ali-b, I used my tomato cages last year as hoop houses. I opened them up and arched them over my potager beds, then covered them with floating row cover. I had greens, lettuce, carrots, and onions all winter long. Our lowest temps were eleven degrees. The greens stood through that without any protection at all. I was delighted and amazed. For your climate, you would want a heavier cover, but the tomato cages worked great as the "skeleton" and the openings were large enough to reach in for harvest. As to size, my potager is just about right for the three of us (DH, mother-in-law, and me). We eat fresh food from it very nearly twelve months a year, and when I have excess, which I have had this year, I give them to a poor family in our church. They are so grateful since their landlord won't allow them to garden and fresh produce is so expensive at the grocery. I have 9 raised beds that are approximately 8'x3.5'. At the west and south corners I have dwarf apple trees. In other areas of the yard I have six blueberry bushes, a fig tree, and two plum trees (these are an experiment). I grow strawberries in two large tubs on my deck. I gardened in a traditional row garden for ten years or more. I hated it. I could never control the weeds and it was ugly (to me). I finally gave up and only went back to growing veggies last year. I stumbled upon this forum by accident and went straight to Amazon to buy books. I just love these little beds. It takes about an hour to clean one out, amend and turn it, replant, and remulch. Because it's so easy, I keep them in pristine condition and continually productive.

Twn85, do you have pictures of your final design? Would love to see it. Laughable, that may be an alternative. I definitely don't want to go shorter, as I am 5'9 and DH is 6'3. My only thing is that I'd have to add some granite to the left of the stove (where the current fridge is now, before the corner begins to make a peninsula) but maybe I could take what I'd be cutting out on the other side where the fridge would be moved? I don't know enough about granite to know if that's an option. Honestly I'd love new counters but even getting DH to consider any of this is enough of a challenge - he sees the square footage and thinks I'm crazy and high maintenance (okay, I AM but still) to even talk about putting money into an already "big" kitchen with upgrades. As for what I like to do in the kitchen - I'm a pretty much make-from-scratch cook. I am a SAHM and spend A LOT of time in the kitchen, either cooking, prepping or cleaning. I like having stations - baking, cooking, coffee, etc. I don't like a lot of appliances on the counter but I DO have a lot of heavy gadgets I'd want a spot in a cabinet or drawer for. There is a small TV in the corner of a countertop to give me company while I'm in there because I'm usually alone, although I'd LOVE to have (adult) company - other times, I have my small (ages 5 and 3) children to "help" out, and having a place for them to put their stools to spread out and pour ingredients is very good. The breakfast nook bugs me right now - the window seat is not currently there and the outside chairs are right in the walkway from the garage door into the FR. However, I'm not a big fan of stool seating b/c family dinners are really important at this stage in our lives. I know eventually the kids will need a place to do homework but if a sink goes at the peninsula, that sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. One thing you may be able to see is the architect suggested cutting out that pantry cabinet and extending the archway that leads into the dining room. The purpose there would be to make that more of a breakfast room than formal DR and maybe put some comfortable chairs where the current breakfast nook is for conversation. A peninsula would block that idea, though, I think. After reading these responses, I've gotten to thinking. We currently have a temporary island where the suggested one would go. It's smaller and not as functional and I just assumed that functionality was what was missing. However, DH doesn't help me as often as he used to and now I'm starting to think it may be how tight the kitchen seems now, rather than him just trying to avoid any work (or miss my engaging and witty banter.)

My living room is 17 1/2 x 15 1/2 I don't find it too large for a single seating area. I guess it depends on how you lay out the furniture. Where your TV is we have a fireplace with book shelves. The TV is in the book shelves with 2 chairs flanking the fireplace. I have my couch where you have your love seat and my love seat where you have you couch. Maybe switch your love seat and couch. This would push back the room and fill up the empty space.

It's fun to read these suggestions! Some are very creative. I've wondered about a peninsula instead of an island. I've also toyed with re-configuring the pantry and powder room areas. Never thought about moving that living room door. I'm guessing budget and spouse will both constrain the extent of this project, but we can definitely look into moving or eliminating the prep sink, adding seating to the end of the island, and considering a range. For those who asked, the aisle between island and sink side is about 40 inches and between island and pantry/oven side it's more like 48 inches. The island itself is 44 inches wide. I think my sketch is a bit "off." Thanks, all!