Okay, here are two more ideas, with windows and doors in existing locations, plumbing untouched but with the gas line moved. These plans use Ikea cab sizes (rounded up, obviously). I spec'd a CD fridge in both plans to avoid crowding the back door. I eliminated the peninsula and swapped it for an island with room for 2 seats. Eliminating the peninsula allowed me to move the range down the wall, giving you more prep room between sink and range. The island is composed of a counter supported by 2 legs at the lower end and an upper cabinet serving as a base cabinet at the top end (check Ikea hacks, this has been done before). The lower end of the island is open for seating like this [Transitional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/transitional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2112) by Charleston Cabinets & Cabinetry K & K Custom Cabinets LLC Plan D adds a peninsula for seating opposite the fridge. The 3 cabinets in the lower left corner are upper cabs used as base cabs. Stack an additional 12" and 24" on top of the bottom 2 to create a shallow pantry. The 24" cab below the window is only one high, topped with counter. You can eliminate the doors and have a bookcase/display case here instead. The top side of the peninsula has one each 12" and 30" wide base cabs, facing the fridge, for more storage and serving as counter support. The peninsula has room for 3 seats with ample aisles behind the seats. I curved the lower right end of the counter overhang. You can use the peninsula as additional prep area, buffet counter, snack center.... Whatever fits your needs. This post was edited by lisa_a on Sun, Jul 13, 14 at 16:50

Wright, I'm finding I'm guessing way too much what the context might be. Is the driveway running along outside the basement stairs, or does the dining bay look out on it? Is there garden outside that back door or garbage cans? Where are the sunshine and views to be treasured and used? Is the bay to the floor or does it stop short? Is there a relatively spacious living room that could easily provide space for dining for 2-6? Is the living room so small that it really needs the open dining area shown to keep it from feelling cramped? Could you shift the door to the basement to the bottom of the stairs and open the stairwell at the kitchen level to open up the space visually? Would that be a bad idea because you never go down there if you can possibly avoid it? Just imagining in lieu of a real picture that: You have a pretty back yard outside that back door, do use the basement enough to make opening up that wall a less than horrible prospect, and the living room would be pleasant and attractive without the dining area: In that situation I'm imagining shifting the kitchen to the wider living room side in a precision engineered U. Dining for two by a glass back door, and maybe a pretty window added to make it particularly to sit there. Perhaps the bay remounted on the back wall. Open banister to stair well on left, art, mirrors, whatever displayed on the wall beyond, traffic flowing unimpeded along the left from back door to living room. BTW, DH wanted to catch tarpon, so I'm in Florida right now in an old mobile home juust under 600 square feet, but the layout is so excellent I'm constantly amazed at how large it lives. Except the kitchen. It was designed for an unaugmented area and its 7x10 was supposed to hold the dining area too. I fantasize about what some tweaking within its footprint could do for it. Someday maybe--if a storm doesn't wash it out into the estuary first.

Thanks, everyone, for your ideas so far! Stan Z - Nixing the upper corner cab is an interesting idea! I love the balance it would bring to that wall. I'm just not sure if I would be able to reach everything, and I'm paranoid about not having enough storage (especially if the W/D goes in the "pantry"). Do you think it would look better if I put another upper cabinet to the right of the stove (instead of open shelves) to balance that out? If I end up with the second design (corner Susan and larger 24" to the right of the stove) I was planning on putting an upper there. I've definitely gone back and forth on the peninsula thing... but we're pretty set on keeping a separate dining room. desertsteph - sorry about the measurements on the floorplan not showing up well! I didn't realize the image would post so small. I will simplify the drawing so it's easier to read once I get home. The curved line is a door (in my terrible drafting skills). Those are the stairs to the second floor, and the stairs to the basement are underneath it (enter through the dining room). I just included that to show that the flow of traffic is going in that direction. The kitchen originally had the opening on the other side, but I think it makes more sense to direct the traffic on that side. No bathroom on the first floor, unfortunately, but we have a street level walkout basement with another bathroom. There really isn't space for one on the first floor, and probably less than half the houses in the neighborhood have added one, so I'm not too worried about it. mgmum - Switching the DW and sink is a definite possibility. I thought if I kept the bar seating there I thought it would be better to have the dishwasher next to it instead of the sink (since we probably wouldn't be loading the dishwasher while someone is there, but we might be working at the sink). Maybe that's just not true, though. That is an exterior wall by the bar - it's a garden window looking out at the patio (the shape in the mockup is correct but I couldn't figure out how to make the panes see through). buehl - I'm open to the sink going somewhere other than by the window... it just seems like the most obvious place that people think is "correct". I've never had a dishwasher so I keep thinking in terms of my old paradigm. It's going to be an adjustment (the good kind!). Honestly the window doesn't have a great view - it looks at the brick wall of the house across the street. I'm more concerned about the dishwasher door or sink being too close to the breakfast bar if someone is sitting there and snacking or chatting with the cook. At first I was being stubborn about the blind corner, but once I realized it might not fit into the design, I began to think that a corner Susan would be better anyway. I'm kind of the same size as a small child, but that sounds like a royal pain to deal with. I think I just got dazzled by the fancy pullout at Ikea! Maybe it's better to void the corner to fix the issue of the stove and sink being too close. I'll take another look at what that would look like. mama goose_gw zn6OH - Yes, that window is pre-existing. It's actually not a pass through and doesn't even open except a little vent at the top! It's not the highest quality window but I don't mind it and would probably prefer to change it out later down the road to save some money. It does seem like one of those "while you're at it" things, though... it's probably more cost effective to do everything at once if I can scrape up some more. I do like your U shape design a lot, but I was reeeeeally hoping to put some seating in the kitchen since the dining room is separate. Good point about the fridge - for some reason I was thinking it would stick out enough (though it definitely doesn't the way I drew it) or we would put a filler piece there to allow it to open. I'll have to double check on that. lavender_lass - You just said the magic word! I blew my bathroom budget by a mile because I went on a tiling spree... but I'll probably wait to tile the kitchen and DIY it later on, so that might make it feasible. I do love those feature tile walls in a kitchen! Is the breakfast bar what's screwing me up here? Do I need to give up that dream?? Would people think I made a giant mistake if the sink is still under the window but not centered? I could tell that idea gave my contractor a twitch when I brought it up!

You guys are awesome! I tried to incorporate everyone suggestions (because they were all great!) and this is what I've come up with. Since I'm not sure which of the kitchen walls are load bearing, both designs incorporate the possible need for a beam to extend down, which is fine. LAYOUT A: large pass-through looking into the living room and the doorway to the kitchen has been expanded. Basement stairs and corner coat closet have also been removed and the doorway into the addition has been widened. Hoping the outer facing cabinets around the beam can act as a place to put keys and bags, otherwise, we have no entryway. Concern: I'm a messy cook and with that being said, I'm questioning whether the stove should be below the pass-through because I'm envisioning grease splattering and sauce flying into my living room. LAYOUT B: The same as layout A but with a smaller pass-through that begins after the stove. My concern for this is despite the pass-through being just shy of 5ft wide, based on this mock-up, it doesn't look like it does much to open the room. Would this be a waste of money to even bother with? Here's a loose floorplan of both A and B. What are your thoughts? The fridge jams me up a bit because it seemed too bulky near the kitchen entrance and moving it towards the addition opening made it too crammed again.