Do you need an island? Seems pretty open now.

I don't think you need to open the wall, the room gets plenty of light and is already very open. Taking down the wall will just remove valuable counter and storage space, plus make the whole room look like a giant office lobby.

Could you post a floor plan with measurements so it is easier to see what changes might be possible?

Could you concentrate on reworking your peninsula to make it into a gathering space? Make it wider and adjust the angle?

Your living area will look more cozy and cohesive with a larger rug that fits all the furniture. Something slightly darker, perhaps with a muted pattern will help ground the space. If you bring your furniture closer together that will also make your room look more cohesive.

In the dining area, a coordinating rug under the dining table will make the space look more cozy as well. Properly hung and sized curtains also make a space look more finished. Your dining space needs a larger light fixture with more oomph.

You don't have room for an island, not even with removing that wall. Maybe a really small one but it would barely be useable so not worth it. A straight peninsula would create a more functional space and you wouldn't need to take down that wall (which is more useful up than down).

How long is the dimension from the leftmost side of dining area, to the back wall of the kitchen?

Are you willing to sacrifice eat in dining area since you will having the dining room right there and the peninsula seating?

Would you consider taking down the wall but doing a peninsula instead of an island? We did a peninsula and it's great!

What I would do:

* Budget $50-60K

* Resign myself to new kitchen cabinets from IKEA because your kitchen layout is honestly horrible. That cramped corner sink has GOT to go.

* Fight with myself and realize that laminate is ok and will save me big bucks compared to stone countertops.

* Realize I'll probably have to re-floor the kitchen assuming the tile doesn't go under my angled peninsula

* Get someone to figure out if the wall the china cabinet on is load bearing. It likely isn't? But make sure!! Otherwise you'll have to add a beam (+$2k or so)

* Take down the wall where the china cabinet is.

* Replace the china cabinet storage with a wall of 12-18" deep cabinets on the left side of the eat in dining area (leading to the patio doors)

* Get rid of the pub table area

* Do a ONE LEVEL peninsula (not two level) facing the dining room. One level means your dirty dishes are more visible, but you get a nice huge island-like flat space for working.

OR (less plumbing and electrical involved but bigger work triangle and less open feel - but probably better layout overall)

I don't mind the layout...lots of people have those sinks and seem to still be sane...

Since these are the listing photos I assume you're in the "dreaming" stage, so...the first thing I notice is that there are three eating areas within ten feet of each other. That's not necessary. I would eliminate the angled bar part, add cabinets on the wall where the kitchen table is, and put an island in there (dependent upon the dimensions of the room).

Have you moved in yet? It's always best to live in a space a while so you can figure out what bugs you...

Isn't the stove on the wall you want to take down? Where would it go?

Nice china cabinet and dining table.

If you take out the wall behind the china cabinet, where would you put the china cabinet?

Does your kitchen actually have angled walls or is that just the camera angle and the angled peninsula creating that effect?

If you remove the peninsula (expect to need to repair the flooring) and if you remove the pedestal table from the breakfast nook by the patio doors, you could probably add your island with the end of it beginning at the edge of the kitchen -- where the peninsula is -- and ending near where the table and chairs are -- at that end of the kitchen/breakfast room ... maybe not as large an island as you might like but likely enabling you to reuse a couple or several of your chairs.

If you do try to fit a "large island" in a relatively small space, at least make sure the corners are rounded.

You might consider something like this: an elongated bar beginning at the edge of the kitchen for use as a prep table but ending in a "round" dining table in the space between the patio doors and the living room.

http://mediajoongdok.com/kitchen-island-bar-table.html/best-solutions-of-kitchen-breakfast-bar-with-storage-kitchen-island-with-seating-with-kitchen-island-bar-table

Once you get specific dimensions please post this on the kitchen forum too. There are many there that love layout challenges.

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