Welcome! I hope everyone provides as much great advice for you as they did for me when I was first here a year ago!

Is your goal in opening the range wall to the DR to make the DR table your main table (using it as you now use the one in your pics)?

I think removing the soffit is a great idea... I dont like it and I think it would update the space, but I wonder if it will be easy to do so without wrecking those upper cabs. Maybe folks who have done something similar can weigh in on that....

I think I'd be inclined to look into getting new doors for the cabinets, to update the arched look. I believe you can get quite affordable ones from companies like Scherrs, as well as another small family-owned firm in the midwest who's been advertising on our local (Maine) craigslist. They'll make any style door, any size. So you could paint the existing bodies, which you say are in good shape, and get paint-grade new doors to paint to match, but in a totally new style.

I'm not a big fan of the vent hood hanging down in an opening between two rooms. I have friends who did this and it feels a bit akward to me (not to mention that it was a large expense to knock the wall down and then it's blocked by this metal protrusion...) However I totally agree about needing the hood. I think I would maybe explore other layout possibilities. There are some great minds here on GW for that- hopefully they will give you some advice!

Just a couple of things real quick (don't have much time) - the refrigerator needs to be moved down the wall (maybe to center) for traffic reasons and symmetry. The angle wall cabinet is NOT good in the corner by the hood - just let it die into the wall or make it a 90 degree (NO 45 degree) and if you are going to do this - remove the wall from 40 - 42" up - don't create a window effect - remove the whole thing.

I wanted to show you another option of what can be done with your cabinets. My mother had the same finish and wasn't about to replace everything, so she hired a professional company for this. It cost her about $3500 and her kitchen looks to be about your size.

i don't think removing the wall to the DR would look very nice with the stove hood hanging there.

the half circle on the peninsula might work for snacks, lunch etc if there's room on the very end for a chair also. otherwise i don't know if you could fit 4 around it comfortably. the kids will grow and get bigger. could you get a smaller table for that area?

your kitchen is a fairly good size - would it work out to put in a 1 bowl sink and move the dw to the right of it so it's not opening into the stove area?

I do think painting the cabs (new doors?) would help a tremendous amount - as would removing that BS and getting a new counter top. are those cabs pinkish in real life or reflecting from the counter top? Changing those things will make you think you are in a totally new kitchen!

the soffits - actually in your kitchen I like them (I usually don't). I don't think they close in your room - and the lighting looks fairly decent.

I've always like having a separate DR. as a kid we often did our homework on the DR table at night (3 of us). I hated having to put it all away for dinner and get it back out. And at Christmas and summer time we'd spread out our puzzles on it - or monopoly. And it's nice to have another place to eat on holidays and other special occasions - with different dishes (doesn't have to be good china)and the 'good' glasses (even if they aren't really that good).

I have a bunch of ideas.... but some questions first.

Can you elaborate on how you would like to use the dining room table, and the counter seating you've shown? How often, what activities, etc?

Also what is the cluster of circles on your plan in the kitchen's eating area? Plants?

I do think this plan can be improved upon significantly, if you're open to it. I guess I feel like if you're going for a REALLY low-budget renovation, then OK, leave it as it is. But if you're spending the $$ on opening walls, changing windows, and removing soffits, and a new granite counter and flooring....

If you're investing in a new tile floor, then you're essentially locking yourself into this footprint for a long time. Ditto with the new counters.

I would seriously consider moving some of the cabinets (they can presumably be moved without wrecking them) into a better floorplan before doing those expensive upgrades.

Also- I think you should seriously reconsider the range with an opening to the DR behind it like that. As I mentioned our friends did this and it looks really akward. I would either move the range, or just widen the DR doorway (losing cabinetry of course) if the stove really cannot be moved (the stove will feel squished though.) Is it gas or electric? Electric will be cheaper/easier to move of course.

First of all, thanks so much for looking at the pictures and giving me your feedback.

You're all correct about the vent hood hanging off the ceiling, I dont think it would look good either but I guess I was looking for your opinions.

StaceyNeil - To answer some of your questions -

Currently our dining table is the most happening place in our home. We eat all meals there, kids do their homework there, friends hang out there. I love it because even when I'm cooking, I'm still part of the conversation. The big problem with it is that it is too big (54x54) for that space and we have to maneuver around it to get to our deck. I would like to move it to the DR but still keep it the center of activity. I imagine that we would eat dinner and do homework there. Therefore, I'm thinking that the counter seating will be used for breakfast and lunch.

If we dont break the wall but move the dining table, then if I'm cooking, I wont be part of the DR activity. That was my thinking in knocking the half wall.

Houseful - Your mother's kitchen looks very nice. I'm guessing she got new doors for all her cabinets and kept the layout? We might do something similar, or paint the cabinet doors since they're in great shape.

DesertSteph - You are right on about the DW being in the stove area, it does get in the way a lot. But I do need a double sink. And yes, the countertop is pink laminate and the cabinets are pickle color stain (I think thats what it is called!) Hate it!!!

Kolina240 - I like the thought of getting rid of the wall but am wondering if I could stand to lose so many cabinets.

StaceyNeil - I didnt even consider the possibility of moving the cabinets around, I thought I'm stuck with the layout. But if that is an option, it would certainly open more layout options. If you guys have any suggestions, I would love to hear them. We are certainly open to changing the layout.

As far as layout options, the pantry is the only thing that cant be moved. So, my prep and cooking area will need to be close to that - I find myself running to the pantry often to retrieve things. But I'm open to moving the stove, sink, refrigerator etc.

As far as investment, we would like to get something that works for us for a good price. Because the cabinets are in good shape, I dont want to get new ones just because!!!!! But you're absolutely right that if we get new floors, we'll have to keep that layout. We do plan to stay in the house for the foreseeable future so another kitchen remodel in a few years is not an option.

I'll put my head down and think about other options with layout. Meanwhile, any thoughts, suggestions, advice is much appreciated.

No, those are the original doors. You should still be able to salvage most of the cabinets if you change the layout. They are simply screwed together and screwed to the wall. If you have to order a couple more, you can order unfinished and then paint them all the same at the end.

monsoongal-
Can you tell us what the round items in the breakfast area on your plan are?
Thanks!
Stacey

Oh, those are plants that I found in the software I was using. Sorry, I missed your question earlier. Just something to fill the space, I guess!!!!

Houseful - I totally missed that. Thanks, that does help!!!!

OK, that's what I thought.

You know, I think that you could make that space a whole lot better if you invested in a smaller kitchen table there, rather than the half-moon counter you've added in your plan. For one thing, that half-moon shape seems awkward and you won't get the same amount of comfortable seating as at a table. If you're planning on eating breakfasts and lunches there, I don't think its really optimum. PLus, it leaves the rest of that breakfast area bare... which IMHO will also feel awkward. What about a nice small table there instead?

If you're really set on having seating at the counter, I think I would look into reconfiguring/moving your base cabs to make it work better. Can you post a larger floor plan with all the dimensions (of breakfast area, sliding doors, etc) labeled as well? If you're open to the idea of moving your cabinets around, we might be able to come up with some ideas for a better layout.

Why can't the pantry be moved? Is the pantry the "closet" with the door?

Would you be open to moving your existing cabinets around and possibly filling in with a few new ones?

Thanks StaceyNeil.

The pantry is the closet with the door so ideally I would like my cooking area to be close to that.
Since I realized that the cabinets can be moved around, I've been playing with new layouts. We had a contractor come yesterday and he gave us some good ideas. His opinion was to leave the DR the way it is otherwise the kitchen would be almost too big.
I agree that the counter would not be ideal.
I'm working on a new layout, I'll post it later today. One thing I'm playing around with is the stove in the corner.

Well I spent some time looking at this this morning and I think that the simplest way to make this space work the way you want is to open up the DR wall like you have shown (though I might not do the column you show but have it open all the way across) and move the range over to the peninsula. But a small dining table for the breakfast area (Ikea has some great inexpensive ones about 30" x 47" that seat 4-6!). I'd also move the refrig over , just change around the configuration of those cabinets on that wall, so it's not blocking your DR access as much. It'll also be in your work triangle better.

The floating range hood will look nicer above the peninsula than hanging off center in an opening between the DR and kitchen the way you first drew it.

This would allow you, cooking, to be involved with both the breakfast/lunch table area, as well as the DR. It eliminates the conflict between the oven door and DW. It opens up the traffic flow to the outside as well as the rest of the house, too. And it's probably the easiest/cheapest way to accomplish those things.

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Staceyneil - Thanks so much for the layout you suggested. It looks great. Though I'm still not a 100% sure about the free hanging hood, your layout looks like it will meet most of our needs.
We still might look into a raised lunch bar near the cooktop and possibly not get a smaller table, but those will be smaller details to be considered. I also have to look into whether the refrigerator configuration could be changed because the cabinets dont have the same depth.

I apologize for not getting back for a week. I just got a new computer and it has been painful setting it up. So all my stuff is on 2 different computers. And the software I used to make the kitchen design doesnt work on my new comp. Oh well :-)

Thanks again for putting so much thought into my kitchen layout. I am starting to think this might become a reality.