Bellsmom, We will not be wanting a table/chairs in the kitchen. A peninsula with bar stools will serve nicely for eating/homework etc while my husband or I are cooking. No kids yet, but in the near future after the kitchen and rest of the house gets done I imagine there will be a few ;) Dining room is more a formal style dining room for large gatherings. Just my husband and I doing the cooking. Groceries and trash will go out the back door I want to put on the remaining living room wall after the 24ft kitchen area. We dont do anything more than an average family would probably. We make dinner every night, but arent extravagant chefs by any means. No computer or tvs needed in the kitchen. Small appliance storage out of sight is a must for my large stand mixer, toaster, blender etc. I would also like to do a large vent hood over the range and not an over the range microwave. I like having my microwave at a more useable height, counter height is what I'm thinking. I will try and add some pictures of the mantles etc for style reference later. On my way to the kitchen planner appt.

The biggest problem with the original space was the lack of countertop/work space. Moving the refrigerator will definitely help. I'm guessing you'll add a dishwasher too? Maybe a mini (24") so you can also have a narrow cabinet for baking sheets or a pull-out spice rack. Looks like you might have room across from the kitchen on the opposite wall for a 12 in deep floor to ceiling pantry, the width of the kitchen for extra storage. And a small rolling cart with a butcher block top could be stored by the window, but brought out into the center for an extra work area. Depends on how much you need to store, and how much you cook. If you're in New York or something and don't cook much. I'd keep things pretty minimal.

The futon needs to go. And I wouldn't add more chairs. When you have occasional guests, use the dining chairs. Or maybe you have a chair in the bedroom that you can bring in. We really need measurements of the space to make decent recommendations on placement of furniture. You can see the space but it's very difficult for us work from photos. I have some ideas but don't know if they would work e.g. could the cabinet go where the couch is now, i.e. facing the wall where the futon is now. I really like the fish tanks but you're not showing them to best advantage. They would look better together and I think the only place that works is on the cabinet (wherever that ends up in your plan). Put them straight, not angled - they look oddly tippy at an angle. Find a drawer or pretty box/basket to put the fish food etc. so the attention is on the fish, not on those not-that-attractive items. Put a wall shelf or hooks or wall-hung basket near your front door so keys etc are not cluttering the space. The lights around the window and wall are not attractive. Sorry but a bit teenage. I'd remove them Your green couch should go where your futon is now. Now as far as your wall art. I'll assume you want to work with what you have. Your largest pieces of art work should go on the couch wall which is now bare. Probably you need to put 2 pieces side by side, because their combined width should be about 2/3 of the width of the sofa. Maybe the ones on the refrigerator wall, or the piece that is now over the fish tank? The bottom should be hung about 6-10" above the back of the sofa. Once you have decided where the rest of the furniture goes, come back and we'll help you with the rest of the art. Your art is hung too high. The middle of any "arrangement" should be 60" from the floor, unless it's over a piece of furniture that makes this impossible. Your arrangements are also spaced too far apart. Small walls, like those on either side of your window, usually look better without anything, and the art concentrated on larger walls.

Ok guys you were all so helpful before. What do you think of the new layout? We ended up moving the stove back to its own wall and putting larger (24”) counters and cabinets on either side. I may splurge and do a stove alcove type thing. Waiting on pricing to see what if it’s feasible. I am coming to terms with having to get rid of my dining room furniture. 😬😂 I am still hopeful that, while I may have to get rid of my pink velvet loveseat I bought just for this - I hope I can find a place for at least a larger comfy chair. I really want some soft seating for Sunday coffee and newspaper. I don’t want anything in the island and would prefer it to be more of a work table with an open bottom. I know that I would get a better layout if I would budge on that but I won’t. So knowing that the island is off limits for storage and fixtures how does this look? What am I missing? (Note that the island is not to scale. I had to add it in with my iphone. There will be at least 42” - in most places 48” around the island. Only two small stools that will fit under the island.)