Well wouldn't you know my luck...I have fallen in love with that Purple Chaise and Penney's website is saying it's not in stock (no future date given) Figures! I did find it on another website for the same price as Penney's but only in Pink. Look how cute it looked with the purple and a floor lamp I found on Ebay for only $54. So now I'm googling again. OR I could just get it in pink...hmmmm? THANKS for all your help everyone!

I think a sitting area would be sooo nice. I used to have a wing back chair in a corner of my kitchen which was very popular when we had guests. I kept a basket of decorating and gardening magazines next to it and a small table on the other side. Someone always left with a new idea or two for their own home. It was also a great place to sit and relax while waiting for water to boil or something to finish up in the oven. I am seriously considering putting another chair there, but I'm waiting until we put the new slider in and remodel the kitchen. I miss that sweet spot! : ) You could really personalize your "spot." Do it up in the colors and fabrics that make you feel the most comfortable. And a large picture window - lucky you - does it look out to a pretty view? If not, now's the time to create one. You know us "cottagers" will enable you into some lushish bloomers. : ) Diana

First pull out the chairs as if people were sitting there -- and THEN measure the space for the table and chairs .... And getting the larger rug MIGHT work better ..... For a VERY clear view of the possible size of the rug: Shift the table and chairs out of the area -- then open newspaper pages and create (with your measurements -- 5 x 7 or 8ft.; 6 x 9ft.) a fake "rug" -- Move the table and chairs back into the place -- and you'll see which size would be your best rug size!

Thank you all so much for your ideas! I think you managed to pin down just about every possibility. I've been taking the tape measure all over that area, and I think perhaps the 20 pounds of potatoes comment was right. Unfortunately, moving into the dining room doesn't really help, because it's the same length as the nook. I like the suggestion from @littlebug zone 5 Missouri to take out the peninsula, but because of the bump-out bay (2') and then the cabinets in the kitchen (2'), it wouldn't be wide enough for a table to fit lengthwise. I really like @grioux's suggestion to close off both the entrance door and outside door to the laundry room and the design by @laura_04 to put the W/D there with bifold doors and push back the bar area. I think this is my favorite idea...but I measured and the space just isn't there, unfortunately, with the exterior walls. That laundry wall is just barely 6 feet, with not even 3 feet of hallway, and only another 30 inches from the bar area, plus only 30 inches of depth from the laundry room. So the new spot for the table would measure roughly 11 feet wide by 10 feet deep. So that wouldn't be worth it, bummer. For the same reason, @Design Girl's good suggestion to move the laundry to the bar area wouldn't work because that wall is only 6' wide, so the table wouldn't fit even with the laundry room totally gone. I have to face facts and realize there's only two ways to expand that space: #1. Use a design like @laura_04's PLUS bump out the back of the house by 5 feet in both the bay area AND the laundry room, making the space both longer and wider and allowing some extra laundry functionality on that new wall. But as many people said, this just isn't an efficient use of money. It would cost a lot and be sort of weird if we ever sold the house, and we'd never get that money back compared to, say, updating the 1984-era kitchen. #2. Completely eliminate the pantry, laundry, and bar area. With all 3 gone, there would be enough room for the table lengthwise and to move traffic around it. But that's crazy too, because all that costly demo yields a space for the table about 14' lengthwise, which is only a foot of gain. Plus the cost of putting the pantry and laundry elsewhere. I ran all this by my DH and his solution: we can spin this out another year or two by moving my preschooler to the bench with the other 3 littlest kids. After that, we can turn the adjoining living room into a dining area, and since it's 25x13 we can put the leaf in and have the table be 9' long. Right now it's a library with a piano and fireplace and couches that my DH and I use to get away from the TV/kids. But 2 small club chairs next to the fire could work for that too. Leave it to a man to find a free solution, lol. (Kidding!) Here's my sketch, and thank you all for your help.