Existing second floor plan.

Busybme, you were the first one who chimed in when I first joined here and you photoshopped some proposed changes for a kitchen facelift - and in between then and now it went from simple little changes to a full reno! The perimeter and the island are both going to be in the birch, and the painted pieces will be a hutch and a display bookshelf cabinet. Anybody else have input? Since there wasn't much input, should I be taking that as a bad sign? I know my kitchen doesn't fit what most people on the forum are creating, but hopefully it will at least be well-appointed enough in the end that even those with different tastes can say, "I like it - but in your kitchen" :-). Here is the proposed render working with software limitations. The pendants are missing and the window is bumped out 6" facing right: facing left:

weedyacres, I keep looking at your pics and plans, and I'll just give you some of my thoughts. I'm not a designer, but I did a partial remodel/facelift to a 1920's cottage kitchen, mostly DIY, with help from family members. I used some existing cabinets, some vintage/salvage finds, and a few cheap cabinets from Lowe's. I kept costs down by using a lot of scraps that we'd accumulated from other projects. The main expense was widening a doorway, and building a laminated beam. Without flooring (which still hasn't been started), I spent around $3000. I didn't move plumbing or gas, but moved a 220v line across the room to relocate an electric stove. It seems that you have two choices: 1) Do the least amount of work to make the space liveable for the short time that you'll be there, then make allowances in the sale price for the new owners to update as they wish (my choice if I was purchasing the house from you.) 2) Spend enough now that a buyer/renter will be impressed with the kitchen and be willing to pay enough for you to recoup your investment. In your place I'd choose the first option, and consider keeping the old cabinets--maybe remove the cabinet above where stove was located, to make enough height for the fridge. Move the sink to the opposite wall, and slide a range into the former sink location--you'll be replacing the sink cab anyway. I'd leave the door on the right where it is, with very shallow open shelves on the outside wall, wide enough that getting through that door is comfortable. Then have a standard depth sink/cabinet/counter extend to the laundry wall--that door could be moved over as you've noted in your new plan. A broom closet or freestanding cabinet could go on the other side of the laundry room door. You have the fridge drawn there, but most fridges are more than 24" deep. Put the DW left of the sink, and the freestanding cabinet (which would also be appropriate to the age of the house) could be used for dish storage, close to the door to the dining area. With space and budget constraints, same as in my kitchen BTW, an ideal layout may not be possible. And I know some folks will have the opinion that if you're going to start moving things around, you might as well go all the way. Nevertheless, I hope you can save the existing cabinets and have a pleasant, charming kitchen. *Edited for clarification. This post was edited by mama_goose on Sat, Mar 2, 13 at 18:00

This drawing shows the dining room, detail on the little storage room they want to make into a half-bath, and a correction to the kitchen drawing. I messed up the measurement from the floor on that window in the kitchen next to the back door. It's actually 40.5" above the floor so cabinets could fit under it. The oak trim throughout the house is 4.5". My son has proposed cutting into it or removing it in order to fit things. Buehl, I'm not sure how to make a little hallway and bath out of that small storage room, unless the toilet's in a stall and perhaps a little sink in the hallway? Mama goose's 2nd plan seems like a good fit, but I wonder how to make a counter running up to that back window work with the pantry/MW/fridge complex.