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.

I was busy sketching up ideas so I missed your latest post. Despite the downside of losing the lovely cathedral ceiling (in the screen porch area?), I think both ideas are worth considering. Here's why: it addresses your need of a mudroom where you need it. Plan B gives you even more: a powder room separate from the laundry room close to the exterior doors so no need for kiddies to strip muddy/wet clothing to use the bathroom (because you know they'll realize they need to go the minute they have just splashed in a mud puddle =) ). Plan A does not mess with foundation footprint or roofing. It will, however, require a beam to span the distance since you're removing a load-bearing wall. Ditto for Plan B. I enclosed the screen porch for a much needed mudroom. I moved the doorway between mudroom and kitchen towards the exterior wall and made it a pocket door (you can switch to swing door if a pocket door won't work). Moving this doorway gave me a long enough wall to fit a banquette bench. You can seat 4 on a daily basis, comfortably seat 6 when needed and in a pinch, seat up to 8 (perfect for hosting kid birthday/sports parties). I added another window on the top wall and centered the sink on the windows. I moved the fridge to the far right so that you have Ice-Water-Stone-Fire set-up (fridge-sink-counter-range is the typical path for making a meal). It also puts the fridge closest to the table for quick trips to grab milk, ketchup, etc. I MOL centered a 36" range on the far left wall with decent sections of counter on each side of it. I removed the wall between kitchen and FR to include a large island, big enough to seat 3. I didn't add a prep sink to it but it's large enough to include one, giving you an additional prep area. The island is large enough for 3 seats. I placed it so that there will be 7" from the seating overhang to where the hallway currently is. Couldn't tell how wide the hallway is but even if it's only 36" between wall and stairway, you'd have 43" between seating and stairway so you should be okay (NKBA recommends 44" aisles behind seating). If it's a 42" hallway, even better. I flipped the entry closet 90 degrees and stuck a walk-in pantry on its backside. I kept the hallway between front door and kitchen. Pantry isn't in the most convenient location but it was the only place I could figure adding one that didn't require major changes.Plan B encloses and enlarges the screened in porch.Biggest changes first. I moved the powder room and laundry room to the new, enlarged space between garage and house. This gives you a powder room that does not share the same space as the W/D. I tucked the W/D and laundry space behind the powder room so that the mess is out of view. The shared, long wall between garage and laundry/mud room is dedicated to storage for shoes, backpacks (school days will be here before you know it), coats, etc. I kept the pocket door and banquette bench as it was in Plan A. I kept your closet and hallway between front door and kitchen as you currently have it. I moved a Butler's Pantry and walk-in pantry into the old bathroom/laundry area. This gives you a much better flow from kitchen to DR, plus lots of storage. I swapped out the L with island kitchen plan for a galley style lay-out with one wall and island. I shifted the existing window to the right and added another to flank the 36" range (forgot to label that, oops). The island contains the sink and DW plus additional storage and room for 4 seats at the counter. Since you're considering dreaming and spending big, this lay-out may be within reach. And IMO, it fixes an issue I see that perhaps hasn't occurred to you. It also has a good flow between spaces. IMO, of course. =) A contractor and/or designer and/or architect should be able to address how to keep as much of the charm of the vaulted wood ceiling in the screened porch area.

Yes but its not just the desired look. If cost is not a factor, anything is possible. But if you have not done a lot of remodeling, you may not be aware of all the associated costs with changing all this. The ceiling, the lighting, framing out the window and wall, matching and replacing the existing exterior. While maintaining the exterior design balance. Moving plumbing, gas and electrical. Your house was built for this kitchen so everything you are considering has major expense to change. You might be better off as far as function and design to bump out the back and redo the whole thing.

What you have looks really good. Unless some part of it is in bad shape not visible in the pic, twice about making major changes for visual decor purposes only. Stainless steel appliances and white appliances are both classic. Either would work --- consider your sink as you decide. Personally prefer a "hidden" stove hood in a small kitchen. The visible metal vent hoods can easily overpower a relatively small space such as yours. Since anything painted will, inevitably, need to be repainted and can look awful as it gets to that point, and since wood is a classic look -- and yours look good -- IF you truly want to paint, do at least consider painting ONLY the base cabinet of the island to add the color you want and leave the other cabinets wood. Another option for the island ... You could remove the doors on the base cabinet (wrap and store them in the back of a closet or in an under/bed container) rather than painting them, as is, to change the visual of the island and change the wood look of the base itself. -- You could add tongue and groove vertical paneling look (even comes in peel'Nstick). and/or ... You could make the island/bar more rustic and/or ... You could add another board for more bar seating along with a foot rail. You could paint the metal bar chair(s), too. ... IF you change the island to be a different wood such as vertical tongue and groove, you could do the same over the stove hood, too. Do consider both the wall color and the island base color as you decide what, IF anything, you want to repaint so the new colors work well together -- perhaps two shades of the same color. You might consider some new decorative items and colors for the items hung on the wall above the upper cabinets. While I like what you have, if you're wanting a change and more color, the rectangles above the overhead cabinets likely could be painted. IF they are only frame -- not a solid piece -- you might consider creating a pair of faux windows (since it appears you don't have one). While this first link for one is sized for a doll house, the idea would work -- with the right poster behind window frames, you could have windows that appear to be overlooking tree tops and sky: https://www.etsy.com/listing/914038663/dollhouse-faux-window-self-adhesive-sky?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=faux+window&ref=sr_gallery-1-21> Are the niches in the backsplash pass thru windows to a dining area? Really like that look. A pair of overhead faux windows the same sizes could work well https://www.etsy.com/market/faux_window or, if you need more light, you might consider a faux skylight. https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/decorative-ceiling-light-panels/tunable-white-led-skylight-w-summer-skylens-diffuser-2x4-dimmable-led-panel-light-drop-ceiling/5201/12057/?utm_campaign=Child+-+Organic+Shopping&utm_source=Industrial+%26+Commercial+LED+Lighting+%3E+LED+Skylights&utm_medium=EGD-C5-TWR24-72-JBK&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2qeL7ue58gIVFQnnCh3zhQ09EAQYCCABEgKAq_D_BwE