Mike, you have a nice space there. Lots of light and plenty of cabinets for a first home! I think with a good paint job, your cabinets will look very nice. My only suggestion is that if budget allows, you do the floor after the paint job (less prep of the floors!). However, if there is only enough money for one of the three at this time, I think you are right in doing the floors before moving in. Rantontoo's point about the floor being raised is a valid one. I am sure the installers will tear out the laminate, but nonetheless make sure there is enough room under the dishwasher. You could box it in and then if it ever needs to be removed, ruin your new floors (pre or site finished). Also today's refrigerators are super sized and with a new floor, there could be a height issue as well.

I have open concept with an island with a sink and after reading many threads here I scratched my plan to have clear glass and went with ribbed glass and a lens which spreads the light downward. You’ll need good lighting at the sink. Your inspiration pic has a large skylight and no sink in the island. I would not do a lantern type. Where is your dining room. Would it be the space from where the perspective originates? If it is, you could use a different color/material since there is some space separation with the wall opening. I would also repeat the chosen color/materials in another way in the decor of the DR.

Yeah, I know it’s a tall order to come up with something that accomplishes what I want but I figured I'd see if others on Houzz had some ideas. Both sectionals that I'm considering are pretty spacious. The first one is 144” x 79” and the other is 120” x 110.” msteezzy - here’s a picture of the space you asked about.

If I have a dining room chandelier and pendant over the coffee table, is that too busy? Should the coffee light be a ceiling flush mount instead? Maybe a very limited combo of potlights "p", and then lamps, Light fixtures "LF", with some Scones "s"