Thank you all for your very insightful comments. Davidro �� We are reframing the entire area, so the pantry framing is completely up to us. Our approved plans do show a pantry but my GC says that as long as I figure it out by next week when we do the framing, we have some flexibility. The vent pipes and the electrical is the same.. all will depend on what we end up doing. Only limitation on electrical is that there will be no cans. Our ceiling is low and has wood planks and beams that we plan to keep. We are adding 2 new skylights (see the X near the clean-up sink and the cooktops). I am thinking something similar to this GW classic Spanish kitchen with school house flush mounts, pendants over sink s and a modest pendant over the banquette area The question of Pantry --> I added the pantry to the plan to see if we can reduce the cost of cabinetry and add some long-term grocery/ appliance storage. The original idea was to basically make this back to back cabinets. The galley kitchen would then end in a "L" here with the short leg facing the kitchen and another set of cabinets facing the corridor (for other household storage). The side facing the kitchen could have the fridge and the ovens (an appliance wall?). We gave up on that as the pantry seemed more optimal but the discussion now about choppy counters makes me rethink that. I love Dean1's neo-angle pantry as well (in fact pinged him a couple of times to ask to see the inside). The only thing on the oven is that I do want it to be ergonomically a good height for me. I am 5' tall and wanted the 27" gagg convection mounted lower and the 24" gagg combi mounted above so that I can peek into the combi at the eye-level. So it would be a deepish drawer with the ovens above and some storage above. Pllog --> I completely agree on the prep sink position. I am not happy. I thought about moving it after the cooktop area across the fridge. That may work as the filtered water will be at the prep sink but was concerned about people dropping clean-up things in the prep sink. That would be a big ��ick�� factor for me. The nice thing about this sink is that it has a built in cutting board that sits flush with the counter.. so the extending the countertop idea works. I actually did this based on feedback from you and Davidro in the appliance forum thread a while ago. Bmorepanic �� Thank you so much for the reality check on the pantry. I need to mock up the pantry layout physically per your email and see how it works.. I realized I am more visual/ kinesthetic than verbal as part of my remodeling education �� Here are the full house layout (sorry for the small size fonts.. Only way I could make it fit ). As you can see, the house kind of wraps around the patio/courtyard behind the kitchen with doors from the kitchen, family room and the master. Picture of the current kitchen with the ceiling plants and beam standing from where the pantry is shown in the plan.(pardon the crappy cellphone photo. There adobe brick wall you see at the end near the french door will be modified to add a window with a seat for the banquette. All that brick you see currently jutting into the aisle is gone. The courtyard showing the French doors and the dutch door from the kitchen and the French doors from the family room.

Obviously...whatever is going on...it's not simple. As you didn't post what system you have...any pertinent facts about it...what version of Windows you're running...what anti malware/anti virus programs you're running...I'm really at a loss what to advise you at this point, Shaddy. Actually...my best advice would be to send you to a computer repair shop that you know and trust. Recommendations are difficult because I know nothing about your geographic location. I live in the northeast and wouldn't hesitate to use the local Staples computer repair service if my private source was no longer available...or if I couldn't root out and correct the problem myself. But beyond that...I'm of little help. The fact that all your PDF files are now zipped is a concern. I do hope that you have backed up your files...have them stored in a secondary location. The corrective answer to your systems problem may be simple. You could have a series of unrelated small glitches that together are causing a major issue but it's nearly impossible to discover it or them and/or help with it given the information known so far...and not being able to have a hands-on approach. I could recommend that you do a clean install of whatever Windows [or other] program you're using...if you have the original program disk...but in doing so, you'll lose all your files. If you've backed them up prior to this...you can always add them back into your system once you've done the re-installation. I'm sorry, Shaddy...but I suggest the best approach now is to seek hands on professional assistance if you don't want to re-install your system.

While one over another might be cheaper, you will be in the home and staring at it for years and years to come. Get what you are going to be happy with.

Do you have any measurements for the space? If not, could you please obtain them? Without measurements, we can only make general comments which may or may not work in your space. You did say that you are OK with moving the Kitchen, so that is an option as well. One limitation to moving it is the location of the garage -- you don't want to have too long a hike b/w the garage and the pantry and Kitchen b/c that makes it a chore to bring in the groceries from the car and put them away. However, there may be a way around that. BTW...I understand why you don't like your island...it is an obstacle! (My husband feels the same way about islands -- he thinks they're just another obstacle to run around, regardless of the layout! For me, it's all about the layout and what works best in a space!) Regarding wall space, you can add walls, if needed. If they're placed with due consideration of how they affect the overall flow, design, and feel of the house they can help to give you a bit of delineation of rooms, a place for appliances, and a buffer for sound/activity. (Especially since you don't like others around when you're prepping/cooking.) Here's a sample of a measured layout. In your case, I would just take your existing floor plan, add the measurements to it, and then upload it. I don't know how much experience you have with computers in general, but if you copy the layout into Microsoft PowerPoint, Paint, or other image/picture editor, you can add the measurements, save it as a JPG file, and upload it here. How do I ask for Layout Help and what information should I include? http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2767033/how-do-i-ask-for-layout-help-and-what-information