I know the trend is for opening everything up, but that doesn't work well here. It's not that big of a deal, and would only cost maybe a hundred dollars or so, but I'd add some studs and drywall back, and re-create some of the wall. It works much better to have two separate spaces open to each other, rather than wide open, but not integrated. Creating one space out of two here doesn't work because they haven't been unified into ONE space well, and you have to deal with the plumbing chase. And thus, you get lots of people who will think Marcolo's comment about the range being in the DR, but not actually say that to you. It feels like the kitchen is busting it's way into the DR way with no separation. The kitchen needs to be separate and feel separate from the dining area, or else you need to do a LOT more work here to make it into a real single space. Adding enough of the walls back to accomplish the separation. Still maintaining a larger opening than originally there will actually make the space more cohesive. It feels choppy and awkward with them flowing into each other with no delineation now.

I got a body pillow at Wally World today for $8.88. (I could have sworn the tag below said they were $14 or something. I think the register made a mistake. I may have to go back and get two more for bolsters for the daybed and stuff them into a casing. They come in beige, blue, brown, green, and maybe gold. It pays to shop. I tried to find material to match the blue in my comforter, but didn't find that yet. Will keep looking. I did find a chenille throw in a similar color - which in a pinch I could use to cover the body pillow. red lover, I know what you mean about trying the stuff out and being able to see it in person. I have a new policy where I have an envelope in my purse which contains all the receipts for the last month or so from shopping for decorator items. You wouldn't believe how much stuff I have returned. I also returned a bunch of molding pieces to HD and Lowes I wasn't going to use and I got a ton of money back - molding is very expensive because they sell it by the foot. Some I get credit for because I returned stuff I couldn't find the receipt for, but I knew I would be buying more stuff there anyway and the gift cards they give you if you don't have the receipt, really help out. red lover, you are so right about getting stuff in person. There are so many diffeent colors out there - greens can be shade off and they still match, but it seems like the blues can really clash. Thanks for your advice. I don't know what to tell you about the comforter you have - unless you can go to a discount fabric place and cover it with something you like? Some stuff is not very well made these days. But even if you can sew, any fabric purchased is more money than you can buy things already made for - so it's a catch 22.

I'm not a fan of the pass-through plan either. Your space is really challenging! I think the pass-through plan is taking sqft from the dining room (?), but you don't seem to be getting much improvement for the changes. I drew a few ideas trying to avoid structural changes, though you'd have to move plumbing. I used the 8'x8'7" size, which I think is the existing kitchen without moving into the dining room, so you could still do cabinets in the dining room for more storage. I'm not completely sure if these ideas work with the dimensions--can you give the measurements for the right of the window and left of the back door? (see blue and green lines below) Here's a galley kitchen similar to your pass-through plan. I prefer this option since the range isn't so close to the back door and no corner cabs. Re: range next to the wall, I drew it this way to give you more prep space next to the range and more separation from the door. NKBA recommends at least 12", but the induction range I'm planning to buy only requires 1" from the wall. You could definitely move the range farther out of the corner (and would be required to if you're getting a gas range), just I would want it farther from the door than it appears in your latest plan. For the sink wall, I would personally choose a smaller sink and refrigerator to gain more counterspace and storage, but you have room for full-size appliances. I'm assuming you can recess the fridge into the wall. I tried an option for an L with a corner sink. I suspect there isn't enough room for the range here without affecting the window, but wanted to share it in case you're open to a 24" range or moving the window. Same issue with range next to the wall.

I like the idea of a click-together floating vinyl tile in a bit of a checker pattern (tone on tone will look very handsome). It will keep the idea of your current flooring without actually going out and finding the same tile. Now, the technical side of this gets super interesting. The garage slab is DIFFERENT from the house slab. That means weird things will need to be done to get everything all ready for flooring. Shall we assume you have already leveled the garage floor with lots and lots and lots of new concrete? Excellent. Garage slabs are notorious for being dirty and "wet" (they allow HUGE amounts of moisture to move through them because they were never designed as living spaces. You are welcome to "float" a floor over the properly flattened slab. You will have to use a vapour barrier (I'm assuming you did not go whole hog and pay a SCHWACK of money to have the garage slab sealed and then flattened). The plastic vapour barriers are easy and low cost. And for that reason the click together variant would be your best bet. To get ANYTHING to "glue down" to an old garage slab is a huge technical slurry of problems that need expensive fixes. Because everything will be refloored in a few years (kitchen and pantry) I suggest you work with cheap and cheerful vinyl click tiles and keep going with the rest of the project. Please do not expect the LVT you use today to be available in 5 years from now. Traditionally these man-made floors only have a 24 month shelf life and then they are gone - never to be seen again.