i don't have anything to say about the island, but your options for backsplash are pretty broad. presumably you want the dramatic counter to be the star, in which case your backsplash should play a supporting role -- white, or some cool gray taken from the stone veining. If you want something more unusual, bring in the interest by way of texture -- a shiny or iridescent white, say -- or tile shape -- like fan-shaped tile.

Have you thought about whether you will have enough cabinets if you add a window? It depends on how much stuff you have. Some people keep enough food for the apocalypse and some people have every sort of kitchen appliance on the market. So whether you would have enough cabinets depends on how you outfit your kitchen and how much food you keep. I don't think there's anything wrong with Option B. Symmetry does appeal to some people, but it's not really necessary. I think a kitchen needs to be practical above all. I like to have a cabinet for dishes right over the dishwasher because that makes it easy to unload. It's not clear to me where the sink is in either of these renderings.

Cpartist, the "pantry" on the right is actually an appliance storage area. Our microwave, coffee maker, and other small appliances, plus baking sheets, etc will be housed there. The other pantry on the left will actually function as real pantry area. Any thoughts on which elevation is best? I still wouldn't make it a full sized pantry. And especially not breaking up the counter space. If it were me, I'd rather have three 3 drawer lower cabinets that are each 33" wide for lots of storage. Then I'd do an appliance garage for the smaller appliances. how do you like your 36" drawers? Do they feel too big? In one of our drawings the drawers are 33" and I was concerned it would be too wide to easily function. My drawers are 36", 39" and 42" and are fabulous. I can store so much more in them.

I’m back! Finally. Thank you all for your input last year and the diagrams you posted. They were so helpful. I hope I have everything you need to see what we’re working with. The first diagram is our current kitchen. The second is cleared and modified space ready to design kitchen layout The third is our whole house floor plan The last pic is our current kitchen, long overdue for remodel. One square = 6x6 in the future space We are empty nesters but still have family get togethers and birthday parties at the house. Our Tucson home is slump block on concrete slab. I’ve never had a good space for sitting around a table and the limited dining area is on the other side of the den and we have used it just a few times in 30 years. We tried turning the den into a large dining area but we missed having our morning coffee in the area and turned it back into a den. I’m hoping to have room for a table for 6 plus a large island in the kitchen area. There’s a pantry closet in the kitchen area, shown in the diagram. Not huge, but adequate. I’ll use a 30” wide range, and a 36” wide French door fridge (flexible on depth). I haven’t picked out a sink yet. Thank you, acm - I’ll let go of the idea of double ovens. Just wishful thinking and I don’t really need them. What we can change or move… The current kitchen has a dropped ceiling, which we plan to raise to put in ceiling lights. We’ll remove the pony walls and push out the wall to the left to incorporate the breezeway, giving us more room for a table, china cabinet or whatever. The door to carport will move to the end of the breezeway area which opens into the carport but it can be moved to the area with the 6’ window, if that would work better for traffic flow. We can remove the short wall where the current fridge sits. We can move the stove to an outside wall only but the sink will have to stay where it is unless it’s critical to the design and depending on cost. I have considered moving the back door to the closest window area (by the fireplace) so we can add cabinets on that wall, but not sure if it will infringe on the den area, specifically the chair by the fireplace. We considered a 5’ sliding door to eliminate the swing. We can also remove the hearth or cut it back some to give more space in the den. I would so appreciate any advice from a pro or someone wiser than me before we tear into things. Thank to everyone who posted responses last year and thank you in advance for any help you can offer.