I think your budget is awfully tight - but I think there are a couple of things you could do short term (and not expensive) to make the kitchen more functional. See how it works for you - which would give you a better idea of what you may want in a full-blown remodel.

How about this? Get rid of the table in the kitchen. Move the fridge to that wall - perhaps with open shelving between the fridge and the outside wall, to serve as pantry (maybe hang a curtain in front).

Where the fridge was, get a base cabinet (maybe Habitat Restore, big box display model, or Ikea). Since the cooktop separates it from the rest of the counter, both cabinet and counter can be different than the rest of the kitchen - sort of how islands are different materials than perimeter. That will give you more storage and counter space.

Now you can see how you feel about eating all your meals in the dining room. If you really miss the kitchen table, put it back - your investment has been minimal.

Will you need to buy new appliances? If so, you've just eaten up almost 1/2 your budget. What about new faucet and sink? What about the flooring? And as Jillius suggested, it all depends on how handy your DH is.

If you're fine with your appliances and faucet and sink as they are and they can be reused, I think you might be able to do it.

I did a similar remodel about 10 years ago with a $10k budget, and ending up spending about $16k when all was said and done. Could you do this in stages, say, by starting in the current kitchen and then eventually expanding into the mudroom? Personally I think mudrooms that get hard,
daily use are a valuable use of space, so I'd be reluctant to turn the mudroom into
part of the kitchen. But maybe you could eventually put large pantry
cabinets there, just outside the kitchen on the left, and still maintain
some "mudroom"-type use?

I like AnnKH's idea to do a mock-up with the kitchen table gone, fridge in the corner, and counter space/cabinet where the fridge currently is.

Good luck, and have fun with the planning and experimentation!

Julius,

Thank you for the kind words. I tried to include whatever I though might be useful and help you, help me. :)

I spoke to my husband and let him read the comments. He said would probably leave installing countertops and maybe plumbing to professionals.

AnnaKH,

thank you for your comments. That could work if we did not set our minds on finally renovating this kitchen. :)

Cpartist, thank you for your insights. We will leave the sink, foucet, fridge for now. We bought cook stove already. But debating to sell it and invest into cook top and wall oven. We will see about that.

Salex, I appreciate your input. We can do the renovation in stages. We are planing to expend into the kitchen just to get more space and more cabinet space. That is my husband's idea. I am a bit hesitant for I agree with you how valuable the mud/laundry room is for us. And I am a bit worried about mixing and opening kitchen to laundry room.

I would love to see some of your layout proposals.

If your DH does the work himself, then $10K is a huge budget!

Are you leaving the wall to the dinningroom? The livingroom? Are both walls load bearing?

I like islands with a breakfast bar, instead of an eat-in kitchen, and you ....? Do you want a walk-in pantry or a 24" deep wall pantry?

Yes which are load bearing walls because removing those will add to the cost significantly. I assume 1 square= 1 foot?

Oh and personally, I wouldn't want my laundry in my kitchen. Been there, done that. Not pleasant.

I wouldn't knock down the wall to the mudroom since it seems a very important space for your family functioning.

I also wouldn't knock down the wall to the living-a) much more expensive since it's load bearing, and it's something you definitely can't do yourself..you'll need a structural engineer to look at that at the very minimum..and have additional support built, and maybe hundred other things b) you strike me as a person who concentrates when she cooks..)) I think being open all the way into the living space might drive you crazy. I might be mistaken of course..

So. One wall option left-the dining. But I wouldn't knock it down completely..try to keep some sorts of partial separation, while adding on counter space....

If you're ready to let the kitchen table go-you also might get almost twice as much of a counter space you have now..

10 000 budget is tough I must say. Definitely take load-bearing wall out of your list..these things need to get permits and staff..here two thirds of your budget gone, just on blueprints and permits and strengthening the whatever has to be strengthened...

With cabinets you can go several routes..say, Ikea. or-Craigslist. people selling whole kitchens when they renovate, and some are not too shabby at all. Configuration might be more of a problem..

What did you have in mind for the countertops?

Nicole, that is what we are debating, should we knock down living and dining room or only one. Only living room is the bearing wall. That was one of the ideas but the more I think about breakfast bar the less I like it. I really like sitting comfortably during my meals and I never enjoyed sitting at the bar at the restaurant and eating. Plus, my children are still to small to sit against bar and eat. I think. :)

Consider the space we I doubt we can have walk in pantry or so if it will be pantry it will be deep wall pantry.

Chartists,

Wall between Living room and kitchen is bearing wall. I kind have a same feeling about connecting and opening kitchen to laundry room. Husband believes it is a good idea. :)

Aprilneverends,

You are right, I like to focus on what, including cooking and I do do not like to be disturbed. But having small children that is only a wish. Plus, I like having my children with me in the kitchen for that is a time for me to teach them healthy eating which is very important to me. :)

I would not mind kithen table go, as long as we make dining table functional. Right now the space between hutch and dining table is very tight in my opinion.

Cabinets will need to be new per my husband wish. We would be able to add more to our budget especially if we do some work in phases. I would not mind IKEA. We would rather spend less money on cabinets and more on countertops. We were thinking granit.

I was wondering if anybody here had similar kithen that they renovated and would share pictures and/or design.

I think you would actually have less room in the kitchen and living room if you knocked down the living room wall. Maybe push back that dining room wall so its even with the other side of the hall.

I'm hving trouble understanding your existing space... What is fridge? What is stove? What is everything in the mudroom? I am on my phone so maybe too small. Can you take some pics? Also need dimensions.

emilyam819, there is the plan with handwritten tags of things and areas. You probably do not see it on the phone. I will try to take some pictures and post. The ideas was that if we open up kitchen the area will look more spacious.