I don't usually see the need to swap out a fridge for a CD model. If it sticks out and cuts into a walk way I'd do it if I could financially. I would allow extra inches around it (even if a filler is needed) in case a future fridge is wider. the corners - I agree with rhome on being consistent with whichever type you use. I do think the diagonal corners cut into your space - makes it much more difficult to reach into those corners! The upper diagonals put the cab door smack in your face and give too deep of storage- where things are lost in the back. alternate upper corner cabinet - the pantry - I think it's fine and space like that can always be used. you can use the different doors/shelf areas to separate types of items - like canned goods in one, breakfast and other dry goods in another, 1 for baking supplies, 1 for snack items/juice/soda and /or water bottles. Unless you have a definite need for a counter space closer to the dining area I'd keep it as is. I don't think it's too big. doorways - foyer - I don't see the need for a wider doorway there (am I missing something?). will there be a closet in the foyer? DR/LR doorway - that might be a good idea to check out. make sure your table will fit thru the doorway w/seating also. or you might just set up another table in the LR lined up with the doorway. We did that at my sister's for holidays - there was a large archway between her eating area and her LR so we put another table in her LR running up to the archway so both tables were close together. It was a 'T' arrangement. base cabinets - drawers, drawers and more drawers!! why so few drawers? it looks like it'll be a big, beautiful kitchen with lots of cabinets and counter space! I'd put in more lower drawers tho.

Oh, this! ^^^^^^ That looks lovely. I don't think it needs to be centered. That looks great. As an alternative, you could build a hood that covers that entire short wall and then just place the working parts (fan, ducts) over the range. That may look better or worse but something you might play with. A lot of the kitchens revealed here have lack of symmetry because they achieve better function without it. Or they find a creative way to balance the lack of symmetry as you have with your utensil crock. A tall, narrow painting would look good there as well if you decide to go with a simpler backsplash although that might be too-too much on the wall if you go with a decorative tile-insert. I'm a window person. Even if the view is questionable, I'd go for bigger windows. The more natural light, the better, imho. Maybe install some kind of trellis to hide the hot-tubbers? For the first time in my life, I have no uppers and my seasonings/oils/sauces are in drawers next to my range. I just bought a couple of cheap spice inserts at the hardware store and a few cheap drawer organizers (plastic boxes) at The Dollar Store. Oh, I love it so much. I can open the drawers and find everything I need at a glance rather than digging through the upper cabinet. As I said, my fridge placement doesn't bother me either due to the pit-stop at the prep area. I hope you find the same with your mock cooking sessions. I like this plan so much better than how it originally started. I hope you feel good about what you've achieved.

Those aisles are very narrow, but with such a challenging space maybe the rules have to be overlooked. The kitchen aisles in my older home are similar, although the appliances are arranged so that it works better. I was working on a variation of the above plan, without altering the pantry (1)--bengiesbride's plan has emboldened me ;), so I'll post it. The work area can be flipped, so that the DW opens into the long aisle (1a), but in that plan the dishes could not be loaded directly to the upper cabinet. If the trash and DW are flipped (1b), the DW can be unloaded to the upper cabinet to the right, and there is a little more prep space, but the DW is in the prep space. The sink is more centered on the window in that plan. Plan 2 uses bengiesbride's suggestion of removing the walk-in pantry, but instead of the one-wall kitchen, I drew a peninsula with a backsplash to contain splashes, and the built in seating the OP mentioned. The pantry is recessed into the long wall, protruding 6" into the kitchen--if it can't be reframed with a header, you can work around individual studs. I have a similar pantry in my kitchen, only 6" deep. It's more work initially, but it holds a lot of canned goods and boxes. Click to enlarge New to Kitchens? Read me first. NKBA guidelines Cindyandmocha's pantry--scroll down in this thread for more info. ETA, another 'out of the box' idea. The shallow cabinet could have by-pass doors to hide the folded table, and it would add extra storage for canned goods or hanging utensils a la Julia Child.

From a countertop fabricator/installer's point of view. If you add new countertops to the existing cabinets, no problem there. The potential issues arise if and when you decide to get all new cabinets and want to use the new countertops. You'll have to get the same fabricator to remove the tops from your original cabinets and then re-install them unto the new cabinets. Other fabricators will not want to take this on as it is fraught with issues. We get asked all the time to do this and we always politely decline. Material breaks, sizing can be off on the new cabinets compared to the original. You would have to keep the cabinet footprint exactly the same and hope it all re-installs perfectly. More often than not homeowners who have done this wind up buying all new countertops, thus doubling your cost for this one portion of your project. Best of luck with your project.