It's not bad the way you've set it up - just a couple leetle monkeys I would move the prep sink one way or the other to consolidate the counter space on that side of the range. If it moves towards the double doors, the work area between the sink and range is expanded - but you lose a "sit down" space for stuff while opening the door. The sit down area might be too small to be useful. If it moves towards the range - its amazingly convenient to be able to fill and dump pots and the work space consolidates with "sit down space" and also things going to/from the ref. Since you batch cook, having a place where you can sit down a lot of things at once might be important. Bummer is that chopped stuff has to be lifted over the sink. All of that said, you know if that's the direction you actually want to face while cooking. This is just a reminder that you'll be completely facing away from everyone and everything while prepping and cooking. I think I would shorten the peninsula. It would irritate me to have to walk around it and it looks like it has a clearance issue (aging in place). BTW - the elevator exit towards the dining room might also. I'm guessing you're adding on the pantry there, but between that space, the closet and the fireplace side, it looks kinda narrow. It might be partly the overdrawn lines. As someone else found out - its a good idea to have at least one 42" entrance way because that's what a person needs when carrying grocery bags. Also reminding you that the dishwasher placements mean that you won't be able to reach the wall cabinets or get into the side base cabinets when the dishwasher(s) are open. If you haven't already, you might explore a variation of cutting the peninsula entirely to improve cabinet access and add either workspace under the micro with a small single person seating area on one side or the other. Or maybe think about what I call a micro-island - something around 18-24" x 36-48" that lets you stackup the ingredients after pulling them all from the pantry. If you choose to think about expanding the depth of the mw wall, you could then do a wall oven and shrink the range down if you wanted. Full disclosure - not in your price range, but if I was - well, the sexy feelings involved the 48"'ers might carry the day. HTH.

If you don't want to change windows, I still like the layout I posted earlier. You could do deeper cabinets on either side of the fridge and maybe move the fridge a couple inches closer to the slider. In my last kitchen I had a very small island (39X42) with the fridge directly opposite the stove and the island in between. I never once considered the island a barrier (maybe because the island was small). I usually removed items from the fridge to the sink area. Moving your stove down on the wall would give you a nice prep space and more storage near the stove. I believe you have 5 feet between the edge of your island as I drew it and your dining room table. That should work in your space. Use small tuck under counter stools. If you still think the walkway would be too small, you could do a nice lighted display case facing the dining room. Or just dining room storage. A peninsula could work, but I still like the fridge across the isle. I'm not sure seating works and I moved your stove down a bit to give you more room at the sink. Baking sheets to the left of the stove and pots to the right. Access to the corner from the dining room.

Oak & Broad, the installer is using 4 clear coats of waterborne finish. We went with his recommendation and also wanted something that wouldn't yellow. We haven't moved in yet, but we love the way it looks. And we were able to walk on it 24 hours after application. Odor is minimal. They are waiting to do the final buff and coat after painting is complete and appliances are back in place just in case there are any mishaps during those events. The installer is a true craftsman who usually works on historic restoration projects and multi-million dollar homes (which ours is definitely not!), but because he's a family friend we were lucky enough to get on his schedule and know that he's got our best interest in mind. These floors were definitely a luxury, but as they are solid oak and the install is high quality, they are forever floors for us and a great fit for our Pacific Northwest style.

Exclusively dark red leaved plants will be unlikely to provide an attractive look. Plants with off or bright colored foliage need the contrast with green to be really attractive and stand out. And it will also provide a very dark appearance during the growing season and a pretty bare appearance in winter as few, if any, will hold their leaves all year. Most plants with colored foliage are deciduous. I would avoid the plums. Purple leaf plums are exceedingly common and inexpensive trees favored mostly by developers. They tend to be short-lived and prone to a host of disease and pest issues. And they are purple - not red! Japanese maples are certainly a good choice and offer a range of possibilities. I'd also consider Cercis 'Forest Pansy', although redbuds do not have a very positive reputation in most of the PNW. Other trees with red foliage - like Cercidiphyllum 'Red Fox' - tend to green or bronze out as the season progresses. Ditto with shrubs like Corylus 'Red Dragon'. In short, your choices are somewhat limited. There are just not that many choices for dark red leaved plants. I would not discount the barberries - they produce some of the best red color of any shrub. Weigelas, ninebarks and elderberries tend to be more in the purple to copper coloring.....not very red. A couple of less common and evergreen choices you could hunt out are Daphne x houtteana and Rhododendron 'Ever Red' or 'Ebony Pearl'. And Nandina domestica 'Plum Passion' or 'Burgundy Wine' - neither are solid red but new growth has very intense dark red to wine red coloring. No guarantees for deer or rabbit resistance :-) You pays your money and you takes your chances!!