Get a pro KD and contractor on your site. ASAP. and don't waste time seeking online opinion of which there will be a thousand. ..................and not all will even be feasible. The "layout that makes sense" is one you develop WITH the designer, not a cabinet seller. It is in consideration of all that is on your wish list, and also what is possible within the space. Possible is partly a budget function, load bearing wall function and other things as well. What makes the most sense, is to EXPLORE those possibilities with a pro, ON your site.

"If you do a row of cabinets, they are usually 24" deep and then even with 18" overhang that's only 42" so less than 4' wide" Ummm...no, that's not correct. 1.5" counter overhang on the front of the island + 24"D base cabinets + 1" decorative door/finished end panel on the back of the peninsula cabinets + 18" overhang =========== 44.5" .... basically, 45" deep. Yes, less than 48", but only by 3" [42" is for a 15-inch overhang] However, if there are to be two seats on the side, then 48" is the minimum depth needed (24" per seat) . "Do you think if dishwasher put on window wall now 5ft is sufficient?" 60" is too wide since the Prep Zone is across that aisle from the cooktop. Reduce it to 48" to 51". . "My husband however really wants a separate area to cook sometimes. And the wok Kitchen will be mostly pantry area with smaller stove and smaller sink" With the larger Kitchen, you won't need a separate "wok kitchen". Just be sure you have a good hood and that it's installed properly. It should be at least 6" wider than the cooking surface, 24" deep, probably at least 1000 cfms, and externally vented (i.e., vented to the outside). You might want to go even wider if this truly is for wok cooking. Installation is most likely no more than 30" above the cooking surface (some can go as high as 36", check the specs, but the higher you go, the less effective the hood will be). Sinks also add moisture. IF you put it in the pantry, be sure you have: The same hood as described above Very, very good overall ventilation No food stored in that pantry! Why? Because food should be stored in a dark, cool, and dry space. Cooking in the pantry is the opposite! It introduces heat (a lot with a range), moisture, grease, and you need light to see while you cook. Additionally, any odors you introduce via your cooking will permeate the food stored there if your range hood venting and overall ventilation are inadequate. If you're looking at a separate cooking area because of odors, smoke, etc., know that most people do not have an adequate range hood and, usually, mount them too high to be effective. That's why they have odor, smoke, etc., issues. (Or, as we call them on the Kitchens Forum, FOGSS -- Fumes, Odors, Grease, Smoke, Steam.) . "L" island...I don't recommend it. That "L" will be an obstacle in the middle of your Kitchen and cause traffic and work space issues. Stick with a rectangular island. Get rid of the "wok Kitchen" and use the entire pantry for all your food storage. That way, you'll have plenty of space in the Kitchen itself for dishes, pots/pans, small appliances, and prep tools (mixing bowls, mixer, utensils, etc.). . Regarding an architect...Many (most?) architects are not Kitchen designers. They are great at architectural "interest" and making the Kitchen look "nice" (from an architectural/structural point of view) but not so much at function. They often don't seem to know/understand what makes a functional Kitchen. You need to work with a true Kitchen Designer for the Kitchen layout...not a CAD designer, cabinet salesperson, etc. Your best bet is to get an independent KD to work with you and your architect. I strongly recommend reviewing this thread from the "Building a Home" forum: Beginning Bubble Diagram for a Custom Home: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/4351651/beginning-bubble-diagram-for-a-custom-home

Throughout history families have lived together in simple single-room dwellings. Early pioneers first built single-room dwellings. As the family grew or money was available, additional rooms were added. By pre-World War II, most homes used a basic floor plan with a center hall leading to rooms with separate functions. The kitchen was a utilitarian room in the back of the house off-limits to guests. However, the seeds for open-concept living were being planted by architects, like Frank Lloyd Wright, who designed homes that combined living and dining areas. The kitchen was still separate. The true open floor plan began to take hold post-war when formality gave way to casual living in the homes built for young families. Open kitchens made it easier for young mothers to keep an eye on the children while they worked. Other changes were made as population density increased. (Smaller homes no longer had the luxury of separate libraries or studies.) In addition, innovations in building materials like steel beams, central heating, and dry wall made open plans more practical. By the 1950’s mid-century modern open plans gained popularity. Since then, there has been a slow, but steady movement toward more open concept homes. By the 1990’s open plans trended toward the norm for new construction, and that trend is holding steady. Obviously, the trend to open-concept living occurred over time. Today, families increasingly turn to existing housing to meet their needs (living closer to work, moving to a small town, or navigating housing shortages). HGTV home renovation shows play an important role in helping families find ways to adapt older homes to today’s casual lifestyles, but they obviously did did not cause the movement to open-concept housing.

Random thoughts: - I prefer the kitchen in the second plan because it keeps all the major players fairly close together /makes the aisle nearer the outside wall your main work space ... and leaves the other side as secondary cabinet space; that is, a space for a cake under a dome or a coffee pot. Yes, the corner pantry does divide the work space, but if you keep the main work space to the left, this is okay ... it is a problem in the first plan because the pantry divides the sink and the stove. - The rectangular plan is better because access to the dining room is better without the "pinch point" created by the walls in the second version. - If you want a covered porch (and they are wonderful), you could add one to the rectangular version ... it would be more of a bump-out than a cave, which is much better. - Yes, covered porches do make rooms darker ... not pitch-black dark, but dark enough that you'll notice it and won't like it. You could fix this problem by adding a sliding door to the left wall (by the dining room table) and putting the porch on the side of the house. Or by keeping the porch where it is and adding windows to the side of the house. - The 1' difference (each way) in the dining rooms will be pretty significant in a space this size. Adding more light to the dining room will make the space feel larger. - Note that both designs give you only one door to the back yard, and it will be blocked by a table. You can fix this by changing one /both of the windows near the fireplace into a door. - In either plan, I'd like to see a sliding door in the master. First because bringing in large furniture through that 90 degree turn will be difficult /impossible. Second because of fire safety. - More windows on the side wall of the master will be an improvement. - I like the bathroom in the first plan better because it would allow you a window above the toilet. More natural light = better. BUT I'd want to keep the little linen closet from the second plan ... because otherwise you'd probably be looking at a mirror above the sink while you're sitting on the toilet.