It took me multiple readings of this thread to understand your room's dimensions and obstacles but I think I finally got it. Think being the operative word here. I'm sure I missed something. ;-) Anyhoo, it seems to me that the biggest hurdle you face is having too many interruptions on each length of wall. I agree that if at all possible, the DR hutch and built-in ex-ironing board cab should be kept. And it seems a shame not to take advantage of those recesses on each side of the DR hutch. So I turned my attention to the opposite wall and and played with the idea of moving the doorway from the outer room into the kitchen. I realize this means moving utilities and all that but it might be cost effective if it means you don't need to do as much customization of cabinetry in your kitchen. I just checked and with a few minor tweaks, you can make this plan work with Ikea cabinets. This is what I came up with: The outer room will be on large space, a mud room with utilities (behind doors), W/D and whatever else you want to keep out there. Moving the door down to the end gave me enough room to put the fridge, DW, sink and range all in one section of your kitchen, creating a very efficient work zone for 1 cook. The fridge is slightly recessed into the wall so that it's bulk is less obvious. The DR hutch is bordered by 2 pull-out pantry cabs with a shallow cabinet between them. You could mimic the DR hutch, giving a nod to your home's past. It also gives you a decent section of shallow counter to set down bags of groceries or a place for small appliances such as toaster, coffee maker, etc. You can fit the GE spacemaker MW above (it fits in a 12" deep upper cabinet). You could also make this section standard depth, sitting slightly proud of the pantry cabs on either side. You'd still have a 49.5" aisle, which will help your smallish space feel less squished. As someone above suggested, I moved the ex-ironing board cabinet. I shifted it over towards the window, next to the range so that it can continue its life as your spice cabinet (love this!). With all the storage on the DR hutch wall, I think that you just might be able to go without upper cabinets elsewhere, which will also help your kitchen feel spacious. You can fill in the old doorway space with an interior window - fixed or working, your choice. If the view isn't nice but you want the light, put in a real or fake stained glass window or other type of obscure glass. Or you can just make it a wall. Note: aisle measurement is counter edge to counter edge. I assumed a 1.5" counter overhang.

I would say the cabinets in the scullery are original and doubt there was an icebox. Also, don't think the window is original and no there is no door. It is quite cramped in there. But over the years something was done to that area as you can see the 1960s molding they put around the window and the opening. Well you guys have given me something to think about for sure. I was going to gut the left side so that I could put 30" cabinets on the right with a dishwasher, leaving the sink and the top cabinets on the right. In doing so we would be ruining the scullery by making it bigger making it part of the new kitchen??? Gosh I hate to ruin it. Regardless the bottom cabinets need to be replaced; they stink and are kinda soft they could be gumwood. The uppers appear to be some other kind of wood. Have a serious small budget however since we don't live in Buffalo - this is a second home. But there's no hurry. I will see if the Amish people can build some simple 24" cabinets to replace the bottoms. Maybe there's a way to get 24" cabinets at a reasonable cost? BTW the bigger room adjacent where we are going to put the appliances has so many window and door openings that it quite challenging to get many cabinets. A few around the stove and an island is about all we can do with it. I will post more pics and dimensions once we get back up there. Luckily for us, only the kitchen and bathroom require major work, the other rooms have been lived in quite lightly over the years. Amazing.

it's the regular black walnut. There are three knots on my top actually. I wish I had thought to take a far away shot when I had Jen's camera last night! Next time I will back up and take a full top shot for you guys. I can't believe no one else is in awe though. I never Ever thought rubbing alcohol would take of permanent marker from waterloxed wood. (someone on here said "Waterloxed - new verb!" and I am totally stealing that) : )

I ended up with tiles from Seneca Tile in their Handmold line. I absolutely love the way the tiles look surrounding my fireplace and they would be just as beautiful on a backsplash. I searched high and low for handmade tiles that weren't $$$ before I went into a more boutique type tile store and found exactly what I was looking for. The link doesn't do the tiles justice at all. For example, the tile picture below is the color "sierra", which on the website looks beigy. IRL, it is far from being beige. Here's an old picture, but you get the idea. Here is a link that might be useful: Handmold collection