The website below has excellent advise on how to layout a kitchen to function to the best of it's ability. Pay particular attention to #'s 3, 5, 9, and 16. Regarding your "work triangle", as you have it, it is 20 feet from your fridge to the sink !! And, around a barrier island. It is 13-14 feet from the fridge to the stove. And 8 feet from the stove to the sink. http://starcraftcustombuilders.com/kitchen.design.rules.htm Also, buehl has taken the time to gather LOTS of kitchen planning information in the following thread with links to much information http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0722221917955.html Only answering your question above, where should I put my appliances, below is what I have come up with. The main thing it does is tighten up your core work triangle while leaving multiple locations for helpers as well (both sides of the prep sink, at the island, and at the cleanup sink on both sides). This change gives you about 10 feet from the fridge to the sink, 5 feet from fridge to stove, and 6.5 feet from stove to sink. (For the freezer, it is 15 from freezer to sink, and 10 from freezer to stove) It puts your prep sink under the window (70% of the time in the kitchen is spent prepping) and moves the cleanup sink & dish storage across the kitchen and closer to the peninsula seating for putting out clean dishes and gathering dirties. You have plenty of room for 2 dishwashers at the cleanup sink, if you would like. I have drawn it with two. Optionally you could also use a single dishwasher drawer by your prep sink for dirties generated there. You will need a trash pullout at your prep sink. Between the prep sink and stove is a good place for it so it can be used by both. You would want a small trash under the cleanup sink as well for scraping plates. The location of the fridge/freezer would allow you to use standard size appliances and recess them 6" into the pantry. I have drawn them recessed. This saves money over the price of counter depth and gives you more interior room inside them. The landing space on the island and by the double ovens is a little far away, but basically the same as it was in your original drawing. This could be helped by adding some length to the island to shrink the aisle between the fridge and island slightly. The hidden pantry door opens between the fridge and freezer. will2kz has some example pics at the very top of this thread http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/appl/msg0700185724607.html. Although, he used glass on the pantry door, which does not make it as hidden as if you used the type you have in your inspiration pic. Here is another one where they did not panel the fronts of the fridge and freezer on either side of the hidden pantry http://www.drurydesigns.com/blog/artistic-transitional-kitchen-design-becomes-a-northshore-beauty/. And tons of ideas on houzz [https://www.houzz.com/photos/hidden-pantry-phbr0lbl-bl~l_2524[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/hidden-pantry-phbr0lbl-bl~l_2524) I have spread out the seating at the peninsula (rule 9) to give each a little more elbow room. Minimum calls for 24" for seating, but when you have a bunch in a row, 28-30" is more comfortable. When needed, you could fit more than 4 across. I moved one to the end to get away a little bit from the "lined up at the feeding trough" look. I changed part of the end of the island to overhang so one or two could cozy up to the cook for some personal time. Or to allow the cook to sit at the island to work or take a break. Edit: had to edit post for pic to show up. Sorry ! This post was edited by angela12345 on Fri, Oct 4, 13 at 14:50

I think I'd like to change out the smaller windows that have three panes in them. The center one is stationary and the sides swing out, they're not very practical if you want air circulation. As far as removing the diamond grids, I do plan to take them out but I still want some visual interest aside from just a plain window. I'm just not sure what kind would work best and how to handle the large front window. Also, I'm not great with window terminology so hopefully I'm getting my point across.

What a sweet face on your lab. Go for it and put it up. Your home and property are gorgeous. We built a four car garage and had a cupola (I believe that’s the right word). With a whale weathervane much like the one Beverly has shown. I loved it until a storm took the neighbors cedar tree down and sliced the garage down the middle. We rebuilt the garage and If I wasn’t so old I’d put another one up there.

”Best” is so subjective; it depends on what layout works best for the user without blocking access to doors, windows etc. Your brother should set his desks up however suits him. It’s not like Better Homes and Gardens is going to come around and score it.