Thank you for your replies. kew 2006: I moved the living room furniture in front of the wall unit in several different configurations. Unfortunately, it just looks awful. It is way too crowded and impractical with furniture blocking the wall unit. So I guess the issue is function vs. aesthetics. If I get the DR set, the wall unit has got to go. But since I need the storage space, I would probably buy a wall of Ikea bookcases and put them in a bedroom. Is the new DR worth the trouble?

Wow! Lots of questions! Haha! Let's see. We live in New Orleans and are a very casual, fun, energetic family. DH and I are in our mid 30's and have a 9 year old and a 6 year old. Both kids are active outside of school. TV is a big part of our lives because of sports, movies, kids, etc. But Mike's Den is where lots of the sports programming will take place. :) We are planning to offset the TV and put it to the side of the fireplace for two reasons....1) Now that the kitchen is further over, if someone is in there, it will be more centered to the room as a whole and 2) it can be a bit lower and more at eye-level if it's not above the fireplace. We can make the built-ins accommodate the TV at a level more comfortable for viewing. There will also be a playroom/media room upstairs for the kids. So the Living Room TV will be the group/family TV I suppose. We take turns cooking but both work. So we aren't gourmet cooks but we enjoy cooking meals. We enjoy conversations from the kitchen, thus wanting the open plan. I'd say that because of kids' evening activities, we probably cook 3-4 days a week maybe? Other nights we grill or get take out, pick something up or go out to eat on the way home. The porch. The house (again, in New Orleans...flooding) must be elevated a bit). This porch is elevated with the house. I know we will also have lower space for a table and chairs and the grill, that we haven't laid out yet. We actually did talk about widening the porch. How wide would you suggest? My dad suggested 1-3 feet wider. What do you think? The front door...you see the stairs to the right of the kitchen? And the open pass-through there under the stairs in the drawing? If you go through that pass through...actually straight from the back door, you'd pass the turned stairs above you and a guest room above, master below (in the drawing) and the front door is that way. It's a narrow, New Orleans lot...50x122, which has made things interesting to lay out! :) Thanks again guys! Your feedback is great! Oh, and again, the furniture placement and the kitchen appliances, etc. is just there in the drawings as a guide. It's not fixed or anything. It's just a visual thing for reference.

We had a drop wall table in our kitchen years ago...loved it. We could put it up in the wall when we needed more space and down when we ate or worked on the flat surface. Our table was big enough to seat 3 people comfortably and four if we wanted to get close together.

Thank you Mike, that is exactly what I thought. My architect may not be the best to give advice.. I want alternatives and new ideas which perhaps my architect/kitchen designer/myself did not yet think about. Also perhaps since it is a 'job' and right now in Malta all architects/kitchen designers etc are super busy, I can sense that my little kitchen may not be given the deserved attention. If I find a better alternative to what my architect/kitchen designer suggests, I will suggest it to the 'professional' and if it works, we will go ahead. For example.. Is it best to have the frige and cooker on one side and the sink on another? living area is best next to the balcony and kitchen before that or vice versa? In the end it all boils down to taste, yes but I need to make sure that I am using the little space I have as best I can and in the way it would be most practical. Thank you christina and Maria Privat, I will have a look and draw up you idea to see how it looks :)