I'm not a layout expert but if I were househunting and saw the kitchen - my first thought would be lack of counterspace. To get the microwave off the counter you would either need the OTR microwave (which we ended up doing because of space BUT doesn't give you the same ventilation of a hood) or you could have a cabinet that could hold the microwave at about the level that you could access it without really bending or reaching. If you did a microwave cabinet - could you have that instead of the junk desk, and use the space at the top and bottom of the cabinet for pantry space or some type of storage?

Not sure if you like the fridge in the corner, but if you were moving it around could you move it to either the junk table/wall oven location and move wall oven elsewhere? I know sometimes people have preferences about having a fridge near doorways but at the same time it is convenient to have it closest to where you eat. As I get up to get ketchup, or I pour milk for one child and sit down and the other child asks for a cup of water - nice having it the shortest distance possible to the kitchen table.

I think in your last posting someone used photoshop to show glass cabinets. What a difference. To break up all the heavy wood color - glass cabinets would help. I loved the look with all the glass cabinets in the run BUT I know some people worry about having messy cabinets. Our cabinets that hold the main things like dishes, glasses, and cups stay neat. The cabinets that hold everything else can get messy.

Finally - if you think you need a junk drawer/area - do you really use it as a desk where you sit down? If not, you are wasting that space that could be a file cabinet or a base cabinet. I'm still struggling with this but I realize the problem with going thru the mail and putting it on our desk area or the mail cubbie is we often don't get to do anything with it until the weekend so we end up with stacks from Monday - nicely sorted, then Tuesday need a new pile to sort thru that between bills, offers to consider, magazines, catalogues etc., then Weds, making new piles... I realized it made more sense to use the file cabinets we have in the kitchen to temporarily sort the mail till the weekend so the bills are in the bills folder rather than in a stack on the counter with bills.

Your kitchen would be a good candidate for a conventional range rather than a cooktop and wall oven.

Not perfect - but meant something like this.
{{!gwi}}
Two usable stretches of counter on either side of sink, two pieces on either side of cooktop. Micro stacked with oven in a cabinet wide enough to replace the oven in the future. Pantry-oven can be reversed.

Pullout surface can be as simple as an extra, flat roll-out. It creates a landing area near the oven when you want one.

What is your primary goal with regards to this kitchen? Is it function or budget friendly cosmetics? If improved function and flow is primary then I would suggest replacing the tall window at the end with a smaller window and convert from a galley to a u shaped. This could open up many possibilities that the creative minds on this forum could run with. If you did this, I would keep only the floor and start with new cabinets. I agree with others that a range would work better than cooktop and small oven. Those 24in. ovens are very limiting. I know you said that your appliances are newer, but it is possible to sell them. If cosmetics and decorating are what you want to do now and you want a country feel, what about instead of glass on the uppers, use a " chicken wire" with a great fabric behind it? This would break up the expanse of wood tones. Along with that, you could remove the doors on the sink cab and make a coordinating skirt to go with it. Scrub the cabinets, freshen them with oil, add new hardware and you are on your way. Just a few thoughts...

Oh I agree about the conventional range. At first I thought it was so nice to have them separate, but the cooktop is new. We had to replace the 30 yr old one.

We're getting rid of the junk area completely. That will be moved to the utility room, and something will go on a wall for mail.
I was thinking maybe having the wall oven and junk area totally rebuilt to house a wider wall oven with micro on top, and on the side of that, the pantry. Where the pantry is now would be countertop to give extra by the cooktop. Then, move the fridge down to the opposite end of where it is now, also replacing it with countertop. Good point about having the fridge closer to where you eat. My DH was saying it would be more footsteps when I'm cooking if I want to do food prep by the cooktop. But, next to the table would be nicer maybe. I have to think about refrigerator placement. I hate where it is right now, against a wall. I had to purchase a 33" instead of a larger one because of the tight space. But, it's all good, because we're not a huge family and I have loads of room in there.

Whoever designed these old houses in the 70's, especially mine, didn't give much thought to kitchen layout.

If you chose a single electric wall oven by the same manufacturer as the cooktop it may be compatible to put underneath. I did that in my old kitchen.

If anyone wants to tackle the U shape, that's okay too!
My goals? Both function and cosmetics. We just had to spend $$ on gable siding that the hurricane ripped off last year (luckily there was painted wood siding underneath, so we could wait). Plus some other areas of the house are crying as well, but no structural changes involved.

So, yes, my budget is not $50K anymore, but I think I could spend $20K on this and feel pretty good. Here in La, some things tend to be less expensive, so it might be possible.