I tried a few different approaches, but I'll land here first. Corner cabinets don't really add much in this small space, so I treated it as an efficient galley style layout. To gain 4-5 more inches, in length I figured you could totally remove the walls between the kitchen and dining. Regardless of what layout you choose, don't crowd the back door too much. The National Kitchen and Bath Association recommends at least 18 inches of clear floor space on the knob side of an in swinging door and 60" of clear floor space into the room from the door jam. The 30" cabinets to the left of the fridge would be good for dishes. The 30 " cabinet between range and sink would be good for tools/pots/etc.

Hi. I've reproduced your room in a 3D build to help you visualize in a better way. To maintain a foot flow I have centered the sofa facing each other. You can add one or more swivel chairs which you can tuck away or corner them when not in use. Mounted tv on a wooden panel opposite the fireplace. This way it serves as a family room as well as an entertainment room. Perfect for a winter evening when it's too chilly to leave the fireplace but also wouldn't miss your favorite show. If you can get rid of the piano, you can place two chairs and a bookshelf and create a little reading space. Let me know if you would want me to work on more layouts. Always happy to help!

I would take the shutters off. They are part of a style, but IMO they don't really work well on your house. My top choice of things to do would be to add a front porch where the front door is. I would also do some bright landscaping near the house to disguise the fact that the windows (oddly) don't line up. It would be good to have at least one big tree in the front lawn. They look to be a hallmark of the neighborhood. Mature trees help with house value. If it were me, I'd do a cream siding with maybe black detailing at the windows.

Why don't you ask an architect or your builder for sources? You said your home designer died but you know there's more out there to hire? You are building a lux Hawaii home and sourcing these things yourself? I'm currently building in Hawaii too and couldn't imagine how time consuming sourcing and figuring out shipping logistics is. Not to mention the cost just to get it here, yikes! Let me know if you'd like me to refer you to my architect. I've lived in Hawaii 32 years and never had 100% humidity. 60 to high 70's is average.