I don't know where the middle window was. Still not sure where the vent is either. The right side of the porch shows 5 windows on that wall. The middle window no longer exists. It's a wall with the range hood on the other side. Directly above it, about four feet from the exterior wall, and about two feet below the ridge, the vent exits the porch roof. (not far from where the triangle shows the roof pitch on the second drawing). But if the sheetrock is up and painted, your ship has sailed, because nobody is going to want to open up the sheetrock and repaint to fix something they don't think needs fixing. If there were a good fix, I'd do it on my dime. It would be worth it to me. The volume of air you exhaust and the relatively low odor of most foods I don't think is an issue. If this wasn't pre-planned to specifically go somewhere (and it appears that it wasn't), I think this is about the best / least intrusive solution This is my first build and probably my last. But, if I ever build again, it will be with the HVAC contractor working with the architect during the design phase. Why this isn't standard I don't know. The architect designed this house with no regard to HVAC at all! Live and learn. It was tricky from the start to vent the hood and I'm not faulting the HVAC contractor. He did his best but I do wish I had been part of the decision. I'm going to leave it where it is. The windows should be tight enough to keep the smell out when closed and they won't be open often. Thanks again. You have all been very helpful.

Yeah, swap the fridge and pantry. Better work flow. As said, we take food out of the fridge and bring it to the sink to rinse and clean it. Then we prep between sink and cooktop and the bring the food to the cooktop to cook it. With the fridge where you have it now, you're crossing the cooking zone to the sink. It's much easier when everything is in a "row" so you practically don't have to carry it.

Agree with Donald about the shutters, there isn't enough room. Your front entry needs attention with a new front door or a deeper color for the door. Black or dark blue or even a very dark green for your front door. Yes to a larger light. Change your stoop so it is wider with a wider front walkway. As mentioned, landscaping is key to make your home less bare and more welcoming. See the walkway and landscaping below brings your attention right to the front door. ^Notice the steps here are wide with white risers. You don't need as much but the idea of amping up the front entry with the wider stoop and steps and generous landscaping is the same concept.

Use the top down shades, for sure. that will give privacy from someone on the ground. If you can see into your house from both the bottom floor and the upper floor of the neighbors house that is hard to block without fully covering the window. If you use a sheer shade it will not be very good when the room is lit up. These shades are avaiable in so many different flavors now. This is happening so much because these builders are getting zone variances to put the houses closer and closer together and there is no consideration to how they juxtapose next to one another. They are simply placed however they can fit the most number of houses on that acerage. I see these houses with big windows that face the neighbors big windows. There is no consideration given to this at all. Some of the new houses are so close together that the sun does not shine in through the canyon between them and you wil have to yield if you and your neighbor decide to mow the grass at the same time. That is, if you can even get grass to grow between that narrow passage. And, some of these house are pretty big, too. Big houses and plenty of big wonderful looking windows until you actually look at what is outside of those windows. Your neighbor can be simply standing outside of their own house and it appears they look like they are trying to peer into your house. If your window is opened, you could even have a conversation with them! I have top down bottom up shades on one big window on the front of my house and I really love them. Mine are on an upstairs window and it prevents viewing from the ground while allowing all the daylight to come in from the top. I have had them there for probably since the early 90s and they are have lasted very well. They are just a neutral shade of white. I think they may be HunterD. I used to sell these things at that time. I have one problem area with windows and privacy, but my house is older and we are not packed in so tighly as some of the new developements are. Still, for whatever reason, my neighbors driveway cuts at an angle across the view of my front, and only, kitchen window and when they park the car, they are almost directly right in front of my large double kitchen window. This neighbor is a hateful and nasty, disagreeable and sometimes hostile and threatening person who seems to think that, somehow, I managed to make this occur. I had nothing to do with how the builder set theses houses down. I agree that I dont want to see them come and go as much as they dont want me seeing them come and go. And, since it is the biggest and only window on the front of the house and it is next to the sink and the stove that is where I am much of the time. I keep my windows opened and the shades opened most of the time. I see the entire cul de sac and everybody that comes and goes. I did not make it so, but I am not going to close off my only window in the kitchen because of it. In the winter I will stand over the heating vent in front of the window while waiting for the coffee and let the warm air flow around my Pjs . Sure I must look a bit scary at times standing there in the glow of the small night lights in the kitchen looking out the window as I am always up before the sun rises. It is my darned window and I dont care who does not like it. I do it because it suits me, not them. I am not trying to see all of them. I am just using my window in my house. I close it when I want privacy. I am in the process of getting TDBU shades for those double windows.