"without being able to sit at a table with my kids and eat (the dining room is formal and I don't have a formal table in there). " I agree with rosie - make the DR what YOU want it to be - informal if that's what you need! If you put a rectangular table in front of those kitchen windows tho, I think you'd have enough room for the 4 of you. measure it out. 2 in the back and 1 on each end. if that end of the counter is slimmed down you'd probably have plenty of room between it and the table to walk thru easily (where the stools are now). I hadn't thought a lot about the front of the counter - just that it seemed bland. maybe w/o the white trim and white counter top it wouldn't look that way? I wondered about that cab to the left of the fridge. mw's are smaller today. Those OTR mws are larger. I just had reason to measure my mw and it's 10" H x 20" L and 15" D. I think it'd look better there and a nice hood over the stove would perk things up. Check those measurements w/your mw cab - it could probably be trimmed out nicely to hold a smaller one. They aren't usually that tall. They aren't very expensive now either. I think I paid about 50.00 for mine 5 or so yrs ago. I don't care for banquettes - had something like that while raising my kids and wouldn't do it again. Someone is always stuck back there. The someone who ends up needing out of there the most often. It's a pain for others to move to let them out... and back in. and to move the table to give them room. moving the stove is a pretty good idea - except it'd then be in the walk thru area. Where it is now other people can come in the kit and get a drink, go to the fridge w/o being in the cook's way. your floor looks great! I'd spend the money on new counter top, moving the mw and a prep sink, and changing the table. Can you put that table into the DR for a game table for the kids? As for granite - well, I'm not a fan of it (tho there are many I just looove the looks of). It's hard - things dropped on it will break and glass will fly around and splinters of it will go everywhere. That's a choice you'll have to decide on. If going granite, I'd check yards for something that doesn't look like it's the cheapest tho. Those that are a bunch of speckles always look cheap to me (people have different views on that). I don't like a lot of spots anyway tho - lol! Really dark ones seem to show the dust a lot too. The granite yard might have something stuck back that someone never followed thru on or isn't the 'in' thing right now. If they do good seams they might have a partial slab or 2 that would fit your kitchen. Take a layout of your kitchen with you. I'd certainly fix the table situation as soon as possible so that you can all sit around the table to eat and chat. here's a version of an over the fridge display area - and I'd try to put in some slide outs in the cabs if possible - reusing the doors. possibly like this - or this - or this - these can be worked around you needs for what you have in the cabinets.

I have the GE Cafe Dual Fuel. It was recommended to me by a friend who is a chef. I have had it for about 5 years and like it a million times better than the ceran-top electric it replaced. I haven't had a single issue, and it cleans up as well as you can expect stainless steel to clean up. I use the baking drawer for boxed hors dourves or reheating casseroles. I don't think I would bake a cake or make a roast in it, but the drawer is definitely handy when I am entertaining an army. The oven's convection and roast options heat very evenly, and the power-boil burners are much hotter than the ceran-top. I haven't noticed that the broiler turns off when you open the door. A message comes up on the LED display that says "close door", but I don't usually have the door open for more than a minute or so. It might turn off if left open for a longer period of time. Maybe you can ask GE. I would imagine that the metal knobs would get very hot if the door is cracked open for any length of time. Three large grates, certainly no sharp edges. This range does have the middle griddle, and while I never use it, it's nice to have that real estate in the center of the cook-top. If I'm sauteing and it gets too hot, it's so easy just to slide the pan over on the continuous grate. Same with large pots of boiling water (like for corn on the cob). I can let the water cool a bit on the center grate before I pour it out, and still be able to use the burners. That being said, I am redoing the kitchen, and if I can find an induction range that fits in this 30" space, that will be my next cooking method. I just feel that induction is safer than an exposed flame. Plus, I like the idea of putting a pot on to boil with a timer, just in case there's a distraction and I forget the kettle is on... I hope this helps! GE Cafe Dual Fuel

cpartist no, hubby doesn't do any cooking, as he leaves the kitchen a complete disaster, uses a hundred dishes, and always manages to use the wrong pots or pans, so has been permanently banned from using it. You would think he wouldn't care what I wanted done with the kitchen, but he is definitely opinionated. He is sweet, though, and did the pantry as a surprise for me, because he thought it'd make me happy. That's what makes my situation so difficult, because I feel bad and a bit selfish for wanting to tear it out. Again, the u-shape is out, because he has set his feet against changing the pass-through. I also don't want to hear another rant about how much he paid for the header beams (apparently they're very expensive) and how he's not moving them ever. Maybe I could convince him to turn it into a doorway and close up the other doorway, but even with the pantry removed, I think it would leave less room for cabinets than I have now. Do you think that would be a good option nonetheless?

Judging by how the home looks now. assuming nothing is changing but the floor, i would choose a floor with tones that will draw from both the front door and the dark stairs. Perosnally, i think a walnut would look magnificent. The issue with going grey is that nothing else in the house (stair, front door, etc) have those cool tones so it may be hard to make it work. See attached photos for floors i think would look great.