Update: One window guy came out, never got back to me, second one says he can remove that middle transom, send to a factory, have them make a replacement with the same glass (several hundred dollars probably), and third guy (and the first guy) said no way to remove just that middle window, have to replace the whole thing, that the window is wrapped with a metal piece and screwed together so no way to access the window and remove it. Last guy says he has been in business 35 years and the company he works for 30 years so knows windows. Says $3600 for a whole new alliance window (apparently the current window is certainteed and Alliance bought them). He also says he is really good with getting the insurance companies to pay up even though it is past the 12 month limit they put in their paperwork. I hope he is right!!

holly - thanks very much for your advice including the details. I understand about combining the windows with one large header. And that was my original idea. But the way it is drawn in the picture I uploaded was done by the Ikea designer that visited me a few days ago. Ikea doesn't do windows so she just put a placeholder... but I kind of like how she put the three with more separation than I was thinking. Do you think it makes the kitchen have more of a "living room" feel to it? That is how I'm seeing it and I like it, I think. The kitchen will be Ikea modern but the house built in 1935 still seems to maintain a "vintage feel". I'm wondering if keeping the separation between the windows for 8 or 10 inches will keep a slight vintage feel that is not always a bad thing. I don't seem to know what I want here. Guess I need to sleep on it a few more nights. The left side where there is an obvious break in cabinets is the back door, something that has been a bit of a nemesis. I was thinking of putting a small to medium size art print on that wall, maybe even with a "wall washer" light. I'm coming to grips with the backdoor because it makes a great recycle prep area - there is a small outdoor porch there. The city authorities seem to be changing our recycle process here and soon will be adding back in glass (they took it away about a year ago). There is room enough to put a large can there and stacks of newspapers and containers of cans. And with easy access to the kitchen, allows me not to feel the need to provide recycle space inside the kitchen. Considering that Bloomberg is promoting composting in New York for city pickup, I'm thinking it will be here eventually and I'm thinking that porch would be a good place for temporary storage. Times are a changing and with my porch that has a roof and that has steps to driveway (which we rarely use) and is not enclosed except on the door side between porch and house, I think I'm ready.

You know, I agree with you that the island perpendicular to the window wall doesn't feel as right as the island parallel to the window wall. Interesting. I stopped and thought about why that would be. My first thought was that, with the island perpendicular to the window wall, the end of the island closest to the living room now feels as if it's intruding into the walkway between the kitchen and living room. Even though the island ends in line with the side of the fridge closest to the living room, the island still feels as if it's intruding. However, when I look at the island parallel to the window, I also think the end of the island closest to the dining room feels as if it is intruding into the dining room. Even though the island ends in line with the side of the perimeter cabinet closest to the dining room, the island still feels as if it's intruding. So when you're standing in the living room, you like the perpendicular-to-the-window-wall island orientation less (because the island feels as if it's intruding towards you). And when you're standing in the dining room, you'll like the parallel-to-the-window-wall island orientation less (because the island feels as if it's intruding towards you). Given all that, I actually think this shape island (posted earlier upthread) feels the best from both perspectives: That is because the island is completely and clearly inside the invisible borders of the kitchen as delineated by the side of the fridge closest to the living room and the side of the perimeter cabinet closest to the dining room. A square (ish) island doesn't even touch the borders -- it's well inside them by a foot or two, making it impossible for the island to feel as if it's intruding into another room. This home layout is so open that it lacks some of the normal cues (walls/doorways/floor changes) marking where the kitchen ends and another room begins. So in this island's case, a setback from the technical kitchen border helps to clarify things. The island's definitely in the kitchen and only in the kitchen. Here is an edited version that stops the island a foot or two short of the borders in both directions: I'd recommend having seating just on the living room side of the island. Seating on the dining room side puts those chairs back to back with dining room chairs, and I always think that looks/functions a bit oddly.

Filipe- the island is all one level, but I don't think that will be as much of an issue with butcher block. I still think we might need to shorten the island just for traffic flow anyway. ninigret- The seating in the living room is really only a placeholder and could be rearranged/added to. We're working within our current home's footprint so there weren't a lot of options to make a huge family room. That said, if anyone has any other tips for really maximizing the space, we'd be all ears. Nothing is set in stone yet. But we do spend A LOT of time in the kitchen and eating in general. (I'm a food blogger). And we like to host, so the long island is appealing for serving and informal party seating.