are support posts for a beam) and possibly an apron for extra support for the stone. I have a 3x5 marble top table/island with apron, but check with your fabricator to make sure that the island has enough support. Since the top four seats will have 21" knee space, there is plenty of room for a post in the middle, too. You can reduce the width of the island by a couple of inches, but the NKBA recommends at least 15" knee space.

Alrighty...we had a couple of contractors come out and give us some quotes on removing the wall between the dining room and the kitchen. Due to two bearing walls being offset, we'd need two LVLs 3' apart, new footings in the basement, etc. A bit too much for the budget to bear.

We can't take the wall out, but we can pull the chimney stack out without getting into bearing walls. One other change to the plan is that we've found a place to move the laundry, so we have a bit more room to play with.

And in another round of crazy planning, we designed a totally different layout with a corner pantry and banquette seating. I'm not sure that's worth pursuing, but I'd read how people loved their banquettes and we have room for the pantry?

Does anyone have any thoughts?

It's good to hear that the laundry is out of the kitchen--I know it's common in Europe, and in small apartments, but I prefer having the dirty clothes elsewhere if possible. Where is the new location?

Sorry about the added expense of a beam. With the laundry gone, I like the plan that you first posted, with the island, except--my other concern with that plan was the need for 5 seats at the island--the 2 seats across from the sink and DW seemed inconvenient.

Is the banquet now in the corner where the laundry was located? I like the idea of banquet seating, especially in an older home, but some here don't care for it. I just read the Sept issue of House Beautiful, which included their 'Kitchen of the Year,' and every kitchen featured had a built-in banquet! Can you post your new layout plan?

When you know that you expect three to sit at the banquette on a regular basis (your children) it is kind of a drag because they will always have to cross over each other but it's not undoable.

I really like the first of mama gooses designs because it had the fridge and pantry on the left of the kitchen sink so you could move food from those areas next to the sink, clean it at the same and then move it to the right of the sink on its way to the stove which was further around on the right. I understand that you cannot remove the wall entirely but I wonder if a lot of the wall could be removed such that the main support beams are left in place but all the plaster etc. is gone.

Don't get me wrong...it would be wonderful to remove the wall. However, we were told that due to the nature of the framing and the offset bearing walls, it would be best not to disturb the walls other than widening the existing opening to 48" with a carefully placed header.

I've got an approx 275 sq ft box to play with. I'm open to all kinds of ideas about the space!

Since you're working on a plan with a banquet, I went back to the island:

The
island is not as deep--only 24" for sink cabinet + 15" overhang, and no
other cabinetry, so that you can have seating on both sides. When you
are prepping, the 2 (backless) stools will need to be tucked under the
counter, and you might need 3 legs for support for the top.

The 18" trash can be shared between prep and clean-up.

The bev fridge and MW are out of the work zones, but near the main fridge and pantry for easy access to snacks/breakfast items.
Alternate MW location would be a drawer under the counter, top right of
the plan, or on a shelf above. In that case the area marked EZ-Reach
upper would be a dead upper corner, or maybe it could be incorporated
into the reach-in pantry.

The aisle behind the 3 island seats is a little tight, but with kids sitting there, I think it's workable.

ETA, If you could swing another window, I'd give up the upper in the top right corner for a 'wall of windows.' :)

Appliance roll-out:

You are one kitchen planning Mama! How in the world are you overwriting the photos and adding stuff? I'd like to do that instead of hand drawing everything. I'm just a touch computer illiterate... okay a LOT! I've printed it out so I can look at it more carefully. Thanks!

Save your photo and open it in 'Paint.' There is an option to add text--you choose the font and size. And you can select any part of the plan, copy and paste, and move it around. No secrets or magic ;), it just takes a little time to learn the options and practice, practice, practice.

(might be a duplicate post)

Here's the banquette plan. Bear in mind I've deliberately tried to minimize the number of cabinets so we can go custom with inset doors. It's definitely more "old-fashioned" with the large pantry and the built in seating, but the house is 120+ years old. All major storage except dishes and cookware will be in the pantry. My biggest concern is having the trash under the sink. I know others have done it with an offset drain. But is it there a better option? Feedback?

I don't much care for a corner pantry, especially if it's between a major appliance and the only sink. Along with the banquet, the pantry reduces the counter space--I'd just have a corner susan, EZ-Reach upper, and counter in that corner.

The cart is a bit of a barrier, but will work better without the corner pantry, and in a kitchen in an older home, completely appropriate. On a positive note, you have a great prep area between the sink and range.

Forgot to address the trash--I think under the sink would be fine, either pull-out, or attached to a door, to swing out.

I love the banquet--I think I'd extend the seat to the cabinet, and put a storage drawer underneath. I can imagine a child using that for a reading nook, while you're busy in the kitchen. Or, it could be the time-out seat. ;)

Thanks. The pantry seems so awesome, but when I look at it drawn out, it's a big space hog. I'll shuffle stuff around, adding what you mentioned. I know that when it's the right plan it'll FEEL right...right?

Sorry, I feel as if I've taken away some of your joy in the corner pantry. With the cart turned, there's more room between it and the pantry:

I really like this floorplan except for the corner pantry. My main beef with a corner pantry is that they look like such hulks angling into the kitchen. So take out the angle! Do you really need all that floor space inside? How about squaring it off and doing two bi-fold doors? This puts a lot of square footage back into your kitchen and will make it easier to walk to the fridge and microwave.

Cool. Notice how I made the right side of the pantry a tad shorter to give you a bit of counter and small cabinet to the left of the DW? I think you'll appreciate having a bit more counter and elbow room next to the sink.

Most pantries with a lot of floor space end up piled with junk, from what I've seen. Unless it's a true butler's pantry with work space inside the pantry....which a corner pantry wouldn't be.

ETA: By the way, I love the banquette with trestle table option for you and your family.