Angie: Thanks. I figure I would plan on 6 and any extra inches I get can just add to the interior space of the pantry. Woo hoo for another 1.25!! williamsem- CDs are just as wide as others - 36". Then I added the 3" for the wood panels that go on either side. Though since it will have a wall on one side and a cabinet on the other, perhaps I don't need both panels. However, I don't think I'd want a corner cabinet. I think they are not very useful unless it's a lazy susan type. If I can gain inches I'd rather them go in the pantry or into the drawers next to the fridge. LL- I LOVE a plate rack, too! (In fact, I love the french country look you do! Sadly, though, b/c of the probable move soon, I think I'll probably stick to a more neutral look - but try to 'french it up' a bit with accessories.) But, I'm worried the plate rack makes the next level of cabinet a bit too high? And since I have limited upper storage anyway...what do you think? Also, we have cabinet over our corner sink area now and it doesn't come near my head - though a plate rack would make it even easier to grab plates while at the sink... LL/localeater: I wanted to keep the peninsula one level to be able to spread things out on it. I know it should be 15", but I thought I'd steal the 3" for now since my kids are small and the poor next owner will have to be uncomfortable! ;-) Hmm, an under penin tray is a cool idea... I'm meeting with a Lowes designer on Sun to get a price estimate for cabs. When I called he said, "Please bring a detailed list of measurements for all doors, windows, etc." Um, yeah, no worries there, buddy. :)

It's a solid design concept to have room finishes be somewhat secondary to decorative objects or artworks. The key, though, is quality finishes with careful attention to colour and texture even if they are intended to be understated. For example, a builder grade thermafoil cabinet door will come across differently than a high end painted cabinet door (whether ready made or custom). Beautiful rooms often have incredible attention paid to details that we may not notice - we may notice how pretty the bowl of peaches looks, but not consciously realize how the perfect symmetry of the bank of cabinets supports the overall visual. What you are basically talking about is "styling". That's adding decorative layers to the base of the room. If you analyze photos from one of my favourite sites below, you'll recognize that much of the appeal of them comes from how the kitchens have been styled. Any room will look better if you remove all clutter, clear off all surfaces, and carefully add select objects to complement the room or draw the eye towards (or away from) elements of the room. Could be a houseplant, a pretty cutting board, an enamel kettle, etc. Edited to add: functional layout, attractive sightlines, and abundant natural light are make-or-break elements in a kitchen, IMHO. Those would always be my starting point for design. Here is a link that might be useful: kitchens via Remodelista This post was edited by feisty68 on Sat, Jul 5, 14 at 15:05

It is this wierd crawl space under the stairs that is unusable from the floor up to 24 inches high and then has space for storage and a shelf above that, which has an angled ceiling. It is absolutely bizarre, and I had resigned myself to building a cabinet in that small usable portion with a pull-up out shelf that opens at the desk for charging cells, IPads, etc. it can hide all the cables and wires. I had thought a sink on the corner near the fridge was better but then put it on the right side because that Franke Beach sink is designed to have accessories on the left side of the round small sink bowl. But no biggie, I can find an alternate sink. Any you recommend for this space at the end of an island? Does the additional 24 inch pantry where the fridge used to be make sense? And then the 36 inch accessory garage with cabinetry above and drawers below make sense? I have 65.5 inches of wall space before I have the wall disappear on that wall, and the upper counter starts. Pretty sure I can move the sink over to the left and free up counter space to the right of the sink. Does the dishwasher work in that location? What width works between the cooktop and island edge where sink will be? Does a wood block that is raised on that end allow for a sink at comfortable height? My kitchen designer says you don't want the soapstone and chopping block at the same height. Finally, the island length dropped to 90 inches in my sketch to stop the indentation. Is that smart or will I regret those extra SF on my island?

I'm probably echoing what others have said, but here are my thoughts: - You have too much cabinetry and not enough walking space in this kitchen. The island is at maximum-maximum size. You want that breathing space. - No to an island on the far end-end of the island. You need work space on both sides of the cooktop. - The wall with the refrigerator seems "heavy" on the side with the fridge and "light" on the side with the shelves. - Do you really need a table and stools only feet apart from one another? Don't put the cooktop on the island. It is a hazard for pot handles that are turned into the walkways. To be argumentative, why are pot handles more dangerous on an island than on a wall-based cabinet? The handles could be positioned carelessly from either location. I don't think your kitchen is big enough for an island. No one like to hear this, but -- yeah. Consider a G-shaped kitchen with a peninsula instead. Your kitchen design breaks so many of these rules (especially the rules on landing zones and work aisles) Agreed, and those rules aren't opinions or open to "but this is how I cook" arguments. We can argue about the value of pot fillers or pantries, but numbers don't lie. 'High End Kitchen Designers', what does that mean? Design has to follow FUNCTION in a kitchen. Yeah, "high end" means the designer's putting in custom cabinets, marble countertops, fancy appliances ... function means the layout works, and good function costs no more than bad.