We have just finished exactly this scenario. Forgive the self-referential length, but it may give you some ideas. Scenario: opening up attic as extra living space created knock-on effect of HAVING to move the kitchen out of the way of new stairs, which also meant opening up a loadbearing wall to allow sufficient space for access. ULTRAtight budget. The process for us: I started playing 'what if?" with some design software almost as soon as we moved in 3 years ago (we knew from the get-go this house would only work for us if we expanded into the attic and bought it with that in mind - location, location, location!) and was tweaking it right up till the end. Once I had a design I thought "could" work - all highly dependent on the realities of what might be behind the walls, structural loads etc (all of which I knew NOTHING about) - I started talking to people. Friends who had recently remodelled, friends who were architects, friends who were builders. Just to try and learn what some of the terms I'd heard bandied about meant so I could understand exactly what might be going on. Then, we started interviewing contractors. I got a lot of interesting information in the course of htat, most particularly about the load-bearing wall etc etc etc. It also inspired me to come up with 3 "final designs" which approached that wall differently - one framed a doorway through it leaving much of it standing, and one opened it out entirely (the third was terrible, but I did it anyway - it's easy when you have your own software!) Once we found our contractor, I got as much info from him regarding that wall as possible so I could continue to refine my design (with his help). He absolutely refused to give a firm answer either way until he was inside the wall. While a little frustrating at the time because I wanted to finalise and get cabinets, I realise he was ABSOLUTELY right to do it this way, as it avoided any misunderstandings or complications until he KNEW what was in there. In the end, it turned out that a previous owner's addition to the back of the house had already beamed the span, resulting in TWO sets of supports for that ceiling and the roofline - all he had to do was reinforce it (didn't even need the metal flitch beam he'd originally suspected would be required). There was no way of knowing that until they got inside the walls and could really look at it. This is how the floorplan changed: original layout my first "final" design (keeping a chunk of wall and using it to build one side of a pantry) the final layout: And the almost finished kitchen (I've since replaced the table and we've added some more details, but this shows the layout). Despite the fact that I've historically preferred formal dining rooms, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the open layout. We never entertain formally, we have a young child, and in the event a future owner ever DID want a formal dining room they could transform the room we are using as a separated music studio and use that. So... we couldn't be happier. I agree that even if you hand off your job to a designer, stay invested in the details. I can't BELIEVE how well this job has come out. Sure, I took loooadddsss of advice from folks and needed tons of help (which I got from many sources, not least of which the amazingly generous and talented people in here who are directly responsible for many of the final layout ideas!), but it is MY kitchen. It works for us. There were very few "whoopsies". I mostly credit my wonderful GC with that, but I also suspect that the fact that I was VERY involved with it all and didn't just hand off a drawing and say "do that" really helped. It was a very collaborative project which not only means I got something that really works for us, but that communication stayed excellent and thus... fewer mistakes. Good luck with your remodel!

I'm no expert but I think only a tiny bar size sink can fit into that corner and I'm not sure how comfortable it would be to use that sink right next to the ovens. Maybe you can have a sink next to the cooktop and prep b/w the sink and the corner and use the corner to spread out. Although it's not ideal, it can work. In our summer house, my single sink is very close to the cooktop and I prep on the other side. Oh, I think I forgot to mention deedle's corner solution. I'm not sure if it can be convenient for the corner next to the ovens, but I believe it can be doable for the corner next to the main sink.

Sena I absolutely love the pantry idea. Right now our pantries are actually two closets 20" deep (I couldn't show it correctly in the planner) so that aisle is only 38" which is fine most days but when we have people over and they stand around the island it feels very crowded. I actually was planning on doing a beverage/wine fridge under the counter where the coffee bar is. When we are entertaining I thought it'd be nice to have a spot for the kids especially to grab drinks. I'm hoping to get a counter depth fridge because I really don't like how our current one stinks 9 inches into the isle. We are going to purchase a second fridge for the garage to make up for the lost space. I shop often enough that I think we'd be fine with counter depth. Do you think 33" is deep enough of an island to accommodate a sink? I love the idea of the prep sink on that wall... I just wasn't sure I'd have enough cabinets if I kept it and the window.

New proposed layout. I did a mock up in in the IKEA home planner but it will most likely use a local cabinet company.