Wow, lots of food for thought! Thanks for all the suggestions You guys are right, the current traffic flow around the table to get to the garage is a little strange. Long term plans (if we're here long enough) include an addition over the garage and taking in the current guest room for laundry space and stairs. We'd likely move the garage hall to the right, where the hutch and powder room are now. As for the current remodel, we are considering taking the hutch out and adding that space to the world's smallest powder room - it's just 44"X54". It won't be enough to fit a shower, though... Love the 30" deep counters on the sink side. The empty space in the old dining space in the plan is intended to house a hutch - inspiration piece is shown below. Will have to think more about putting the cooktop/range farther down and against the wall... We do see that it would be safer and easier to have a proper vent. I also like the idea of a walk in pantry - though we have a friend who's cabinet pantry - both drawers and pull-out shelves seems to work well. Will have to think about that more as well. We're generally inclined to keep the breakfast room where it is, as we like the kitchen/fam rm./breakfast room to be basically one space. Plus it seems odd to have the breakfast room immediately next to the formal dining room. Refrigerator next to breakfast table would be better for traffic reasons, but doesn't leave much room to the right of the sink. Lots of compromises in trying to fix a strange floorplan, I suppose. Keep the ideas coming! Craig Inspriation hutch for former dining room space:

gladly gal... i appreciate the diplomacy ... i see two things at work here ... first .. PERHAPS .. a newb who might be afraid to prune shrubs.. for fear of killing them ... i wanted to wash away that thought .. all plants can be pruned ... we have all seen topiary and bonsai ... and the hand shearing.. i just wanted to reinforce.. that there are other ways of reducing the size of a plant.. rather than just thru shearing ... which can end up very ugly ... [and if OP is not a newb.. i am sure there are other newbs who read all this stuff.. so i offer the knowledge to them] ... second.. i am glad i can blame a prior owner ... these plants have too great a potential ... to be planted as close to the house as they were ... most often this happens.. when they are planted for the size at point of sale ... with no regard.. that they will double to triple in size.. over the years ... and at that point ... they HAVE TO BE PRUNED ... see the vicious cycle i was trying to bring to everyones attention??? not everyone like yellow conifers ... and not everyone like the job of pruning ... if either thought crosses your mind.. its time for one or both to go ... get rid of the prior owners mistakes.. and plant your own .. lol ... then you have no one to blame ... i never feel guilty killing plants... as they are usually replaced by more than were removed ... any better gal??? ken ps: i have what came as pladycladus breckworths .. or some such.. few latin name changes over the year ... looks very similar to the yellow plant ... from about a foot big.. in 16 years... it is probably over this persons window ... it is sublime out on the acreage ... it would not be.. if planted close to the house.. and i had been cutting on it for the last 5 years ... Thuja orientalis 'Aurea Nana' (Platycladus).. at this link ... note that ever dwarf conifers.. can get very large ... the dwarf word.. is what make peeps think they can plant them 2 feet from the foundation .. note the second pic .... http://www.boethingtreeland.com/thuja-orientalis-aurea-nana-platycladus.html

But not too busy? with cools and warms. Digitized lines cast in a multi-pigmented palette- vibrant shades / including heavier hues of gunmetal grey, onyx black, deep admiral blue, golden mustard, celery green, aqua lagoon and ginger spice, balanced with neutral oyster, oat and dark linen. Mohawk's exclusive Everstrand recycled polyester yarn.

I love the house color with the stone. I do agree that the shutters can go, maybe just “beef” up the trim a little so the windows look finished. The white trim isn’t awful but I would live in the house for a year and then decide..black trim could look nice with the other colors you have. Front door colors are a matter of taste. If you have a lot of green landscaping you may want to pull a shade of that to your door. If you have a particular color landscape, flowering shrubs and plants in a color you love,, you could pick a shade of the flowering plants to put on your door. I built my house a year ago. I have HardyPlank siding in Deep ocean blue, black trim , black standing seam metal roof and a chartreuse front door. I like to use plants (in planters and pots) around the front of the house that pick up the front door color. I get a lot of compliments on the color combinations and especially on the front door color. You are still looking at a building lot. Things will look much different when you have some landscaping, even if it’s just some bushes the builder puts in. Look at landscaping designs on Houzz, in magazines and Pinterest . You will see things much differently after living in you house for awhile. Take your time making decisions, your perfect home will come in time.