Are any of the short walls by fridge and stove arch load bearing or contain ducting or electrical chases? I would be eliminating as many as I could to improve layout possibilities if you plan to replace cabs....that means drywall repair but worth it I think. All those jigs and jags make the room choppy. For example, removing that little wall by the fridge means you could run cabs under the window in an L-shape and eliminate that tiny cubbyhole with window. I am not sure what the purpose of the stove arch was/is but that would be high on my list of things to eliminate. What is in that short wall by the fire extinguisher? What is the space between the fridge and the doorway? If a closet, that would be a candidate for removal too. You will need to decide on how extensive you want to go and that will probably be determined by eliminating or keeping the cabs. If you eliminate them and are on a tight budget, look at Ikea cabs when there is a sale. If you keep the cabs, I would probably forgo spending a lot of money on new countertops so big box stock laminate counters should run $150-250. Using LVT tiles on the floor, painting walls, demoing the brick arch, centering stove on the wall space, removing wood valance, ditching curtains and blinds for Roman shades, and I assume updating lighting but only because I cannot see what is there are all things that could be done within a modest budget. Additionaly, how old is the flooring...old enough to be worried about asbestos?

Your Pantry would be next room leaving the kitchen towards your family room! It can be configured how you need to based on your large entryway, and this pass-through doorway. I used your dimensions to create this kitchen. As might imagine an Island just gives it a slightly more crowded feel, unless you wanted a non-fixed island, like a piece of furniture that wasnt too large, which wouldnt be too bad I suppose! Mike

Hello Sheila Kelly Drafts , Not to add another voice to all the, 'help,' you got above, but let's see what we can do here. I'll let you in on a little trade secret to Kitchen Design - it's called, 'The Triangle.' The most efficient designs create a triangle between Sink, Stove/Oven & refrigerator, with use able counter space between. Currently you have an odd shaped polygon going on - and using the secondary sink actually cuts off the entryway to the pantry - which is what you wanted to keep in the first place. Coco Chanel said you should remove one clothing accessory before you leave the house. Same idea goes for your home - it's not about putting ALL things in, it's about putting the RIGHT things in. Specifically - do you really need (2) sinks in a kitchen this size - or would a traditional stove and a Pot Filler serve you better (for example?). It also looks like you have a dark corner with some shelves - maybe creating an 'L' Shape off the pantry would help more & give some of that freed up counter space to actually eat at the island. I take it by your screen name that you can Draft & create some 3d models. With that being said, I'll offer a free preliminary plan sketch of the kitchen for you to model for free. Just hit me up, on houzz or on my website. Thanks, -frank

Congrats on your improved health! I agree with the idea of pacing yourself. So important. One idea in planning your space: reach out to someone who could help you visualize things with mockups. (You could also look into those paint colour visualizers on paint companies websites.) Another trick is to use sheets or poster boards to cover surfaces you're looking to change. Priming walls when you know you'll want a different colour is another idea along those lines. Have you set your budget? Very important to keep it in mind as you assess your options and timeline. Often, things can be done in stages. Btw, your space didn't give me a laugh in the least. Those windows look amazing. If this were my space, I'd probably keep the cabinets and wood trim as is (especially if you can change the cabinet doors to their Shaker side) and focus on lightening the space otherwise. Wood is trending again and painting oak cabinets isn't easy. My first priority would be to find effective window treatments for the sun because this can greatly impact one's comfort in the space not to mention energy costs. Window treatments can get pricey. Getting an onsite consultation with a window covering company can help to get ideas of options and cost. Looking at your space, this is what I'd do: -Remove all the stuff from above the cabinets. -Reassess cabinet storage and consider shelves or glass inserts to lighten uppers. I know you'll get advice to change your island because it's not a conventional shape but without being in the space, it's difficult to say if this is easily doable. -Make sure the lighting in the room is optimized. Could the kitchen benefit from under cabinet lighting, for example? Is the fan useful? -Replace the backsplash with a warm white tile and match the walls to this new tile. (Paint colour can be matched to anything so paint is chosen last.) -Consider using this backsplash tile for the fireplace surround. -Streamline the decor by removing everything off the mantel. Less can be more. A few large pieces on walls can have more decor impact than a bunch of small objects on horizontal surfaces. Good luck with your space transformation and all the best to you, health wise. Hope you keep us posted.