Looking at the east wall elevation, it is strange to have a window frame right in front of your eyes while standing at the sink. It makes me think the two 36" wide cabs adjacent to the DW (on the LEFT) should be also moved to be centered under the two windows. Keeping the DW where it is will be cheaper but not all that much, so how about moving the two double doored cabs over to be centered upon the windows? Your sink would be in the one on the right, and the DW would be next to the fridge/freezer. If this is unacceptable, then make the windows into a big middle window with two skinny "lights" on either side of it, so the window is directly above your sink. That window could be fixed (not open), and the two side lights could be casement types that roll out for ventilation....if you are of a mind to do so. Otherwise, they could be like the fixed panels on either side of a front entry door. I like having freezer/fridge together. Also, there is some sort of code which sets the minimum measurement between upper cabs and an adjacent cooking top surface, so the wood or other material won't overheat. In many kitchens, those cabs are much shorter than the regular upper cabs. I've noticed that many of those cabs adjacent to the stove hood, only come down as far as the hood bottom itself. A good idea, to keep from constantly cleaning the cabinet surface of greasy residue from the steam of cooking. I like having a utility rack turned toward the back door, for jackets and boots, etc. But I think you have room there for a short bench beneath it, room enough for one person to sit down to remove shoes whatever. It is at least a nod toward having a mud room, something you might not need in your climate, but which in a colder climate is so essential. Down here in south Alabama, I have a triple swivel hook on the wall for our raincoats, and the work pants that DH removes back there beside the washing machine. A very handy little feature because he gets garden soil in his rolled up jeans and stuck in the treads of his sneakers.

I would do recessed lights in the living room along with table and floor lamps.

We are looking at buying a house that has vaulted ceilings in the kitchen and living room. I want to paint my ceiling and one wall, in the living room, similar to the pic below with the blue wall. Maybe not quite that dark. As you can see from the bottom 2 photos, it is not an open concept, but more of a doorway between the kitchen and living room, causing a separation. I was thinking of blue and dark tan/gray colours for the living room, but am at a loss as to what to do in the kitchen. Any ideas? I don't really want to go with a white ceiling in the kitchen if the living room is a blue ceiling. And given the cupboards and the kitchen being small, should I just paint the kitchen and ceiling all one colour? Maybe the tan/gray that is also going to be in the living room? Thanks a bunch for any suggestions.

If you don't want hardwood in the kitchen there is no reason that you need to do hardwood in the kitchen. The current trend is to have one flooring throughout your home. Prior to the last 10 years it was much more common to have different flooring in different rooms. Usually a tile or laminate in kitchen and baths, hardwood or carpet in other living spaces. Trends come and go. Pick the flooring that will best fit your lifestyle and make your home work for you. There are many ways to transition from one flooring to another. The transition is easy when there is an architectural break between two room (doorways are most common). Sometimes we can use flooring to define an area and create two spaces where there is no architectural break. My last home didn't have an architectural break between the living room and the entry, but the transition from carpet to tile defined the areas. Here are a few other transitions that are obviously a design choice where two floorings were intentionally selected.