I think I like the idea of swapping fridges. Then you could shift the range right instead of shifting the island left, and I could see the breakfast/lunch/snack things and beverages needing more room than what you'd need refrigerated near the stove. The current location is good, cuz it's handy to both areas, but given the advantages, I think swapping could be good.

I still like the idea someone had (2 threads back?) about having a nice garden out the window where the hutch is now...but that may not be an easy thing, year-round. I like the buffet, I think, better than the window seat. You already have lots of seating in the 2 areas, and that wouldn't have a particularly wonderful view or special atmosphere.

Open shelves would work over a buffet there, or in that blank area by the cleanup sink.

The thing is, you feel like you're missing the unfitted feel, and usually it's a hutch that adds that to a kitchen... If it was a hutch, it wouldn't have to match the other cabinetry like I have it now.

Nothing to do with the layout per se, but I think a round dining table with chairs would be more pleasing to the eye for that space than a rectangular set.

I haven't had any ideas to contribute to your plan for a long while, so I feel a little johnny-come-lately saying this, but this finally looks like a kitchen that makes sense to me.

If you switch the fridges, you might consider drawers for your UC and put them in the island by the sink. You can even get them integrated if you prefer the look :) I do a lot of veg and I love fridge drawers :) I keep trying to put more of them in my own plan :)

Before you swap, however, you might want to do a few assessments of what's in your current fridge, like right after marketing for a big batch of cooking, typical mid-week, and party prep. Measure out some boxes that are the same size as your planned UC and see if everything you'll want in the cooking area will fit. I think you could be in for a lot of walking. The great thing about the current fridge location is that it's equally accessible from both areas so you can grab another onion or take out the turkey in the kitchen just as easily as getting the ketchup from the table area. And if you're planning on having casual meals seated at the island, imagine trekking to the fridge at the other end of the room for the pickles and the butter and the the Miracle Whip because Susie doesn't like mayo, and.... I don't know how elastic your budget is, or if you can lose a cupboard since you're minimizing uppers, but you could even do a beverage center near the family room door, the main fridge in the middle, and a couple small fridge drawers in the island for veg.

Something I said early on, and still believe, is that you could make a real feature out of the raised hearth. Put some cushions on it, some interesting looking decor, etc. I mean, if you hate it zap it, but it could be cool :) And I'd put in a chunky mantle shelf, a couple feet wider than the firebox. Maybe even some smaller (i.e., less chunky) shelves above it since you want some open shelves. You could put cannisters on them, and other interesting stuff. In the previous thread you mentioned liking a loft look, if I remember right, so imagine some Machine Age stainless cannister sets of different shapes and dimensions and a big paella and a samovar on shelves against the brick.

You could reflect those shelves on the opposite wall by reducing the upper cabinets by cutting the bottom level and put a shelf or two underneath.

I'd put art by the clean up sink. Something big and bold :)

I wouldn't do a window seat where the hutch/buffet is. It's awful sitting at the table and having someone sitting behind you. (And as I said above, I'd put the curl up space on the raised hearth.) If you don't want the hutch (and while it looks fine I get how it would be more you without it and better balanced as well), you could do another big piece of art there :) And I think that would help balance the range as well and make it look more centered right where it is :)

Thanks plllog!!!! I do feel that this is finally at a place where I can start working to get the final details in place.

Had another thought regarding the frig situation. The Liebherr that I like does come in a 24" version. What if I did one 24" to the left of the range against the fireplace wall and another one on the far right end of the snack area? These frigs aren't that much more than some of the UC frigs and you get a lot more space.

I am going to keep the fireplace, so am looking for any and all suggestions on how to make it better. If I do the cushions on the hearth, I'm assuming I can't have the range wall of cabinets run to the fireplace and couldn't then put that tall cabinet on the left side? I don't think there's enough space for both. I'm sure I have to keep combustible materials "X" amount of inches away from the opening. Also, are you talking about shelving above the mantel? Maybe I could do a chunky wood shelf and then metal shelving to the left and right??

Hi, Mahlgold. Another vote for a nice painting by the cleanup sink.

I'm the one probably who suggested doors or windows right through to a garden view from the front door (evergreens and a birdbath can look good and be easy-care all year long), but the sideboard and hutch is also a nice termination. Since it's not you, though, that's out, right? It seems like your idea swapping the hutch for open shelves could be very nice. The position would probably limit what you'd display on them to decorative, but that's a nice oppportunity in itself. A good thing about removing the hutch is that it would open up that volume and make the space visually wider, while still maintaining that nice central line down the room you've been working for all along. BTW, I like the way you've cleaned up the lines of the long view down the house.

Also, how about another run of your open shelves between a pair of upper end cabinets on the cleanup wall where the solid cabinets are now? That'd be a great place for daily dish storage, and the coffee stuff could still go behind doors. Coming together!

Wow - It's like you've got two kitchens! I think I like that... To your questions:

- If you really want open shelves, you should have them. You certainly have enough space to work with, and those aren't hard to work in. What do you want to store on them?

- If the hutch "isn't you" then by all means, don't feel obligated to put it there! A buffet and open shelves could be great in that location. If you want a more modern vibe for your kitchen, open shelves instead of a hutch would definitely take you in that direction.

- I would not switch the fridge placement. Where it is now is easily accessed by both sides of the kitchen, and what if you needed something from the freezer for cooking? What a hike!

- Plllog's suggestion for having curl-up seating on the raised hearth and chunky mantle shelving sounds great to me.

Wow! You've come a long way Malhgold! I've been distracted obsessing over work and my own kitchen's issues so I seem to have lost touch w/you and others who have been moving along.

I like the new layout a lot. I especially like the snack area you have set up on the right end. I can't tell if there's a MW, but I agree with whomever mentioned it before that a cheap MW for popcorn and other snacks would be great there. Then, put a full size MW or Advantium in the kitchen work area for cooking. If it's an Advantium (or similar), it would give you a second oven + MW + keep warm capability.

I didn't even think about the island moving to be centered on the range--which says to me that it doesn't have to...but it sounds like this is important to you. But, I'm not sure how much more you can move the island (maybe another foot) because of the FP. You don't want an aisle so narrow that someone has to walk too close to a fire. That foot will bring it closer to centered, but it still won't be. I wonder if it would be better to have it so off center that it looks like it's that way by design rather than looking like you tried to center it but couldn't quite do it. Hmmm...that may be why I like it the way it is.

I also like the idea of seats on either side of the FP, but I don't think the raised hearth is deep enough to be a comfortable seat. From your previous post, it appears to be only 12" deep; I think it needs to be at least 18" deep to be comfortable. So, I think your idea of eliminating the raised hearth may be a good one. Then, you can use the area around the FP for things like the corner hutch to the left of the FP (I don't know if you liked or disliked that idea) and make the area to the left of the range a baking center.

I don't remember if you have a pantry elsewhere, but I was going to suggest a row of 12" deep pantry cabinets behind the island until I realized that the 4'9" clearance is really more like 4'4" b/c it looks like the 4'9" includes the wall (~5"). I think 3'4" (40") is probably too narrow a walkway behind the seats.

If you eliminate the hutch in the dining area, I'd be sure to replace it w/something equally attractive since it will be seen from the front door...definitely not a Msg Center :-)

"I didn't even think about the island moving to be centered on the range--which says to me that it doesn't have to...but it sounds like this is important to you."

Seriously, DO NOT worry about centering your island!

Keep in mind that the ONLY time centering the island on the range might be noticed is when you're standing directly behind the center of the island visually lining things up. (And not even the TKO's do that post-install!) Otherwise, your eye will tell your brain that it's centered and the only reason it may not look that way is because of the angle. And given the location of your doorway, the longer sightline goes doorway-sink-range very nicely.

In my kitchen the very visible range hood is 3" off center from the very visible window directly behind it, and the whole space is open to the family room behind. I tried for weeks to come up with a plan to center the two, but it just didn't work. So I rationalized the out-of-center using the 'line of sight' argument, and you know what? NO ONE would ever guess/notice that they're not perfectly aligned.

Re: centering of island and range. The opening to the LR(wall behind the island) is actually bigger than what is shown in this layout and it is centered on the wall. The opening in 72" wide and the wall on each side is 66". If you are in the LR, and the range is centered on the outside wall, you don't think it would look "off" that the island wasn't centered there?

I don't think anyone will notice or even think about it one way or the other...but that's just my humble opinion! Besides, as Sweeby said "centering" will depend on the angle you're looking at it from--especially with a 6' opening...straight on, from the left, from the right. It will not looked centered from all angles. I wouldn't worry about it...I think it looks great as it is!

But, it's your kitchen, ultimately, it's up to you. If you will always look at it and regret not centering, then I'd pick an angle to center it from and then let it go.

When you're talking about the two 24" Liebherrs instead of UC, you mean in addition to the central fridge? That could work if you can use all that cold space. It might even be a godsend if you entertain mobs like I do :) The one thing is that it gives you two additional uppers where you didn't like uppers in general. Try it in your plan and see how it looks. One thing you could do is take out the plaster surround on the central fridge and do something really funky, like a stainless eyebrow shelf that runs around the room and unites the three units (including vestiges across the upper cabinets in the snack center).

If you meant instead of the central fridge, I wouldn't. Multiple fridges are great if it's very well defined what goes in each. For instance, cooking veg, meat, sauces, etc., in the prep zone; beverages, snacking fruit, sandwich fixings in the snack area; everything else in the middle. But there are things that you need in the cooking and eating area both. Though I suppose you could get doubles of mayonnaise and ketchup, etc., where do you put the leftovers? How is clean up going to be if you have to get the kids to remember that the leftover rice goes in the cooking zone, but the leftover sliced turkey goes in the snack zone, but the turkey carcass goes in the cooking zone, but the green beans go in the snack zone for dipping?

Yes, I was talking about shelves over the mantel. First a chunky (I'm seeing dark for contrast with your other finishes) mantel shelf, something like 3.5"-5" thick, and extending a foot either side of the firebox, nice and deep, like 12". They have these great brackets nowadays that bolt into the wall and disappear into the shelf. Anyway, you could put some books and interesting objects on that. Then a couple feet above it, you could put a couple of similarly hung smaller thinner shelves in the same finish, maybe 2" thick and a few inches either side of the firebox, 8" deep.

The first thing to do, however, if you like this plan, is check that they can be anchored securely into studs. If not, you could add uprights that go all the way up on either side of the firebox, but floating would look cooler. :)

Sorry, about misreading the new plan. I forgot about the cabinet between looking at it and writing about it. :( That's the entertainment center, right? Yeah, it wouldn't work with seating, plus what Buehl said about the depth of the hearth. I didn't remember that it was that narrow. If you didn't have the cabinet you could build out a box bench there, but you probably really need the cabinet :)

Have you checked that you have storage for everything you need to store? Part of the reason for the not so loved hutch was to give you storage I think :) Would Buehl's 12" pantry fit on the wall behind the table? If you did that instead of the hutch, it would pick up the lines of the uppers on the right and the cabinet on the left, and keep all the talls except the fridge on that side of the room. That would balance with the fridge and windows, and I think would look better, besides giving you a little more storage.

just checking in to see where you're at!

OK,

I'm really late to the party... and I'm going to try and throw a monkey wrench into the works.

I've just spent an hour going over all the previous posts, God knows why, cuz I've got a ton of work here to do, and have to go coaching for five hours later... however,

I really like rhome's plan of Jan 13 at 18:52, which is the complete opposite of what you have now. My first impression when I see your present plan is of a camp house kitchen, which maybe is where you want to go with your 'industrial' vision. It just seems to me to appear awkward and intentionally dividing your two spaces instead of making it appear as one unified space. And, boy, whoever gets to empty the dishwasher and put away pots and pans and bowls (assuming they will be stored in prep area) will be getting a good workout! You're going to be dripping over the floor carrying dirty dishes or water from clean ones...

To incorporate your fireplace, having the table at that end is the best idea. I grew up in a kitchen like that, and we had a rocker and a small table with a lamp and an antique flour tin for newspapers/magazines, and that's where my Dad sat reading the paper while Mom cooked. You may find that you actually use your fireplace more- or even if you insert a gas (and BTW the gas insert can use your present chimney- you don't need to block it off)

I also think having all the flooring running the same way is preferable if possible within your budget.

I understand you've put a lot of thought into this, and you've had lots of input from other GW's, but I just don't get why you're intentionally trying to create what looks like to be a really awkward flow. Have you ever actually seen a room divided like this (sorry if I've missed reference to it in your previous posts)?

You are lucky to have the 'problem' of so much space!

Raehelen, there is a dw at each sink, which I think is something you may have missed, because I think that takes care of much of the 'awkward flow' you talked about? She's trying to make sure the flow of snack activity doesn't interfere with the flow of cooking/baking activity, much like those who have separate baking or scullery areas. Separating the dishwashers wouldn't work for my family, because we overfill a dishwasher with 10 people's worth of dishes, so it works better for us to have them close together. But I Malhgold doesn't have those logistics, and will have an easier time using each for their intended purposes, in their specific locations.

I think this comes down to someone's personal vision and dream. You have one frame of reference from your warm and lovely memories, and she has a pile of inspiration kitchens that are more out-of-the-box in terms of layout, but still have great reasons for being like they are, and work for those who have them. Sometimes it's OK to sacrifice some (conventional) practicality for a space you can love to be in....Not to say that this latest plan isn't practical, because she's trying to design a space specifically for how they live, and her time here says she's working hard to make sure she sees every side and every possibility.

Here is one of her inspiration kitchens with separated areas:
http://www.jwhdesigns.com/main.html

Another is MPStiel's kitchen with the sinks in 2 areas: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=9AcuHDFozbONg

And mnhockeymom's former kitchen with separate scullery pantry, with pictures in this thread:
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg011710454743.html

Hope you don't mind me butting in, Malhgold, and answering for you! I'm working to post the latest layout, unless you beat me to it.

I think that it's now working that there are 2 separate spaces, yet one room...Enough differences and enough connections.

Tried to get comfy seating near the fireplace. Pretty rough and not sure there's enough room, but thought I'd at least try...

I like this one with the separate cooking fridge and full-size snack fridge. Is that going to be enough freezer space for you?

I would still prefer a round or square table in the snack area instead of another rectangle, but that's just furniture that can be changed out if you decide to go that route later.

Not loving the art on the wall in the snack zone. Would prefer a window, but art would most likely be a lot less money.

I like the open shelves, but I'm not crazy about the tall cab and that little dividing wall. What about building the tall cab in -- like you were thinking about doing with the refrigerator before -- to disguise the plumbing bump out better?

On a practical note, where will you be putting things like the paper towel holder? This has been a bit of a puzzle for my layout, too, with the sink in the island, since i like to keep the papertowels out of the way and off the counter.

Are you thinking a tile backsplash on the range wall, or just paint? With your semi-industrial plan, I kind of like the idea of a simple drywall/paint treatment there, especially with the stainless steel behind the range and the sink on the island.

You need some art or something on the wall opposite the french doors.

Sorry didn't see the comfy seating layout. Not loving it. Looks too much like a kitchen in a family room. Plus it looks crowded.

OK,

For some reason these seem more comfortable to me. I DID miss the second DW, and that helps what I thought was really awkward. I am also not clear where all the fridge space is-oh that's the grey at the end in front of the FP? That's the only thing is this last plan that is a little off for me. Is there something in the island as well as in the snack area?

Also, don't know why, but that standing hutch/unit looks/feels better than a buffet with counter. (maybe cuz I have one like that in my eating area- is that why it feels right?)Or, just that it calms the energy- I felt there were too many areas calling for...?

The mantle makes a huge difference- helps tie in that wall, instead of making it appear as a large red...?

Raehelen - can't believe you looked thru the entire previous post. You win the award!!!! I don't think I could look thru it again.

Looks like Rhome answered most of your questions and also a big thanks for posting the somewhat revised layout!!! I agree about the tall cab vs. the hutch. I couldn't describe what was bothering me about it, but maybe it was just too heavy for the way the rest of the space was trending.

Re: frig space. In the latest layout, there is a 24" frig/freezer next to the fireplace and also on the end of the snack counter. If I go this route, I am leaning towards the 24" Liebherr or the 24" Fagor(still have to see it, but it is about $800 less than the Liebherr, per frig).

Maybe I just need to bite the bullet and get rid of the hearth altogether. That way, the frig could be placed directly against the fireplace wall as well as the unit on the other side of the fireplace. Which at that point, could be angled, as MNhockeymom suggested.

Rhome - maybe we should try it with a round table instead of the rectangle.

To all...I understand these layouts above are "not the norm" so I really need to hear ALL opinions. I may still go ahead in this direction, but need to know I've considered it all. Thanks again.

Okay, I looked, I read, I went on--and had to come back. I'm still really concerned about that split fridge thing. I really think the thing you want is going to be in the fridge at the opposite end of the kitchen way too often for comfort.

I take it the small wall in the middle is holding up the house or something? (I read all the messages but don't remember all the facts... :) ) How about putting the two fridges on either side of that? It's more steps from the door on the right for the snackers, but it keeps the cooling central while keeping it separate and eliminates the trek between the two. And why shouldn't the cooks have easy access to beverages and snacks too? :)

BTW, for what it's worth, I like the rectangular table. Everything else is rectangular. Repeating the shape over and over gives it a nice rhythm and helps that industrial look as well.

FYI- I like the rectangular table too. It makes perfect sense. (And this is from someone who went shopping with her Christmas money for a round table- HAD to get a rectangular one though, cuz they don't make counter height round ones with leaves (too tippy))

That small wall is the plumbing from the upstairs and I'm just not willing to go to the expense(not even sure what it would be) of moving it. I had thought about flanking it with the 2 refrigerators. Then that would be the view from the foyer. Thoughts??

I was thinking that a round table would make the room look like there was an exclamation point down the middle!!! LOL!!

I agree that the view from the foyer is important, but the function and flow of the kitchen is more important. There's going to be a lot more kitchen living than entry viewing :)

If you really don't like seeing the fridges from the entry you could do something decorative with or to them. I don't remember if Leibherr comes in a custom panel version. If so, you could hire a local art student (or working artist depending on your budget) to do art panels for the fridges, and incorporate the midwall.

If not, you can "wrap" them with computer created art. Wraps are that signage they do on buses and stuff. It's some kind of vinyl. Or you could apply a patina to the fridges. Or even surround them with slide out of the way doors so that they can be closed off from view.

You could get an autobody shop to paint them for you, too. Or what about magnetic chalkboard paint? Saw this on a Sub-z and it looked really cool. You wouldn't want to get the in door water/ice dispenser though (not sure if Leibhorr offers that option).

Liebherr makes a ref that can be completely integrated into a cabinet - SubZ makes one or more models that can also be completely integrated, as does Gaggenau and Bosch.

Any of those would look great and no view of ref from front door issues!

If you were to combine the fridges into that space where the hutch is, I can see some cool advantages...Take the chunky mantle all the way over to the range wall, running counter all the way to the brick. I think it would be a nice, asymmetrical balance with the open shelves. On the snack end, you could gain a bit of counter space AND widen that doorway.

I do agree that the tall cabinet is probably mroe of the look you are after. It seems more Scadanavian or contemporary while a hutch more often tends towards traditional or country. You could design a hutch to be more contemporary, but that's not what any of us were seeing when we looked at the drawings.

I don't like split tall fridges here. The one on the snack end looks unbalanced to me and closes up the space. If you really want it, try it where the DW is -- although I think that will close up your doorway. Maybe it's wide enough to handle it?

I'm not crazy about the way the other one looks next to the fireplace wall either. Think about opening the fridge right next to the wall when there's a fire burning.

I think having the fridge by the bumpout gives you reasons and ways to hide the bumpout. It also seems to have a good central location. It's easy to split drinks and certain snacks from the rest of your fridge items, but where would you put something like salad dressing? If it's at the snack end, it would be a haul to the kitchen and back to dress a salad for a group. If it's at the far end of the kitchen, then it's a haul for the salad for one at the table.

I think the rectangular table is good -- oval would be okay too, but I think round would look small and unbalanced. The long table fills a long space in a longer room. The look you want is more about clean lines and works well with a series of rectangles. Also, you don't have any other circles or curves to play a round table off of. Just my thoughts...

You think you're almost there and it just keeps on doesn't it? You'll know when you have it right -- so just use what we say to think about and test your ideas. It's still your kitchen. ;-)

I'd see salad and dressing as table-related. Will you mind going to the other room to make things like salad while you're cooking? It's good when you have a helper, although there's not as much conversation opportunity that way, but sometimes when you're working alone, the distance might feel longer? (Right now we have so little space and everything overlaps, so it seems like it'd be heaven to make salad in its own zone! ;-)

If any of you are familiar with my kitchen plan, it will have 2 fridges. 1 for cooking and baking supplies (next to an all-freezer), and one for table setting, beverages, lunches, snacks. They won't be quite this far apart, but with 10 people, I need the fridge space, and it makes no sense to not have one handy to each different-use space (cooking vs eating). It's supposed to help keep people in different zones from criss-crossing through each other. Can't say how it'll work out, since we're not in the kitchen yet...And I suppose it will take some adjustment to decide what goes where best, and occasionally I'll have to look in 2 fridges to find what I need. So I sure hope it can be done!

--Now you're all making me wonder if I should have switched my baking zone with the fridge and freezer set... Nope. I'll just plug my ears and sing and pretend I didn't read all of this... No second guessing, no second guessing, no second guessing...Definitely getting tired and silly.

We have a fireplace joining our kitchen and love it. We sit at the table and gaze into the fire. I think you would really like having seating that faced the fire. You have your counter, but counter seating isn't as comfortable as chairs. How about if you built a bench into the end of the island that faces the fireplace? A curved bench would be very inviting. You should have room for a small table in front too.

Another example would be milk or OJ. I just have one main fridge and the drawers in the breakfast bar. Milk and juice go in the drawers, but there is crossover when I'm baking and need that 1/4 cup of milk, etc. It works pretty well, but there are times that an item will seem to be in the wrong place. Mine aren't that far apart -- more like they would be with the central location and the snack area. I wouldn't want to double it.

Whew! Okay, I can't say I read all the posts, but I looked pretty carefully at the layouts and I have to say, Rachelens comments hit the nail on the head for me. These are just my armchair quarterback comments mind you, and worth everything you're paying for them! BUT, my impression is that with a room that long (and yes, it looks like one room even though two spaces are what you're going for) needs some visual division OR cohesion. In other words, if they really are two uses/spaces, then how about turning the island perpendicular, and cutting the space in two somewhat? Not necessarily down the middle either. Also, the right wall, opposite the window wall, is completely blank and accentuates this long room feeling and confusion (again, just to me, and this is just on paper) about what spaces are what.

As to your original question about open uppers, I think that there could definitely be more upper cabinets of some kind on the "kitchen end" of things and I'd avoid all the glass fronted cabinets in the snack end unless you like looking at oreo and tortilla bags (that's what's in my snack cupboards!).

Don't mean to ruffle feathers, just giving my honest impressions, which as I said, are late and might be totally off-base.

I don't have much time this morning, but wanted to say that I think the whole long room is consistent with the eclectic, contemporary, somewhat industrail feel you have talked about liking. Since most people look at more traditional choices, I think you are getting some comments that reflect differeent tastes. Keep your vivion in mind and evaluate what we offer to see if it really is in keeping weith what we think you wnat or more influenced by our own tastes or expectations.

Just curious -- and I'm sure it's in here somewhere, but I got tired of reading --

Why do you have the cooking end down by the fireplace and not the dining end? I'm sure you have a good reason, but the whole 'sit by the fireplace' vision is just so appealing...

Sweeby - we have a Great Room off the the current kitchen area, where we spend the majority of time. It is a very high traffic area from the foyer, thru the kitchen into the Great Room and also from the DR into the Great Room. The powder room is also down at that end in an area between the kitchen and the Great Room. I was hoping to make that end of the kitchen "less congested" by having a separate snack/breakfast/lunch making zone down there and the main cooking area at the other end. I also think asethetically that having the cooking end down near the fireplace is much more in keeping with the eclectic look I'm going for. I'm concerned that if I make the fireplace end the eating area, we will still only be using that space once a day, where as if it is the cooking area, it will get used more frequently.

Caligirl - do you mean the blank wall across from the sliders? I know something needs to go there, but I don't think I have space for cabinetry and if I do, it's probably only 12" deep at most. I more than likely will be doing something decorative there. Maybe a mirror which would reflect the outside. I know I can't keep the wall blank.

Thoughts...either I could eliminate the tall cabinet to the left of the slider and make that a built in frig/freezer, which could then eliminate the UC frig in the snack zone. Or...I could put the frig back to the left of the plumbing bump out, which sort of messes up the centering of the range.

And....all opinions are always appreciated!!!!! Everyone is invited to the party, no matter how late they may be!!

I agree that you could put your double fridges where the cupboard next to the slider is. And you could have them made to look like the cupboard to make the view from the foyer better. Or just go for the industrial chic and do stainless. If you do the two fridges you can still keep the snackers from opening the fresh food fridge all day, and still have no problem looking in the other fridge for the thing that isn't where you thought. That also keeps the tall by the tall of the wall bump.

Don't discount the utility of 12". You can put your storage cupboard on that blank wall, and even make it out of integrated mirror or chunky framed mirror.

And while I appreciate the thoughts behind the fireplace sitting areas that have been suggested, since I think you said you don't currently use that area, how likely would you be to do so in the new kitchen? If it gets to the point of lighting the fire while you're cooking and the kids are enjoying it seated at the island while they help or do homework, the fireplace will be used and enjoyed.

I also like the suggestion of angling the cupboard by the fireplace, or making it a corner unit.