OK, I'm back. Here's my stab at it. Others will tell you if something I say won't work. This is all referring to your plan, not the current kitchen. I have exactly the same distance -- 7'3" -- right now b/t my sink and fridge. Granted, the stove is 6' from the fridge and the sink is 11' from the stove and all the counters are separated from each other by doorways and more. Terrible setup. There is no taking things from one place/zone, pivoting or short steps to put in the next zone. I have to take several steps. Your distances b/t the other two appliances are shorter than mine, but I don't see an easy way to get things from the fridge, clean/prep them, and take them to cook. All those involve more than a pivot or one or two steps. We ended up putting a rolling cart in the middle of the kitchen, which helped with that, but it always felt like it was in the way, we were always having to shift it one way or another to get around it or into things. Is the pellet set in a place that it can't be moved? Before I saw it I wondered if you could switch your LR and DR and have columns to replace the wall b/t the LR and kitchen. If no, then forget what I'm about to say. I also realize that the LR is much bigger than the DR, so maybe this could work just to borrow a little space from the LR and keep the DR where you have it. If you have a more formal LR though, you probably won't want to do it this way. But let's just say it is possible. Here's what I see. I may be biased by my own layout, but you can try it on for size anyway. - Open the LR to the kitchen with columns for support. - This would eliminate the run of cabinets by the fridge. - Start your cabinets on the next (stove) wall. Put a tall pantry cabinet in the corner on that wall. To its left, put the fridge with the side panels. To its left, a run of counter and upper and lower cabinets. - Turn the corner. Allow enough space for the range; move the window to the left to accommodate it. - Move the sink to the left to allow recommended counter space b/t stove and sink. - Instead of a door there, continue the lower cabinets further along. They could go another 2' and still allow more than 36" for clearance to get into the DR without changing that wall. - Start the window to the left of the MW cabinet and center the sink if you like, or have upper cabinets if you need them, and start the window at the sink. (My vote would be to start them at the stove and go to the end run of cabinets. You can center the windows above this run and center the sink with the windows. If you have any kind of view to the left as you are standing at the sink, the uppers on the left side will drive you crazy (or would me). - Replace the middle bay with a door. - In the middle of the kitchen, 42-48" from the counters, run an island parallel to the sink run, 6'x36-39" with seating. This would leave a 42" aisle to the left of the island from the DR through the kitchen. If it doesn't work to switch the LR and DR, I still have another idea. - Leave the long wall b/t kitchen and LR alone. Instead, add 18" to the 12" section. Move the peninsula 30" into the kitchen and down to butt up against your new 30" wall. Your doorway to the LR will be 3.5'. Your peninsula will extend in the same direction and to whatever extent you want, leaving clearance. - Keep the same L-shaped plan as above for your kitchen work zones. - In the middle of the kitchen, put a smaller island for landing and work space, leaving 42-48" for working aisles, 36" for passage aisles. A 4'x2' island running parallel to the sink would give you some workspace and some storage and a 36" aisle b/t it and the peninsula. - An alternate to the peninsula: make the cabinets in the DR next to it 12", bring the peninsula 3' out and make it an island, 3.5'x4', with its long middle where the wall is. I'm assuming you will have something for support? Columns or a beam or both? GW thread on islands with columns Island with columns If you like that look, google "Kitchen island with columns" to find more One other thought: if you were to put the stove on the outside wall, would you consider getting a regular hood? We are trading our OTR MW for a full hood and separate MW. I don't know about your OTR, but mine is no good at clearing the air when cooking and is way too noisy. I hope that is all clear and somewhat helpful.

Thanks so much for all the comments, suggestions and photos. I agree with most that I could use some color/fabric in here. I decided abruptly the other day to just go order those 2" fabric blinds from Lowes. There's something about them I like, and the price was so low, (compared to a roman shade, esp. one from Smith & Noble) I figure they will be OK for a while and will solve the immediate problem of the glaring sun. If I don't love them (likely), Ill start saving up for a custom fabric shade which I do think Id like the most. I'm just in that too tired to think anymore spot & wanted to get something up. Also I didn't expect this but the woman at Lowes told me I can even return them if I hate them so theres no risk! I didn't think you could return a custom size blind...that's a perk of shopping the big box stores I guess. The pictures were very helpful as I realized maybe I could try a runner or 2 on the floors in the kitchen to add some color? I notice a lot of the kitchens posted above have nice runners. Mommyto4boys - Thanks so much for the compliments, seriously it makes me feel so good. Especially in regard to my dining room/fireplace. I had originally wanted to do built-ins flanking the fireplace (went back and forth on if I'd do white or dark stain). Our budget ran out though, and so I'm living with the 2 pieces of furniture we already had. The china cabinet on the left is black, the other cabinet is a liquor/bar cabinet from Ikea and its a dark brown. The fireplace was red brick with a oak mantle shelf, brass screen and dark gray slate hearth. I whitewashed the brick, changed the screen and painted the mantle White dove. I think your dark built ins will look great! What does your fireplace look like?

Buehl, please do! I was just trying to save something of use. I'd been checking the GW all night, turned my back for 15 minutes to watch the Health Care vote, and whammo! all the posts were gone. I kept refreshing, thinking, "This can't be!"

Earlier I showed my wife this thread and she like to thank everyone for the help. She couldn't believe you folks actually spent the time perusing the floorplan and provided us with valuable feedback. Ok back to business.. So she ruled out moving the fridge beside the DW. In fact, she was very much against it. I do have to admit it will solve all our concerns. Also she wasn't keen on moving the pantry/laundry room wall, she like to keep her walk in pantry and not stack the washer/dryer. Thinking about it some more, we are leaning towards the idea idea of shrinking the patio door from 6' to 4' double French door(not sure if builder offers it). This will allow us to add an additional 24" cabinet and counter space beside the DW. Based on all your feedbacks, it appear fridge and island are the bigger concerns. FRIDGE: For easier fridge access, we are thinking of shrinking the space between stove and fridge. Currently that space is roughly 24". If we do decide to shorten it, what will be a small enough counter width to still be useful? I like to create enough space between fridge and wall to install a pull out pantry as some of you suggested. If it gets too tight, another option we considered is move the stove "up" by 12" towards the sink. However I am not sure whether it will be too close to the sink or not, thoughts? ISLAND: Wife wants an island, so it's here to stay. The good thing is it's floating and not fixed. I still don't have a good idea of what to do with it, might just push it further out for now so it won't impede traffic. At the same time I don't want to push it so far out that we can't fit a table in the breakfast area. Also I don't want to pay builder more to make it bigger. *sigh* so much options, so limited $.