Sorry all - I let this thread slip through the cracks while I've been busy or else concentrating on other things! Profrip - The middle of the room pendant that i have now isn't meant to be anything too permanent. I do love that disc/flying saucer look - whether it's turn of century or 1950's diner. I guess it reminds me of the funky huge red one my mom had in our bright yellow and red and orange Matisse-inspired kitchen in the 1970's! But that particular pendant in my kitchen was cheap and too modern (not that I mind inexpensive)! So am I correct to assume then that the general idea is that if you have a pendant or two above the sink, it's generally good to have recessed in the center of the room or else the opposite? Generally speaking? I wish I knew how long I'll keep that pot hanger in the center of the room above the island. I know most people don't do that now but it IS very convenient. I thought I could get rid of it and get the wall pot hanger style to put next to my stove, thereby freeing up the center of the room more...but if I move the stove where I might move it, there will no longer be a wall just to the side of it as there is now...in which case the pot hanger would have to go on the wall behind the counter to the right of the stove which I imagine would mean I'd have to reach over a ways? Plus another convenience of it being in the center of the room is that it's close to the sink for filling w/ water. Those w/ pot-filling faucets wouldn't have to worry about that, obviously, but I don't have one! Where did they put pots in 1913 I wonder? On an open shelf? On a wall hanger? I know a few hundred years ago they went over the island. It sounds like talking to a real lighting person would be a good idea for your space. Have you done that since you last posted here? Thank you for the warm welcome to NYC! :) I somehow believe you that New Yorkers would be perfectly nice to strangers. Well, what do I know! I love your description of your earliest memories of it. Someday...I'm determined...someday! As for that last link you posted: I think those lights are kid of strange! The row of them in the background is just a bit odd to me - but there are some things I really like about that kitchen. EVERY SINGLE TIME I see wooden counters I drool. I love the look of American cherry but it's too soft, and all the hard woods I could find were either too light to me or else too red - or else too stripy - or both. The nice brown woods w/ just a hint of red/orange, e.g. Pacific Madrone, are too stripy.

dekeoboe I'm sorry, but I'm not sure where I found that particular picture any more. It was saved in my "storage" bookmarks but we decided not to use it b/c we decided to keep our dishes in upper cabs. It is possible that it was a UK only product b/c I know I found a bunch of things they have there that we don't that I am having shipped to cousins in Scotland and then sent over here. However, I did find several versions of it at US sites: Here is one: http://www.woodhollowcabinets.com/show.meta/cabinetaccessories Scroll down to "PLATE HOLDER INSERT IN ROLLOUT" I know this company is willing to sell just the insert/organizer pieces separately because I am in the process of ordering the OXO organizer from them (to get a general idea on price, the OXO thing I am getting from them is $225 inc. utensils). They also sell some pieces on eBay and have perfect feedback. You could order their version of it from them (disclaimer- I haven't actually finalized my order yet or received my item so I cannot attest to anything myself about their quality) Alternatively, a version is also available at: http://www.acornkitchens.com/Collections.aspx?name=Transitional Scroll down to " Drawer Accessories Vertical plate holder pullout" You could contact them to see if they would sell you one as well. (I know nothing about them, other than I found this on google) Hope that helps!

My DH gave me this from a wood web site.... I must give them and him all the credit. From contributor L: Here is my solution to the "wasted space" in the corner issue - forget about it! Here is why: Suppose you just make that space in the corner "dead." Now, compare that to a lazy susan - first I have to take away 12" of good, usable, direct access cabinetry from each side. Accounting for 2" fillers, that is a loss of 10" on each face, or 20" total. 20" times the interior depth of 23" is 460 sq.in. So that is a net loss of 3.19 sq.ft. of horizontal interior surface. Then I put a 32" pie-cut susan in there and gain back 603 sq.in* - a net gain of only 143 sq.in. or 1 sq.ft. Since you have 2 levels, that is a net gain of 2 sq.ft. so far - and then you lose 20"** of top drawers, since most of us leave the top drawers out to improve access to the lazy susan. That is an additional net loss of 20"x 22"= 440 sq.in. or 3 sq.ft. So, to sum it up, with a lazy susan you loose 1 sq.ft. of storage space compared to a dead corner. Plus you just spent a bunch of the customer's money for that lazy susan. from woodweb I ditched the susans and put in 2 drawer banks. on the opposing "corner" we put a 15" cab with door/ drawer on top, a shelf in the "dreaded dead spot" to store the turkey pan, huge gumbo pot and such. I could put in "a pull out something" or other just as long as I could get to the seasonal stuff tucked back there. Makes it much more usable.

Thanks, all! There is a lot to consider here, especially the notion of going against the GW grain, LOL. We have a huge china cabinet/hutch in the dining room, where we keep wine glasses, nice china, specialty plates, vases, water goblets, etc. I'll have to take an inventory of what we need to store and figure out if we can change things up. One thing I never liked at my old house is how everything was stacked and blocking other things, and I was constantly shifting/moving/pulling things out just to reach what I was looking for. All the while, I scraped my hands on the sharp shelf/cabinet frame edges. I know it seems small, but one priority for me will be cabinets/shelves that don't scrape me! We tend to "set the table" but not really. We pull out all plates/glasses that we need for dinner, then serve in the kitchen. But, my 9yo LOVES to set the table, complete with napkins and silverware, so I'd love to encourage that. He will be 100% more likely to do it if the plates (and even glasses?) are in drawers. It's one of the few things he's capable of and proficient at, so to me, it would be worth making it happen.