I'm not clear, no island at all if you can't see the big screen from it? How about open shelves in the corner with a smaller TV in it? In my kitchen, I can see the living room TV from my prep space and from my peninsula, but to hear it, even with surround sound in the living room, the volume has to be up very loud. We are adding a 19" or 22" TV in the kitchen to make the viewing easier. You really will get very tired of not being able to use that side of your island, or having to walk around to get anything stored in the island. As for moving the stools around. It sounds good in theory. If you do most of the cooking and cleaning, you will be the one moving the stools around to where they belong, when they belong there.

I have one over a fireplace, and I love it. the rest of that wall is windows, so it was the only spot. My fireplace is gas, and there are clear guidlines about the clearence from combustibles and the like. There are heat concerns. It's commonly stated that you can't have the TV on when the temp there is 95 degrees. Easy for me to monitor, I just keep the fireplace remote there, sometimes programed to turn off the fire when the area hits that. If the fireplace is woodburning, controling the heat could be a problem and you might simply have to turn the tv off sometimes. I suspect that the 95 is a purely random number, though. Lots of homes get that hot, and we haven't heard many reports in the media about flat screens failing from it. To me, watching the fire or watching the tv are different activities that I rarely want to do at the same time. I love having the fire on for conversation, reading, playing a game, and those are times I'd rather have the TV off anyway. We do burn the fire to take the chill off the room on movie nights, but at a pretty low level. As to veiwing angle: it's about 5 ft above the floor, and the seating is about 12 feet back. It seems a little odd if you are used to a conventional set just inches off the floor, but you quickly adapt. It isn't at all uncomfortable for me or any of my family [so far as anyone has ever mentioned], and the kids and dogs don't block the screen everytime they walk by. Overall, I think its a good solution for many rooms. Just be sure to plan for power and signal up there: you don't want a lot of visible wires.

Rest of the photos: View of the island: Computer Desk wall: Sliding door wall Fridge corner: Here is a closeup of the backsplash options I am considering. The middle one is my favorite. It is a gray blue glass tile. The right most fits the budget. It is Adex subway tile. The size I am considering is different. It is a 2X4 beveled subway. The color I am thinking is also different. I would like a big favor from photshop experts. I would like to visualize the gray blue fully in the window wall and the hood wall. DH wants us to tile the computer wall too. Also, is it possible to photoshop two more options. One is Adex celery 2X4 beveled subway tile too fully on all the walls. And the other option is to do the celery/bone with everywhere except beneath and above the hood. I would like to try the gray/blue glass tile just above and below the hood. Please help me make a decision and give your suggestions too. Here is the link to the adex beveled subway tile: http://www.adexusa.com/viewproduct.php?id=532 Backsplash options: Family room sofa: Rug under the sofa fireplace wall: tv wall: Another tile I like is this: http://www.covefinishings.com/MS01.html#

calidesign- thank you for the drapery suggestion. Yes there is plenty of room onthe outside of the window and slider. The slider actually opens to that side- was thinking that might be awkward with the dogs coming in and out that door, but if we extend them far enough like you suggested then it should work. when you say the proportions are off for the fireplace — is there a size you’d recommend? Or is concept of doing a fireplace wrong?