Le Creuset all the way! They last a lifetime (mom has one that's over 45 years old!) and go from stove top to oven to table. I don't know what I would do without mine. You can get them in just about any color and size imaginable. they are $$$, but worth IMO...but they also have outlets! http://www.outletbound.com/ I couldn't get the link to work, sorry!

Thank you all so much for the input. I really like the thought of artisan-created pieces so I think what I will do is delay purchasing any serving dishes until we go out to Santa Fe this fall. I have a feeling I'm going to find tons of things I want to bring home with me (although this is a hiking holiday, not a shopping trip), but this will give me something definite to hone in on and if I don't find anything, I can always continue the search back home.

For goodness sake, if you want crackers, put them on the table and just get on with enjoying your dinner and the fact that you are enjoying it with others, if that is what you are planning on doing. Life is much too short and too serious to worry about the lack of formality associated with crackers. Just enjoy. No one is going to talk about you behind your back because of it. If it concerns you still, buy some more fancy crackers rather than just saltines. Put them in a fancy bowl and just get on the enjoyment of eating and sharing. Over these last few years, before Covid, I have encountered so many buffet tables at events where there was not even bread or crackers to have with the other tidbits. So many people have declared that they eat no gluten. I got to where I would either bring the bread for the table or bring my own small stash of crackers or bread. Bread has taken a bad rap over the last few years. It is my opinion that much of that is not really warranted. Who wants to eat hunks of cheese all by itself? Not I. Just don't crush the crackers into the bowls before serving. Surely not. Breaking bread or crackers into your bowl is a personal thing to be customized.

@mama goose_gw zn6OH, @anj_p, and @tracie_erin, hello! I wanted to reach out to you again as we have hired a KD and have made some progress with our kitchen space. It's not perfect and we are just in the initial stages, but I would love to continue my thoughts with you and get your input. Our Kitchen Designer took the original plans and made two different variations. I would love your thoughts on each variation noting what you would keep in place and what you would do differently. Here are some thoughts/questions I have: 1. I would still like to put the coffee bar and undercounter bev fridge across from the round table. In the current sketch, the counter depth does not allow for this. Therefore, I'm considering the possibility of inching into Roman's office a bit, to increase the depth of this space. We need a 5' coffee bar in this space, so if there is room remaining, I'd love to put a tall cabinet next to the coffee bar. 2. We need easy access to a fridge/freezer in the "back kitchen", so I'd like to either pull the standard size fridge/freezer from the pantry and move it to the shared back kitchen wall, or move the main kitchen column freezer to the back kitchen (since not used as much anyway), and incorporate fridge drawers there (remember this back kitchen space is where my husband makes smoothies, and will also be doing grill prep work. Which would you do? 3. What are your thoughts on eliminating the dishwasher in the island and just having a large sink and dishwasher in the back kitchen? Our family will primarily eat meals at the round table. Will it be cumbersome and awkward to bring our dishes to the back kitchen? I like the idea of the dishes being out of the way and there being more prep space at the island, but trying to determine if bringing dishes back there will get old after awhile. One other question...I've seen large sinks with dish dry racks right in the sink. Is this a pretty common feature? If so, that would be one way to keep dishes off of the island countertop. 4. I don't like the ovens being out of the main kitchen. I have a few thoughts on this. One would be to revisit @mama goose_gw zn6OH idea and have the fridge/oven wall centered with the main kitchen walkway, thus leaving two entrances to the adjoining dining room (see her alteration in the post above). If we do this, I'm thinking the fridge column could go in the center and the steam oven could go on one side of the fridge column, with the speed/standard oven stack on the other side of the fridge column. A television above the steam oven might also be nice. Or, if we kept the two side walls as is noted in the sketches below, I would want to eliminate the space where the steam oven is and close off the pantry with a double glass door. I would then bring the steam oven to where the current "tall cabinet" is and either put the speed/standard oven stack right next to it, or put the speed/standard stack next to where I would like the coffee bar to be (by Roman's office). In this way all ovens are in close proximity to the main/front kitchen. I could then also keep the column fridge where it is and instead of the open counter there, would put a tall cabinet next to the fridge. *Which option do you all like better: making one centered wall as in @mama goose_gw zn6OH suggestion, or keeping the two walls as seen in the sketches below? @mama goose_gw zn6OH, would you be willing to sketch your centered wall again within the PDF below (the one that has two counters in the "back kitchen")? I'd be so grateful as it really helps to see it! 5. You will see that one sketch below has counter space in the pantry while the other has more counter space in the back kitchen. We have more need for the counter space or storage in the back kitchen, so that is likely the route we will go with. 6. Which sink placement do you like better? One sketch shows it to the far left on the island and the other sketch shows it centered. 7. Do you like the current idea of having the pantry open, without a door, or would you shift one appliance so that you can close off the pantry with a door? I know I've included a lot to take in! If any of you are willing and able to continue to help me digest all of this and get it "just right", I'd be so grateful! I truly appreciate any input you may have!