I'm unclear of the surroundings, so I'll describe what I grew up with, which sounds like all your options. :) My mother has: A small, rectangular pass through between the kitchen and breakfast room. It's about the width of the dishwasher, and maybe 18" high? It's trimmed out like a window, and is just in the middle of the breakfast room wall. There are shutters, but they're rarely closed. This passthrough is invaluable. We can clear the table right onto the sinkboard. Also, we can pass through items to put on the table, and when a couple of us need to work at opposite ends of the baking board, one stands in front of the DW, and the other leans in the passthrough. From the sink one can lean down and see through the BR into the den. The above is great. There's a similar sized passthrough with a sliding pocket door in the wall between the breakfast room and dining room. It almost never gets used. It's counter level in both rooms, so serving items could go through from the BR counter to the DR buffet. Both have upper cupboards. It's generally more convenient to just carry things through the door, which isn't far. There's also a large, picture window sized passthrough between the BR and den. It has a small counter (12"?) which sits above the main counter level, and also has rarely closed shutters. It works as wet bar for parties, if people actually walk up to it, though they usually just crowd into the BR and help themselves. The counter provides a convenient ledge for this and that from the den side where there is otherwise just the wall. It is a great way to open up the house while still keeping defined spaces. The opening is well taller than my father (approx. same height as your husband), and he has been known to watch the game through it, but it's not a great way to view TV. My conclusion is that a passthrough can be very good, and works best when there's a blank wall on one side and a counter on the other, especially when that counter is next to a sink. I think you're on the right track.

Aren't most of the comps going to have a similar layout? The only way to get a true open plan kitchen in a house like this is to move it entirely, someplace like the current dining room, and open it to the living area. So I am assuming that most people haven't done that, and that most people looking in San Francisco understand that they are not going to get an open plan arrangement in a house like this. You know the market better than I do, but from all reports the market seems brisk enough that an improvement like you suggest wouldn't give you a return, because people would likely buy your house with a close kitchen as well?

Thanks for the replies. Monkeymo, I'd like to try and keep the cabinets but if I can't utilize them then I'll have to start anew, and that will prove to be not only a bigger expense, but hard for me to figure out just what to do. I've posted a link to a previous post on the same kitchen, there's lots of pictures. As you can see from the date, it's been almost 8 months since I posted this msg and I still haven't done a thing! Rookie, cabinets are in great shape, at least they are sound, but close up they definitely need to be restained. Not sure about having a vent hanging in the middle of all that. I'd like to try and not lose too much in the way of the cabinets though. Lazy, I've been back and forth to the house since buying it in Jan. and was really trying to do something in there before we totally move in, just a lot easier before getting things in all those cabinets. Since there's just the two of us going to be living there, there won't be much traffic, esp. on a daily basis. The only thing I really don't like is the location of the fridge, not in the "recommended" triangle. Clippings, I have hundreds and hundreds. Have looked what probably amounts to months on the internet for ideas and have taken out books galore from the library, still, nothing has given me an inkling of what to do in there. Palimpsest, I think it may be possible to utilize the doors elsewhere. I'm able to find the trim that's on the doors from Rockler, so I can probably have a cabinet maker do some mods, or make new doors. I just don't want to end up spending more money or something close to what it would be to have new cabinets installed. The countertops definitely need to be replaced, as well as the floor and the appliances. I need to get new lighting, and want pullouts in the drawers and two corner units for the dead space. So, back in Nov before I bought the house, I didn't know what to do with it, here I am almost 6 months of owning it and I'm still no closer. I hate to have to remove perfectly good cabinets but unless I come up with something soon, it seems that's going to be the way I'm going to have to go. Here is a link that might be useful: 1960s Kitchen

I love this "pass through" window idea and just yesterday Ordered an Anderson folding door (window) for our kitchen rennovation. 68" wide x 48 tall. it's a 3 panel folding window - all panels will swing out. I paid $8.5K including hardware and tax. It is a custom item. The center panel will be centered over our (new, TBD) sink. Inside Counter top will "flow" to an outside bar area/paver patio/firepit/ outdoor kitchen area. I'm researcing retractable insect screens now. The Anderson Screen is crazy expensive and I hear, poor quality.