Thank you for your comments. I thought I'd share a change of layout plans that I'm pondering considering I didn't like either option with sink in the bay window/dishwasher layout. Spoke to the contractor and we think it's easier to leave the sink where it is, widen the window above it to be the pass thru awning window, widen the current U shape, leave the bay window as is and the 'eat in' kitchen table area. So I'll be down a dining room but that's ok, it's only a few times per year MAYBE that I entertain and need more space. I can put up a temporary dining table elsewhere (or switch over the den to dining room in the future) or make that circular table an extendable to an oval one. I may add a built in bench to the bay window now or down the road. In this layout, it's a little awkward as to what to put in the niche where the pantry is in my drawing below. It's not full height in there and it's currently where I have a sideboard but with my dining room no longer being there after the reno, it should be something else. Pantry cupboards, maybe a little desk with open shelves above? maybe a beverage/coffee station with mini fridge. I know it's a little awkward having the pantry outside the kitchen. That's the only thing that bugs me about this layout. Other option is to put the pantry to the right of the fridge. In my current kitchen this is where there is a desk and open upper shelves that definitely needs to go. It's where all the 'junk' goes like recipe books, telephone, pet food, meds, etc. so I'm drawn to putting lowers and uppers there to hide all the stuff. But it also makes sense to make this the pantry area so it's more accessible than having to walk around the penisula when prepping. So that's the dilemma/question...where to put the pantry. And what to use that niche for. Note, that niche does have a direct sightline to front door so people will see it when they walk in the front door. The area by fridge is hidden from view facing back of house Thanks in advance.

Hot Rod, I know they usually do much better work than this, so I hate to be so picky regarding the trim pieces. Maybe there are reasons why. I hope to see him on Monday. On Friday, one of his cows was in labor and died. He had to cut the calf out, but it died too. He lost a lot of money that day with the animals' deaths. No drugs for him, he is just busy. Ranching is tough work, and doesn't pay well, but we consumers need small ranches to stay in business or the big corporations take over ranch land and increase prices. When the cabinet maker made his own floor trim for my kitchen 7-8 years ago, we noticed a year later than one small side cabinet never had trim installed. We could not match it of course. When I mentioned it to the cabinet maker last week, he made the trim, stained it, and installed it free. After 7-8 years! Oklahoma just voted to let medical marijuana be legal a few months ago. You should try teaching small children whose parents use or did use drugs. I will say though, that teaching a child with fetal alcohol syndrome is much more difficult than teaching a child who was born addicted to cocaine or any other drug...and alcohol is legal! mmmm12COzone5, I think if I was building a new house, there wouldn't be much of a problem. It is just remodeling, and we have to do it in stages. Too small of a job for most contractors. I can understand that, but I can't even get a plumber to call me back. I called 15 last Monday who have advertised online or who were in the Yellow Pages or on BBB website. Lumber yards gave me 3 names. Not one called back. I had explained the job I needed done when I left the message. All of them are within a 40 mile radius from my home. I guess I will have to look for handy-man type people or learn to do it myself. I am a retired teacher, but my husband is still working and driving 1.5 hrs one way to work every day, so he doesn't have much time. But, it is what it is and we live where we live! At this point, I just need to learn to DIY...myself. I know what you mean about low expectations. I am sorry you are having trouble as well. You cannot trust their references. Due diligence does not always pay off. We went through 6-8 electricians before I found one that was exceptional. When I called him the other day, he has moved. He said, "I was sick of all the drugged up, deadbeat, rednecks in this area who didn't want to pay what I had estimated." So, it goes both ways...contractors have trouble getting paid here! Maybe it is like all the uninsured people who go to hospitals and don't pay, so it winds up costing the insurance companies more so they raise my premiums. I never took the lowest bid when we were first looking for contractors in 2011, but I may as well have. My roofing installers had to have seen problems in the roof edges, but they never mentioned it. They just put new shingles on. We found nails in our pool, on the deck, in the landscaping, and in the yard for months. My siding people told me about the problems AFTER he had completed the demo, and AFTER he had installed 3/4 of the siding. So the additional cost was $8000.00 over the $38,000.00 originally bid. I understand that they had to replace about 10 ft of fascia and that parts of the old soffits had no plywood at all under the old siding, but geez, tell me sooner. He was lucky I had money set aside for something else which was my upstairs bathroom and upstairs remodel. So now, I have less money and will reuse the carpet, tub, tub surround, wood countertop and old stained trim upstairs. I had assumed it was just my rural area that caused them problems. Maybe jobs are scarce so some people say they are contractors, but are really just untrained handy-men who need money. I didn't realize that bigger cities than my little town had the same problems. Really, I can't call my town a town... Wdccruise, he said he would take care of it so I can only hope. He is really a nice guy so I think he will. I just hope taking it apart doesn't weaken it. Here is a picture of the roll top doors he made for an enormous, big screen, projection TV, entertainment center in the master bedroom years ago. He said it was in 1980, so they are 40 years old and still work well. He built the 4 large cabinet doors the other day, so they are new. There were huge speaker niches that didn't have any doors. We put adjustable shelves in them when we moved in. We stuck a desk where the projection TV was, but will probably have him add cabinets to the desk section for a TV and other electronics. It is hard to believe it is 40 years old until you seen the popcorn ceiling, gold knobs, and the pink half bath. The bedroom and the great room/kitchen wood floor will be done after all bathrooms are finished, IF I can ever find a plumber to move the plumbing in the concrete. So, does anyone know the size and length of the nails I should use on the trim?

You don't really need a coffee table, since you have the side tables. Just tuck a c table under the side of the couch where there is none. That should free up some space. Since you want to put a unit where the chairs are, the chairs will have to be relocated. Even with your two couches and chairs, you only have eight seats. Add more with poofs or ottomans. Relocate the two chairs in front of the fireplace (with their backs to the fireplace). Or as suggested, move the couch that's in front of the window to face the other couch. Then the chairs can go in front of the window. I agree with art going around the tv.

I agree that curtains are making the situation worse. They look pretty bad hung as they are, too low and too wide. Even if you raise them above the window, which would be better, but even then, they highlight the fact that the rod is not centered on the arch. I'd use just a shade the same color as wall (once it's painted the ceiling color). Then move the TV over to center of the blank wall.