If you do something similar to what Drjoann has, be sure the table is easily moved b/c it will not be easy getting to the seat along the back wall w/the table in-place...unless you're a child! Each person needs 24" to 30" of linear space + 18" of legroom not shared w/anyone else (so a minimum 36" deep table). Additionally, if you have seating on all 4 sides, you need to be sure the length of the table accommodates the legroom for both the end seats and the side seats...with no more than a 3" to 6" overlap. So, if you want a table to seat 6, you will need one a minimum of 6' long (12" end seat legroom + 24" seat + 24" seat + 12" end seat legroom = 72"). The 34" deep island your KD is suggesting will most likely not be deep enough (assuming it's table-height). Is this "island" fixed or portable/movable? I don't think I'd want a permanently fixed island in a nook like that!

How about a navy and gray weave bistro chair? Here is one from the TK Collections website, but they have literally hundreds of combinations and the ability to design your own (choose a weave pattern and two colors). Here is a link that might be useful: TK Collections Bistro Chairs

Thank you all so much for your ideas! I think you managed to pin down just about every possibility. I've been taking the tape measure all over that area, and I think perhaps the 20 pounds of potatoes comment was right. Unfortunately, moving into the dining room doesn't really help, because it's the same length as the nook. I like the suggestion from @littlebug zone 5 Missouri to take out the peninsula, but because of the bump-out bay (2') and then the cabinets in the kitchen (2'), it wouldn't be wide enough for a table to fit lengthwise. I really like @grioux's suggestion to close off both the entrance door and outside door to the laundry room and the design by @laura_04 to put the W/D there with bifold doors and push back the bar area. I think this is my favorite idea...but I measured and the space just isn't there, unfortunately, with the exterior walls. That laundry wall is just barely 6 feet, with not even 3 feet of hallway, and only another 30 inches from the bar area, plus only 30 inches of depth from the laundry room. So the new spot for the table would measure roughly 11 feet wide by 10 feet deep. So that wouldn't be worth it, bummer. For the same reason, @Design Girl's good suggestion to move the laundry to the bar area wouldn't work because that wall is only 6' wide, so the table wouldn't fit even with the laundry room totally gone. I have to face facts and realize there's only two ways to expand that space: #1. Use a design like @laura_04's PLUS bump out the back of the house by 5 feet in both the bay area AND the laundry room, making the space both longer and wider and allowing some extra laundry functionality on that new wall. But as many people said, this just isn't an efficient use of money. It would cost a lot and be sort of weird if we ever sold the house, and we'd never get that money back compared to, say, updating the 1984-era kitchen. #2. Completely eliminate the pantry, laundry, and bar area. With all 3 gone, there would be enough room for the table lengthwise and to move traffic around it. But that's crazy too, because all that costly demo yields a space for the table about 14' lengthwise, which is only a foot of gain. Plus the cost of putting the pantry and laundry elsewhere. I ran all this by my DH and his solution: we can spin this out another year or two by moving my preschooler to the bench with the other 3 littlest kids. After that, we can turn the adjoining living room into a dining area, and since it's 25x13 we can put the leaf in and have the table be 9' long. Right now it's a library with a piano and fireplace and couches that my DH and I use to get away from the TV/kids. But 2 small club chairs next to the fire could work for that too. Leave it to a man to find a free solution, lol. (Kidding!) Here's my sketch, and thank you all for your help.

I decided to look again -- the floor changes in sitting room to a light color -- when houzzers comment about green as strong color, we partly notice a contrast with the light floor.... With much wood as kitchens have, and paint is lighter green - I do wonder about item[s] in sitting room to bring monochromatic - green of some kind [was said already by..,..?]