Wonder if you could do an island/table combo like this?

However you end up laying out the kitchen, run the upper cabinets to the ceiling and order extra shelves - you will greatly increase your storage space. Also make sure the cabinet above the fridge is as deep as the fridge - great for vertical storage, or large items not used often.

The kitchen you toured has no window? I'd keep the window, but then I have no window--only borrowed light in my kitchen. If you don't want the pony wall, I think you can have a small island, with a smaller pantry, and a shallow pantry beside the fridge. I'd enlarge the window, since the fridge will block some of the light from the slider. (NKBA recommends 24" elbow room per seat, but while you have small kids, you can get three seats on the island, which would be 66'x42, to leave a 42" range aisle.)

If you aren't using a counter-depth fridge, you can pull the cabinets on the top wall out to the depth of a standard fridge box, which will make it look more built-in, and will provide deeper counters on that run. You could also have deep counters and drawers on the range wall:

Mama_Goose is the best at layouts (where has Jillius been by the way - she was also great at it), but one practical thing I'll say is that I don't think a kitchen that size requires a prep sink, and I personally wouldn't "spend" the countertop on one. If you don't do an island (last picture) then maybe....I also would ditch the barstools. The living room is small and I wouldn't take up room with peninsula/island seating when there's a seating area so nearby.

Agree with sjhockey and I think mama's first plan would be the best for you.

My only concern is if this is a tract house in a development, changing the kitchen so much may wind up costing a lot more than keeping what is there already.

Fair warning...possible budget buster! But if you can add 3' to 4' to the back of the kitchen/dining area, this might be a possibility.

You could have an island with seating, a prep sink, room for a larger dining table...maybe even a slider to the back deck/patio. I would continue the flooring into the dining room with a big rug under the table.

This is just a quick sketch (not to scale) to give you an idea. Have fun with the planning : )

Thank you, sjhockeyfan and cpartist, but I am one of many, including other posters on this thread. I do miss Jillius and Lisa_a, who are both excellent at creating and presenting layouts.

LL, I was thinking the same thing, without adding to the square footage. Jessica, since you are adding to the LR, can the entry on the left be changed, and the stub wall made shorter, to add a couple of feet to the kitchen's left wall? With the island rotated, that would add space for seating on two sides, as LL drew, and would make a wider pantry possible:

Or, pantry cabinet, not framed:

I think being able to see an entire kitchen from the front door is far worse than seeing a pantry from the front door.

Zmith- All you would see from the front door is the big window over the sink and the island. If you were sitting by the fireplace looking at the kitchen, then you would see the range and fridge.

Mamagoose- It would be helpful to see how the plans will change with the larger living room. It looks like a hall to bedrooms to the left, so where would the hallway start with the new living room space?

I can't tell what's on the other side, but does look like a BR closet. lavender, I think zsmith was referring to the OP's post about not wanting to see the pantry from the front door, rather than to your plan.

If Jessica wants an open plan, and seeing the pantry (or the fridge) from the front door is a deal breaker, I think your plan with the added sf is the best option.

Thanks, MamaGoose! I thought Zmith was referring to the OP's post, but I would much rather see the window and island than a pantry or a fridge. Such a 'block' to the sight line.

Unless the fridge has a built in TV or chalkboard for the night's menu. LOL

Ascorsonelli- Such beautiful pantries! Now those, I would like to see from almost any room : )

if this is a tract house in a development

cp, can you expand on why this would add to the cost?

MG is correct. I was responding to the OP's comment about seeing a pantry from the front door and not directly in response to any of the proposed layouts. This house seems to be too small for an open concept as there's no foyer to be a buffer between the entry and living spaces. I get why the OP wants to open it up, tho as she has a little one to keep an eye on.

I used a graph I downloaded from the 'net, then opened it in Microsoft Paint. Here's a blank graph, if you'd like to download it: