I'm less worried about the end of the peninsula in respect to the pantry (that looks fine to me), as I am about how you come in from the hall and the bank of cabinets that makes the peninsula narrows the opening into the kitchen...If you go straight forward you don't have much room to maneuver before you're running into the corner of the peninsula. Hope that makes sense.

When a fridge is right up against the corner, lazy susan cabinet, a deep, dark cave-area is created in the corner, making that counter space fairly useless. My sister wants to remodel her kitchen with that circumstance high on the list of things to change. If you could give up the pantry and move the fridge over, you could put in another section of uppers and get much more use of your counters.

Rhome:
I know what you mean about the "cave" created by the refrig next to the LS corner. I have the "cave" now, and that is where I "hide" my coffee maker. I had thought of giving up the pantry and moving over the refrig, but boy, I REALLY want that pantry! I'll definitely rethink that.

I think what you're saying is that if the peninsula was shorter, it would work better when entering the kitchen from the hallway? I could always give up the 15" beverage refrig, but I REALLY wanted that too! (I hope I don't sound like a baby).

It's funny how something always has to give!

Does the work flow appear to be OK?

I really appreciate your comments. I respect the advice that you've given to others on the board. Thanks!

Barb

Actually, I'd rather see the peninsula go toward the dining room a foot, rather than get shorter, but don't see enough of your house to know if that's possible. Before you do away with the beverage ctr, can you mock it up and see how it works? I'd really hate to see you have to shorten the peninsula. It's not all that large now. And how does the traffic move most? Is there a lot of traffic through that doorway by the pantry?

I don't want to move the peninsula any further into the DR. I feel that it's already taking up too much space in the DR as it is. If we move the peninsula any further, the small DR table will almost be in the LR. I sure wish the people that built this house made that DR larger! It's a very small dining area (8"X11")that opens into the LR.
The traffic pattern is: The front door opens into a very small foyer. Go right and you're into the LR which flows into the DR than into the kitchen (like an L). If you enter from the front door and go left, you enter the hall with the bathroom door and basement door which enters the kitchen through the pantry doorway.

That's a great idea about the mock up of the peninsula. I'm certainly going to do that to see how it will feel.

Again, thanks for your insight. It gives me a lot to think about. I've never renovated a kitchen, and I really want to make it right. I'm really learning a lot form this forum.

Barb

I will have a layout similar to yours. The cabinet guy said that I have to have a 9" base cabinet between the fridge and the corner base. If you did this you would only have a 15" pantry -- but you could grow it to 18" if you went with a 33" lazy susan base instead of a 36". For uppers I have a 18" beside the fridge and then a 24x24 corner.

What if you shortened your peninsula by removing the beverage fridge? And then put the beverage fridge so that it backs onto the wall with the basement stairs and build a hutch unit on top of it?

I don't know why the 9" base between lazy susan and fridge, unless the particular fridge needs clearance for the doors to open wide enough to get drawers and shelves out. I've seen many fridges right against the l. susan cabinet...Although the additional space would improve the corner. But a 9" base wouldn't hold much...It'd be only about 7 1/2" inside...less if your cabinets are framed instead of frameless.

Jade:
That's very interesting where you suggest putting the beverage refrig. I never thought of that! If I put it on the wall that backs the basement stairs, I could increase it to a 24" refrig with a cabinet on top, sort of a bar. I think I"ll mock it up and hope that it doesn't take that much space up in my small DR.

I suppose your cabinet guy suggested adding the 9" base cabinet between the refrig and corner base to give less of a "cave" look? I had toyed with the idea of a smaller pantry to gain some space near the corner, but I really hate to give up the pantry space. I currently have my refrig on the wall where the range will be in the new layout I posted, but it's right next to the corner base. I've lived with it in that position for the last 18 years and never thought about it!

Again, thanks for the wonderful ideas!

Barb