what architects article tells you to line stove up with sink? architects arent kitchen designers . so far you have a draftsman and a cabinet maker that are your team ..no real kitchen designer leaves people with undesirable finished results with many things that could have/should have been better.. Not that you can't "live with it" as you say...but its not like a pair of shoes.....you are spending thousands and all you can say is "I can live with it" Raise your expectations for the NEW SPACE in a NEW HOME where you should be achieving high end results for the outlay of time and capital.

Hi Vicki. It sounds like your draftsman didn’t have direction from you as you stated you asked him and he told you the cabinet maker. It sounds like when you took control of placement you were happier. Just the indication I got from the change in your writing style.

I’m not sure how to provide a suggestion without an image. If it’s possible for you to take paper and draw out what you’re identifying it would be most useful.

The article from the architect stating place the sink in front of stove was interesting. Remember your kitchen remodel or builds should reflect your life and how you utilize the space. I have had sinks in front of my stove and I love that setup. It works well for me. Lots of people talk about the triangle. That’s nice but it’s not always what people want or need. A lot of big name chefs don’t do the triangle. Some do some don’t. So what does that tell you. It’s all about you, not a rule. It’s should be viewed as a guide not a law.

Designers aren’t suppose to tell you what to do and how to live. They should be listening to what you need and what you want. And then help you see your vision. Not theirs. Designers have forgotten they work for the client and not the other way around. Far too often they want you to do too much so they can enter a competition or magazine or make a name for themselves or something. Things they never do in their own homes.

But there are still some that are there for you. suggestion suggestion; It sounds cheap but I suggest going to a big box store and get help for layout. It’s free and they do kitchens all the time: Home Depot, lowes, ikea, menards, online: cliq, sorry brain fart can’t recall anymore. But you get the idea. The Benifit is they can help you figure out what you want and make helpful suggestions an dprovide you a layout you can then take home and sleep on for a decision. For free.

Back to the lights. Sorry I digress. To get a sense of placement. Go to big box store or dollar store. They have hockey puck lights and tape. They are light weight. Place the lights how you’d like and location. tape to ceiling or wall depending on potential pendants or sconces. See how you like the lights. it’s cheap. It sounds crazy but it works for perspective. Some are quite bright. At most $30-$50 total investment. Just to get an idea. If you get the click kind you can use a broom to turn on and off. some have remotes. this also help So you can see light at night. how the light would work.

It’s a lot to take in but it sounds like you kinda know what you want and like. You just need some support and constructive criticism. If you provide measurements, I’ll quickly draw you up a simple layout on my designers program so you can better see and share with friends and family and get input from people that know you. That know what you like and dislike. Hope this helps. ( measurements would best serve if exact but for placement and to get a general idea, you can guesstimate.)