I was never watched by a hawkish mother when I was a child, but I spent time quietly in my bedroom or else outdoors (in central Texas) and no one really paid that much attention to what I was doing. However, I grew up on a very large farm, and the nearest neighbor was almost a mile away. I guess it is different for children growing up in cities (I always wanted to live in a city as a child) or in cold climates where people spend more time cooped up indoors. I like for the kitchen to be a separate space, and when I used to prepare Thanksgiving dinner at a friend's condo in Redondo Beach (Wife had to work on that day), I found it particularly annoying that the husband would want to watch football on the TV, and I had to listen to it. I HATE the sound of football crowds and told him that if he want TG dinner, he would have to keep the TV quiet while I was working in the kitchen. Of course if I could have closed a door and had separate music in the kitchen, that would not have been an issue. I like the Bauhaus architecture of the 1930s that had somewhat open floor plans, but there was still enough separation that one did not feel like one was in a barn, and the separate spaces had interesting relations with each other. I once lived in a commune (in the early 1970s) in San Francisco in a converted storefront that was mainly one huge room (It has been a dance studio before), and while the cavernous space was great for parties, it was not so good for anything else, and privacy became an issue. I think if open floor plans are thoughtfully done, like Mies van der Rohe, they can be nice, but if they are open space just for the sake of open space, then they can lack character and intimacy. I lived in several flats in San Francisco that had double pocket doors between rooms so that space could be make more open or more private, as needed. I've seen houses in Palm Springs that made good use of open space while also providing intimacy, but it takes a competent architect to achieve this.

That's interesting. I'm very, lets put it bluntly, dumb in technical things. I'm bad with plans-I need to render for myself, 3 D and all. I don't have a great spatial thinking. When people on Kitchens forum or Building forum read complicated plans in a matter of minutes, and have suggestions in a matter of minutes-I look at them like they're Wizards of Oz or something. My husband is an engineer. He's amazing with maps and plans and his spatial thinking is great. He enjoys reading plans. It's like an art to him, gives him pleasure. (his degree is not in engineering though..PhD in Physics. Out of all sciences out there, physics is beyond my comprehension the most. My school B grade in physics doesn't even start to reflect the true level of my dumbness) Yet I-somehow-just know. Often better and sooner than him. I look at the family..I know everybody..I somehow translate needs and relationship between people into this spatial thing, a plan. Everybody should be considered. Needs (that change) should be anticipated, to the best of my ability, and considered. An example-that's my second marriage. Our first place in CA was bought to accommodate my kids into this new situation to make the transition as easy as possible. So I passed on a pretty magnificent foreclosure with the view and all (it was 2010..buyers' market lets put it this way) because it had this one big open space for a great room. And went for a more expensive house -less posh, in terms of finishes and all, no view except for the pool-that had this amazing layout..three rooms downstairs, some seen right away fully, some in the back, with the kitchen open to two of them but not seen..second floor had this bridge-hallway..enough distance between the master and kids' rooms and bath.. I had no idea how successful it will be..the relationship. Yet it was paramount to me to make it work ..and right layout would make it a tad easier..with a stepdad and everybody's figuring out themselves in this new family. Give togetherness but give separation. Would't add pressure would take some of it off. It was just a drop of water in the sea of course..my DH did a miracle, the relationship between the kids and him is much much more I ever hoped for. But it was a right drop of water in the right time. Similar with the new place-I already knew the semi open plan works the best..was less worried about relationships, being too close, too distant, since we were already a good family..but: we had to plan for MIL joining us. So. Adding bathrooms-paramount. figuring out where TV goes. figuring out who gets each bedroom. Swiping the doors in her room to a window-more space for furniture for her, more privacy for our master that also has doors outside. Etc, etc. I'm not sure whether it's helpful or not, me describing it. Just trying to analyze how I'm able to see it. I start with people.

Looks good to me but it's the kind of thing that you need to see in person to really judge. I agree that it all looks very balanced in your photos - good job! Can we talk about accent color? You had said yours was red. Was that chosen because of the red couch? Other than the couch, your red items are fairly small. The accent color should be 10% of the room and, for example, the dining room has the vase and salt shakers, but that's too little. If you are going to buy anything (e.g. a rug), will you buy it in red because you love it, or will 10% red in the room feel overpowering? Honestly, red is my least favorite accent color. It's not a relaxing color, which is why I am wondering about your choosing it. YMMV but I prefer quieter, peaceful vibe in an accent color. Green is always attractive, and you already have the large green plant. Blue is the classic calming color, and I see it in the beautiful color of the frame around the beach picture. That would be a great inspiration for a new accent color. Changing the color of some accessories can be as easy as spray paint. Or pillow covers, even a beautiful scarf tied around a pillow.

I think this is a real puzzle. I too don't know the answers. I just have more thoughts. I know you asked about your kitchen but you whole apartment could work better. Since you really only need a half bath on the main floor for guests, I would take over some or all of that bath to expand your master bath and closet. Close the door to give you more wall space and change the access door to your bedroom. The laundry could be part of that or moved to the old kitchen location or the half bath could move to the old kitchen spot. You could also leave the toilet, vanity and door there for the half bath and just expand to the area where the tub is. You say it's just 2 of you and a dog now but hope for a little one. Since your storage space in the lofted space is over the main bath I would add a full bath above it. The small bedroom there could be an ensuite. Good for guests now and a child later. You have an awful lot of seating for 2 people. How often do you need dining for 10+? would the space dedicated to it be better used for something else? Look for a small table that could expand and shorten the island. When space is limited how it functions is even more important. If you entertain a lot maybe the kitchen is most important.