Yes, entry is movable, too, it's kind of nice at this point that everything is mainly on paper. I'm sure I'll feel a lot more panicky/tied-down once we actually start (hopefully 1st week of March). And thanks for the ideas. I don't think I actually want a message center, I thought about it but DH and I are thinking it will be more a magnet for clutter than useful to us. We have a full study/den downstairs (next to the foyer) which is where computers and bills and the like go. I'm thinking of putting the kitchen phone at the end of the buffet (end closest to kitchen) and maybe using a drawer there to hold a phone book or message pad or the like. But I don't think I want more than that. That said, though, it is interesting to think that the space could be expanded that direction for whatever we end up using it for. I guess I should double-check with the architect, though, it may be that little short wall is load bearing - that's the top edge of our existing house, and I know the columns (square dots in the buffet) are load bearing, so maybe it has to stay? Or at least would be expensive to move. I was reading another thread where someone posted about the various work zones and the way things should flow and thinking that my latest proposal, a few pictures up, might actually be pretty functional. With zones near each other and ideally going around the kitchen so you don't interfere. They talked about incoming/storage, where we could put grocery bags on the island and then store into fridge and pantry. Then next is prep, where food comes out of those and onto the island near the prep sink. Then cooking, where we go to the range and ovens. Finally I think was clean-up, where we move on over to sink and dishwasher. Anyway, made me happy to think that at least I'm not thinking things that are completely dysfunctional :-)

What are your setback laws in the town? That may affect your plans. Also be sure that your town will allow construction of a carport - around here that is not allowed any more. You have a charming ranch. Love the color of the house and the shutters - have you ever considered a different color for the front door? Something with a little more color impact could be very pretty, and make the entry feel cheerier. See the color of the kid's Jeep that is parked on the right side? Think how fun that would be for the front door! Since you said you don't want to pour another drive, I am assuming you are putting the carport in front of the family room/old garage. I would be sure that the roof line matches that of the house. I would take the shutters off the windows there, so they look like inside windows rather than outside. I would paint the door either the color of the brick or the white (cream?) color of the trim- whatever you are going to paint the supports of the carport. I would also be sure you put some kind of pot lights (outdoor rated, of course) in the ceiling of the carport. The family room is going to lose a lot of light once that goes in, and having the lighting will allow you to not feel like that side of the room indoors is in shadow. Be sure you cut back your bushes, too. You don't want the house to seem hidden, which having the carport in front and all the bulk of the green bushes at the entry may do. Add pots of colorful flowers on either side of the entry to also draw your eye there. Where are you located? I know around here (Chicago area) a carport wouldn't offer much protection for cars from anything, except perhaps some sun. But for us, since our cars are parked most days at work without protection from the sun, that wouldn't mean much for us, either.

One of the biggest problems with this Kitchen (per the original post) is that all three primary work zones are crammed into a small part of the Kitchen with a lot of space outside these zones with no real purpose - that's why I call it "wasted". There are three primary work zones in a Kitchen: Prep Zone...where food is prepared and includes a water source, the trash pullout, and a bare minimum of 36" of counterspace - 42" is much, much better. This task is where the most work and time are spent in the Kitchen: 70% or more. Because this is the most used zone, it should have the best location - view, etc. Cooking Zone...where food is cooked and includes the range/cooktop and, if possible, oven(s). Activities include actually watching food cook, stirring, adding ingredients, putting something in the oven, etc. This is where the least work/time is spent: 10% Cleanup Zone...where dish cleanup takes place and includes a water source and the DW. Activities include clearing the table and counters, wiping down the table and counters, handwashing the few items that are handwashed, loading/unloading the DW. Depending on how much you handwash, 20% or less of the work/time spent in the Kitchen is spent cleaning up. Dish storage should be in this zone. It should be separated from the Prep and Cooking Zones so there is little or no zone-crossing (see below). Ideally, it should be located near the primary eating area. Other info: The Prep Zone and Cooking Zone should either be next to each other or across from each other with an aisle of at least 42" (for a one-person Kitchen). If more than one person will be working in the Kitchen at the same time, then the aisle should be a minimum of 48". I would not have an aisle much wider than that, personally. There should be no traffic through the Cooking Zone - this is the zone that should be the most protected b/c of the presence of the range/cooktop and working with hot food, etc. The Cleanup Zone should be separated from the other two zones with it's own workspace. Ideally, the trash pullout that's in the Prep Zone should be accessible to the Cleanup Zone, but some people just put in a small trash can under the cleanup sink or put a small trash pullout next to the cleanup sink instead. If there is only one sink in the Kitchen, then the sink acts as the separator - the Cleanup Zone is the side with the DW and the Prep Zone is the side without the DW but with the trash pullout. You need the most workspace for the Prep Zone, but it would be nice to have at least 36" in the Cleanup Zone as well for stacking dirty dishes. Aisles are measured to/from the items that stick out into the aisle the farthest - whether that's a counter edge, appliance/appliance handle, or something else. They are not measured cabinet-to-cabinet - which is how your layout appears to be measuring (that's not your fault - most GCs and many KDs make this mistake for whatever reason.) Placing the Cleanup Zone in the island puts your dirty dishes "front and center" and on display for all to see - is that what you want? In addition, it puts dirty dishes "in the face" of anyone sitting at the island - not pleasant from a visitor's point of view. In a small Kitchen, this sometimes cannot be avoided, but that is not the case in your Kitchen - it's plenty big enough to avoid this pitfall! I'd much rather see a prep sink in the island and the Cleanup Zone on the perimeter where the dirty dishes are not so prominent. The trash pullout should be in the Prep Zone b/c the majority of trash & recyclables are generated when preparing and cooking a meal. Ideally it should also, first, be near the Cooking Zone and, second, accessible from the Cleanup Zone. The refrigerator and MW should be on the periphery of the Kitchen so snackers can use them without getting in the way of those preparing and/or cooking a meal. The refrigerator should also be near the primary eating location - whether that's a Nook or a Dining Room. Thee should be no zone-crossing - i.e., you should not have to pass through the Cleanup Zone to go b/w the Prep & Cooking Zone or to/from the refrigerator and Prep & Cooking Zones. Sometimes it's not possible to eliminate all zone-crossing, but it should be minimized. The most important one to avoid is having the Cleanup Zone b/w the Prep and Cooking Zones. The island should not be a "barrier island". I.e., you should not have to go around the island to get to the refrigerator from the Prep or Cooking Zones and you should not have to go around the island to/from the Prep Zone and Cooking Zone. Island...I would not put cabinets under the overhang much deeper than 15". Accessing cabinets under an overhang - any overhang - is not easy. Yes, this is complicated by the fact that the minimum recommended seating overhang for counter-height seating is 15" of clear leg/knee space, but even a skimpy 12" is an issue. (Just so you know, 24" deep cabinets under any overhang will be almost impossible to use.) In addition, I would put pullouts facing the sides of the island with other cabinets b/w them under the overhang. This helps minimize the issue with the overhang. Seating recommendations... -- Overhang: Minimum 15" for counter-height, 12" for bar-height, 18" for table-height -- Linear spacing: Minimum 24" per seat for counter-height & bar-height, 30" for table-height (30" is a relatively new recommendation)

You have it. "Evaporator" refers to the inside heat exchanger in a dedicated cooling device commonly called "air conditioning" or "air conditioner". The pressurized liquid evaporates inside it cooling it. Outside is commonly called the condenser because the hot, compressed gas coolant is cooled turning it into a hot liquid then a cool liquid. If we are talking a heat pump, the positions are reversed in heating mode so there is sometimes confusion. I would not worry about an outside unit with respect to dust. You might need to put a regular cleaning routine in place that the average homeowner does not, especially if it is under cover where rain does not reach it. I don't really have the experience to say one way or another, but the cleaning should be relatively easy. Given my personal experience, I would not put a mini split indoor unit in a dusty environment unless the installer would say that it is not a problem and refund your money or install something else if you find it clogging up. I am sure that the YouTube mini split cleaning vids have proliferated since I took up the problem and I have not reviewed the situation for a year or three. They should be worth a look, but beware that if some look much easier than others, they may not be doing a complete job. My feeling is that it is best to keep up with the buildup and it may prevent the need to do more complete dismantling, but I don't know for sure.