I think you could but then I'm notoriously unhandy and have been set straight a number of times by DH or contractors on the exact was to accomplish something. In my old kitchen with an L-shaped arrangement the range sat a one end of the short leg on a raised platform. The sink was in the middle of the long leg and the dishwasher sat next to it on a raised platform. All of the base cabinets were built with a standard toekick and an extra 2 inches in the useful space so that the countertop sat at 38" high. I don't see why the cabinets couldn't also sit on a raised plywood base along with the appliances but you're probably better off asking the cabinet maker as they would have the practical knowledge of how to do this.

Historic? Where did that come from? The tiny kitchen? It seems like it should be a little scary that so many people here think nothing of just moving a window, but it does happen. Window scar on the exterior? Plant a vine; fix it later when all the other dust has settled and you feel like painting that one outside wall of the house. The inside is a bigger deal later, not so much now while the room is still a mess. This is just a planning glitch that can be fixed without much pain at all. Those very same people who think nothing of moving a window have that "let's-just-fix-it" attitude because they, too, make these sorts of layout goofs. Some of us more than we'd like to admit. Maybe, as problems often are, this is an opportunity to do more. F'rinstance, the pic seems to show the window is in a corner. It could be made wider as well as higher. You DO have another year budgeted for this project, no? Ain't kitchens fun?

I hate it when people say they just ordered or are about to order without taking time to get questions answered or details worked out. Just answering your questions about the counter heights on the peninsulas and the wall cabinets on the bar side -- I wouldn't do the wall cabinet over the peninsula from an aesthetics standpoint. If you have a lot of glassware you want to display, keep in mind that it may be hard to reach up there. Could you reverse the door swing and hing from the center or put a sliding door on that cabinet? It's also a good wall space for art and color. Whatever you do, make both peninsula counters the same. The way they are positioned, that are like two halves of the same wall. Beyond that, I hope you are still working on this plan. I'm not a huge fan -- yet. Potential is there, but both have issues for me. Not my house, so I'd want to know how you live and how you entertain, for starters. But if you're already committed, I'd hold my tongue rather than going further. Let us know what's going on......

When you remove the extra piece, lay it against the existing counter to see if the pattern 'flows'. You never know how a seam is going to look until it's done, and in this case there won't be a replacement for a bad seam. I think wood that matches the island, taken to the wall, would look OK there, and it will kind of follow the lines of the MW shelf. (It will also be great for kneading bread dough. I found out today that you can proof bread dough in the MW--thank you mrspete.) Using wood on each side of the range doesn't mean that you can't use it in the corner, too, as long as it's functional. If someone raises an eyebrow about the wood (and I'll bet it will never happen), tell them it's part of your baking zone. ;)