Hi everyone! Hoping to pick your expert brains! This will probably be long...

We bought this house a year ago as first time homebuyers. It was built in 1996 as a custom build and we bought from the original owners. We’ve slowly been furnishing and decorating different rooms in the house - nowhere near done but now ready to turn our attention to the kitchen.

It has quite an unusual layout with two double door entrances and an angled counter that houses the gas cooktop. There is also space on the other side of the room that the previous owners used for their kitchen table that we haven’t done anything with at all. The kitchen is next to the dining room but it’s just my husband and I so I’m wondering if there’s a better use for that space as I know we won’t make use of a table there. Coffee station? More cupboards? Really interested in ideas!

My main question I suppose is about the angled ‘island.’ It’s two-level and it’s not practical, looks dated and doesn’t give us much usable prep space. I would like to either:

• level the island and extend the countertop on the lower level to give us more workspace. Is this easily done? I’d also like to remove the bulkhead above but not sure how big of a job it would be.
• Other option - would it be possible, given the space in the kitchen, to remove the angled island and put in a rectangular island somewhere?

Other than the island we will definitely replace the countertop for granite or quartz throughout, change the sink and faucet and add a backsplash. And we’ll paint the room white and update the light fixture!

Wanted to also get your opinions on the cupboards. We have a company coming to give us a quote for refacing - is this a good idea?

If money were no object, we would

• Change the floors
• Change the countertops to quartz or granite
• Change cabinet door fronts
• Add backsplash
• Change sink/faucet
• Move island
• Remove bulkhead above angled counter

We’re not looking to spend a huge amount right now but It definitely needs some modernization and I think could be really nice with a few changes. Basically just interested in your ideas for the kitchen because we have no idea what we’re doing and what could be possible in the space!

I’ve included some photos of the space and the dining room next to it, the view into the kitchen from the dining/living room as well as the original house plans. Sorry for the dark photos, it’s stormy here and super dark and miserable today.

Thank you!