Hi there - our house flooded from a frozen burst pipe (3 days after I returned home after weeks of my beloved dad in the ICU and ultimately passing away) so we got an unexpected remodel on our hands.

I would appreciate advice on flow, function, and of course, how to make it GORGEOUS!

Mission/Vision: A gorgeous kitchen that makes you say wow when you see it AND is easy to use/functional for our every day use. Light and Airy with a luxury feel. A kitchen that just feels right when you look at it and invokes a space of gathering, great conversation, and an invitation to make something yummy to eat or have a warm beverage in hand. The cabinets create a soothing foundation and the hardware and light fixtures are the jewels of the kitchen. The barstools and breakfast nook provide comfort for people to sit leisurely and comfortably.

Height: 9' ceilings

Size: 22'x13' with 13' opening between kitchen and living room

People: 2.5 people space (husband, me, bonus 10yo daughter who is with us half-time). 1 cook, 1 helper at a time.

Use: We cook 1-2 times a week. We like to entertain more casually (e.g. I like to prep things and have them set out so people can enjoy and graze). I host retreats at my house which have a chef and she would use the kitchen and then we would eat formally in the dining room. Would like our daughter to do her homework at the island as she gets older.

Flexibility: Right now, we can do anything because the kitchen is gutted!

Desires: Beverage Station (we do lots of tea, coffee, sparkling water). Counters to be as clutter-free as possible. I love a large island. Work zones need to make sense because I like efficiency and a good flow to things.

Appliances:

• GE Cafe Series Matte White Fridge - 36" counter depth
• Will buy the GE Cafe Series Matte White oven too (debating between 30" or 36" for aesthetic only - not function since we don't cook a lot)
• 24" Bosch dishwasher stainless steel
• Hide a microwave in a pantry cabinet/appliance garage. The appliance garage will also have the air fryer, Blender, and Ninja air fryer.

Pantry: We have a walk-in pantry in the kitchen under the stairs that fits our family needs. Would like pantry cabinet to double as a appliance garage as mentioned above.

Desired Style: Transitional/Coastal Glam. White shaker cabs in the back. White Oak Island. Quartz counters. Glass cabs possibly sprinkled throughout. Matte white Cafe series fridge and oven. Hardware - champagne bronze.

Pics Attached:

1. Floorplan of home (not drawn to scale but couldn't find an easy program to make it online)
2. Layout of Kitchen specifically - what size uppers should we do since this is custom? I was considering doing 48" tall uppers so there isn't a break in the cabinets and also to avoid almost 1' of molding.

TIA (Thanks in advance)!

p.s. for the life of me, I can't find the post that gives direction on what to include in our post so I hope I covered everything! If someone kindly sends me the link, I can edit the post to include more information. -- got the post and have updated accordingly! will keep adding as I get more questions.