I can't imagine that putting a door to the DR would be very expensive--it's a DIY project if ANYONE in the family could do it in a weekend. The two houses I've dealt with that had pass thrus to the DR drove me nuts. It would be so much nicer to have a door there! That, and having a 1/2 bath would be absolutely top priorities for me, but the 1/2 bath could add more cost than she might be able to pay for. If you use a small corner sink, the pocket door will be fine. Since she wants electric, I would STRONGLY encourage her to look at the positives of induction, and get a range with an induction top. It is SO much better than regular electric--easier to clean, much safer, absolute and immediate control of temperature, boils water faster, doesn't heat up kitchen, it's energy efficient, etc. My induction cooktop is by far our favorite feature of our kitchen! Even though it cost more than we'd planned on, it was definitely worth it. It's not that difficult to learn how to use. (I'm only a few years younger than she is, and I don't usually like learning how to use new stuff, but this was easy.) Of course, that might mean new pans, but maybe the family could go together for a present of one of the more inexpensive sets that works with induction. Also, you may have the extra expense of running electrical to accommodate the induction, but from a safety standpoint alone, it might be worth it to have the induction. It seems like plan #8 might work best, especially if you switch the double sink with the prep sink. That way, your mother could also use the prep sink (make it a large one) to work with her plants easily, since it would be right by the back door. Also, this end of the kitchen could have her tea materials, beverage cups and glasses for the rest of the family, the MW, toaster oven, and she'd have the large window view and lots of natural light to do these pleasant daily tasks. The double sink under the smaller window would put it, the DW, and the dishes closer to the DR. If she wants more storage, I'd get rid of the curved upper shelves (in one of your plans) by the smaller window, and add 3-6" to each upper cabinet, unless she has lots of knick-knacks that she wants to reach up and dust as she gets older. Obviously, an island would give her more storage than a table. If you make the island 36" w x 48" l, you could have two 24" wide cabinets opposite the range, and a 12" deep "table" overhang on the dog dish side. Anne

It is recommended that you get a vent hood that is 6" wider than your rangetop for the best capture area, maybe that will help you determine what size rangetop you will have room for?

Okay- deep breath... Here are the steps I would go through (sorry- my sketches would not upload): First, and always first, think of natural light. The closest windows in this kitchen is a small one off of the dining room! If you pay for any upcharge, make that a big, gorgeous set of French doors or large (to the ceiling) windows with a windowseat under it. Get rid of that side door it is going to bump into the table if you leave it anyway, and you have doors right there next to the fireplace. Second, put your dining table right up to the windowseat. You can seat 6 like this in a much smaller space. Third, do yourself a HUGE favor and move that door from the garage from going directly into the kitchen...to come through that utility room instead and through to the kitchen. A foyer/ mud area is just about the most important part of the house- keys, coats, boots, bags... if you can in any way use the space more wisely by putting laundry or pantry elsewhere too, you won't regret it. It looks like you have some room where the stairs to the inside from the garage would have gone for something. Fourthly, I suggest a double island. That is a high end thing and awesome for a reason: go to anyone's house with a 13 foot island and see how long it takes until you get tired walking ALL THE WAY AROUND if you are on the bar stool side. It's a total obstruction. By the way, barstools are very uncomfortable so it is unlikely you will have 4 people sitting there to eat all at once. Less should work. With a double island, you can have one for utility purposes, and one for barstools if need be- so those eating are in a table arrangement and not in a lineup. Fifthly, I would put your main sink on the wall with the stove and dw by extending the whole wall config a little further toward that window. A small sink in the island is fine, but piles of dishes on a counter that get in the way and can be knocked off easily makes main sinks in islands not fun. This extension also give you more room to pull off the double islands (which by the way, are often better if they are not matchy-matchy---- as are cabinets). Sixthly- replace all of those wall cabinets with open shelves on either side of the sink for your everyday dishes. Wall cabinets blocks your vision by being a big wall box in the way when you walk in. Finally, scoot your pantry door inside your mudroom but shrink it so it isn't a walk in. This leaves room to build in your refrigerator facing the kitchen and gets it out of the way. Sink it just enough to line up with the entire wall of cabinets that I suggest you create and put right next to you on that unused prime wall space under the stairs. The can be just pretty doors, to save on "cabinet" costs, and dual as a pantry too. By the way, after that depth is factored into that wall, the entire kitchen arrangement should have exactly the same walk through space on each side- not different distances like on this plan.... so everything just needs scotched a little closer to the dining room. Oops, one more thing- on the main wall, I suggest (from left to right) skinny cabinet with small pot rack over, oven with hood, skinny cabinet with potrack over, dishwasher with space over, cabinet with open shelves over, sink with something you love over, cabinet with open shelves over. Would love to know what advice you take/ don't take and why- I'm working on a design business and had fun thinking through this. Best to you- I hope it turns out beautifully! Jackie Ps- inexpensive hoods are easy to build in with a little wood and trim so you don't have to spend on a fancy one. Hope this helps! All in all, I think I decreased your cabinet costs- hopefully that pays for the added doors/ windows:). Islands are easy to make, by the way, too and a great place to add color!

I always try to cite the NKBA guidelines, because they are standard for a functional kitchen, and it's better to know all the rules, before we start to bend them. ;) In my own kitchen, on two sides I have narrower aisles than recommended, but it works OK for my layout. My DW opens into a long aisle, not against the island, and the island overlaps the fridge and range by 50% each, so there is step-back space in front of each appliance. Behind the seating I have base cabinets and uppers, providing more space at shoulder height than vertical elements would. My DW is in the prep space between the sink and range, but due to an entry on the other side of the sink, that couldn't be changed. One of the advantages to an island is a second egress--if someone is blocking a path on one side, another person can go around. For instance, if two people are sitting at your island on the long side, anyone entering from the back door can cut through the work aisles, rather than try to squeeze by the second seat. Of course, then you have someone cutting through the work zones, but that might not happen often, if ever.