You'll get more responses if your pictures are embedded in the post, so I posted them for you.

"...One part I'm not quite "there with" yet is the banquette area. We were going to frame it with bookcases, but we decided that it would look to "boxed in", and it would be hard to get in/out of banquette. I'm thinking of making it L-shaped, and putting a hutch between Kit and FR:..."
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csapoche/4766432632/

"... If I can, I will change one cabinet to drawers (the base cab to the right of the pantry), but it depends on pricing. The cab to the left of the sink is the DW - I want to splurge on panel-ready here...3 kids and SS don't match well, in my mind. Over cooktop, we'll have a chimney style SS hood...."
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csapoche/4765736775/in/photostream/

"...The brick is staying - it is the back end of a fireplace that is in the adjacent FR (causing us no end of angst in terms of placement), so that has to be worked into design. KD suggested two wall cabs w/ pot rack between, and a counter w/ base cabs below - may be out of budget, although I like the idea. Want some type of "pretty display" over the fridge...not sure what yet...."
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csapoche/4765736875/in/photostream/

Some questions/comments...

• What are the dimensions of the space? (Including walls/doorways/windows & distances b/w walls/doorways/windows)

Do you plan to have "everyday seating" elsewhere? Maybe use a DR for family meals?
How wide is the base of the "L" in the banquette? It doesn't look like it's wide enough for someone to sit at, but it might be. How many people do you plan to seat in the banquette? Will it be used for meals or just for sitting down for a cup of tea and/or visiting?
I'm a little concerned about the sink & cooktop arrangements and associated workspace. Your Prep Zone will naturally become the space b/w the sink and cooktop. Unfortunately, it's the smaller piece of counterspace. The counterspace to the left of the sink & DW is almost wasted space...there's no real use for it.

You cannot move the cooktop any further to the right b/c there's too little space there as it is given that you plan seating next to it. So, what about moving the sink & DW to the left? You might have to cut down on upper cabinets around the window so as not to crowd the sink.

The sink will not be centered under the window, though, so if that's important to you then you probably won't want to make the move...but I think it would really help the workspace issue.
Have you considered switching the refrigerator & cooktop (and leaving the sink & DW where they are)?

You would have room for the cooktop + adequate workspace around it...but water won't be...

Quincin I just wanted to say that my old kitchen was 20' x 11' and it was a pretty good workhorse. Yours is feet longer and one foot narrower I realize. But you should be able to come up with a fabulous floor plan with all that length!!

We did a U shaped layout with peninsula on one side. Beyond the peninsula we had our table. I'll look for photos to post.

OK, this answers one of my "unasked" questions above...how does the kitchen fit with and flow into the rest of the house:

Found the photos! I took these when I was posting the cabinets on Craig's List. I sold them for $500.00 after using them for 20 years! Anyway, I thought it might help you to see this layout since our kitchen was also narrow as I said. It was 11' wide by 20' long including the table area. The area between the sink and stove worked great for prepping. I spent many happy hours standing in that end of the "U". My kids used to do their homework at the table and I loved that I was facing them (and the windows) while cooking at the peninsula. I can't tell you how happy I am to be rid of that wallpaper though! And to think I picked it out!!

You should be able to do a similar "U" shaped layout if you wanted to . . . but in your case you would be able to have 7 luxurious more feet of cabinets in your main run! I loved having a "U" with the fridge, sink and stove equally spaced on different ends of it. I still have a "U" in my new kitchen, it's just larger now and my eating area is larger . . . but same concept.

By the way, I'm impressed with your computer drawings! Many of us, including me, never hired a designer but rather came up with our own drawings after talking to kitchen designers and Garden Webbers. You're doing great : )

I should add that in addition to what you see in the photos, I had a 3' x 5' pantry for my food, etc. I had a hard time keeping it organized . . . it used to be a junk magnet. Anyway, your extra 7' would allow plenty of space for pantry cabinets.

My kitchen is also similar in size...at least width-wise: Overall, my kitchen is approx 10'6" wide x 23'. I eliminated kitchen seating, opened up the wall b/w the DR & Kitchen, and now have a kitchen w/a small corner pantry + plenty of workspace & storage. We now eat all our meals in the DR.

This is what our layout looks like and it works fabulously! All the Zones are separated enough that several people can work in the kitchen at one time w/o interfering with each other. I even had sixteen 13-year old girls working in it at one time (they were working on their Girl Scout Cooking badge).

And here are a couple of pics of the almost-finished kitchen (still no backsplash...we're saving up for that right now). [Our kitchen is flanked by the DR on the left & the FR on the right. The LR & Foyer are on the other side of the cooktop wall.]

View from the FR:

View from the DR:

BUT...unless you do most of the work DIY, it's not cheap to take down walls and, possibly (as we had to do in our case), move heating/AC duct work. It's not horrendously expensive if it's not a load-bearing wall, but if you're on a very tight budget it might not be possible for you to do the same, if you even want to! It's something to think about and to add to the previous thought I put out there of waiting a while longer until you have more $$$ saved up.

Just bombing by with a few specifics.

Get more drawers. Drawer cabinets and regular base cabinets filled with pull-outs are usually similarly priced. At least consider having drawers for your cookware under the cooktop.

Get a full depth cabinet for over the refrigerator. Use part of it for tray or cookie sheet storage and part for bulky, but light things like a salad spinner.

Unless it already exists, don't do the return of the banquette under the window, use a chair instead. The return isn't big enough for a seat and actually blocks the same amount of storage as it provides. Plus, it will feel more open.

Same thing with the oven position. Move it to beside the ref. You could then make a drywall step-in pantry in the corner (much cheaper than a cabinet pantry).

If you are using a side by side, landing space to one side doesn't work well - landing space behind you as you face the ref works better. No one has arms long enough to reach around the doors to put things down to the side.

The little "z" cabinets are pretty pricey. Think about whether it would be better to just use a short run of cabinetry - leaving a little wall space beside the door.

If you have multiple cooks, or even just microwave users, do not put the trash under your prep area - sounds cool, but you end up having to move every time anyone wants to throw away something.

If you decide against a peninsula, think about making the ref run DEEPER (close to 30" and putting 14" deep shelves or cabinets in front of the brick wall. These could easily be a pantry substitute. You could still put a pot rack up in the middle and/or have some narrow depth counter. That kinda of counter is handy for a number of small appliances.

The other type of thing for the brick wall would be vanity cabinets from the bath section of the cabinet book. They are 18 or 21" deep, so more storage and a deeper counter that could easily hold a micro.

Thank you, thank you, thank you all so much for your helpful suggestions! I hope I can cover all the questions/etc.! Here goes:
Buehl - thanks for embedding the pics, I realized when I checked just now I forgot to put the IMG tags in *duh*. I will get it down! Your kitchen is gorgeous! The pic of your pantry along with Bmorepanic's suggestion has got me thinking about doing an angled pantry there instead...the only downside to having fridge and wall oven on the wall with the brick is that it makes the bane of our existence (backend of fp) even "bigger". IÂll have to get some cardboardÂ..the more I think about it, the more I like the ideaÂ.

• I've got dimensions at home, I'll post them tonight if I can;

We do have a DR, so I see the banquette being snacks/homework/crafts/laptop. I'll check those dims when I get home as well;
DH and I talked about prep zone - we are both right-handed, and constantly fight for prep area to the left of the sink! We tend to cook "mise en place" style, prepping to the left of the sink and then placing prep items by the cooktop, which is currently on the opposite wall next to the hallway door (no counter space to the rt of cktop) so I think the way we have that laid out should work for us;
Thought about putting wall oven where cooktop is, and we even put up a cardboard template to try it out - cut off tons of light, though, and made kitchen feel cramped :(
Unfortunately, even if we saved more $$, just what we're planning now really tops out what we want to spend on the kitchen. The budget is more about keeping the overall reno costs in line with what the house warrants more than actually $ (which is still a big concern!)

Judydel, thanks for your ideas and pics, as well, love that layout! We currently have a peninsula that is perpendicular to the brick wall - giving us all of 30" to walk through - BIG bottleneck!! It's one of the reasons we're yanking it out - I don't want to yank out the fireplace, but we need to open that up some. I considered putting my cooktop there, though - b/c I love exactly the idea you state - being able to watch your kids while doing something in the kitchen part...

Bmorepanic - great points:

• I'd love to have a drawer cabinet under the cooktop - but my cooktop is 36", and we are going with KM cabs, and can you believe they don't have a 39" drawer unit?? I called them directly, and the person I talked to said 36" was widest available. Maybe I should check again....

• Great point on the fridge - I think we're covered b/c we can easily turn around, take one step, and get to the counter from there. We'll def be getting a full-depth cab over it as you suggested, though

• You're right on the "z" cabs as well- I think that's just what my software plugged in, it will just be a triangular cab, to ease the entry from the hallway

• We actually thought about vanity cabs for the banquette wall - will have to think about them for the fridge wall. I'm really...

Have you considered a range instead of wall ovens + cooktop? A range will be quite a bit less expensive than the combination of a cooktop + wall ovens. A range will also free up more space plus give you more options.

Buehl - yes, but (long story), already have appliances, which include a 36" ceramic cooktop and convection wall oven.

Still working on drawing out dimensions...between work and kid stuff time is limited. Just didn't want anyone to think I was blowing off offers to help based on more info!

Will post dims soon.

"...we are both right-handed, and constantly fight for prep area to the left of the sink! We tend to cook "mise en place" style, prepping to the left of the sink and then placing prep items by the cooktop..."

If you do indeed prep to the left, then I see two problems with your layout that will affect its functionality in a big way...the fact that the cooktop is to the right of your sink and the DW is to the left of the sink (in the middle of your stated Prep Zone preference). Before I continue...could your prepping preference have been developed over time due to the layout of your current kitchen? Where is your current DW? Is it to the left or right of your sink? Many here, including me, find that it's difficult to prep over (or right next to) a DW, so one would naturally gravitate to the side of the sink w/o the DW for prepping. In our old kitchen, I also preferred to prep on the left b/c of the location of the DW (on the right). In our new kitchen, I find I prep on either side of my prep sink...with no particular preference EXCEPT I do prefer to prep b/w the prep sink & cooktop when I'm cooking something. Otherwise, I often find myself prepping on the peninsula...to the right of the prep sink. So, could your preference really be driven by your current kitchen's layout, not handedness? (We're also both right-handed.)

My advice to you is to be sure your preference for the left is a true preference, regardless of layout, and not something you've adapted to over time to accommodate your current circumstances.

In general, where is the best/most natural place to prep? Most Prep Zones (whether planned that way or not), usually end up next to a water source and either right next to the range/cooktop or across an aisle from the range/cooktop that's no more than 48" wide.

So, if you really do prefer to prep on the left side of your sink, then I suggest moving the DW to the right side of your sink and moving the cooktop to the left side of the sink. If you leave it as-is, you'll be prepping on the left right over a DW (that might be running or someone may be trying to load/unload) and have to carry the prepped items around that open DW, around the sink, and over to the cooktop. In your current kitchen, it works b/c the cooktop is across the aisle, not on the other side of the sink. Again, think about how this layout will work either with your current kitchen habits or with new ones, assuming you think you can adapt.

If you think you'll be able to change, then the current layout would be OK...although I would still like to see more prep counterspace on the right and less "wasted" counterspace on the left...if you stay w/the current configuration.

If we have dimensions we can make more specific recommendations... For example, for a corner pantry you should have at least a 5'x5' space for it to work the best. Yes, it could be less (and mine is b/c of measuring errors on the part of my KD), but I don't...

Cross posted! I'll wait for your dimensions! I understand about life getting in the way, LOL! Your children are more important (and I guess work, too! :-~), so when you're ready, just post & let us know!

I have finally gotten dimensions! I did a quick rendition of a corner pantry, and although I can't fit a 5x5 without throwing my sink out from the center of the window (important to me), I might be able to squeak something in. An idea to ponder.

Good points about prep preference being an adaptation. I've given that some thought, and think you are likely right; it's something that we have learned to do due to current and past layouts. We can be flexible there.

Also, from layout help, here are some answers to the various questions:

• Goals: Better flow, get rid of current bottleneck caused by peninsula, casual seating for homework and snacks

• 2 cooks, 3 kids (5,6,9)

• Casual entertaining, place for kids to do some homework, crafts, etc.

• Have separate dining room which we use in the winter (doorway to far left leads to DR); in the summer, we eat on the deck whenever possible

• Have opened up one wall - want as much light and openness as possible

• Windows, walls and doorways are fixed, back of fireplace has to stay and we're keeping the brick, I'd prefer sink centered on window

• Don't need a bev. center, don't bake much, but do cook. A lot.

• Have appliances: 36" ceramic cooktop, 36" french door fridge, 30" convection wall oven, built-in MW to go over oven, 36" chimney style range hood

• Have a closet in hall leading to kitchen that can be used as pantry

• Can't think of anything I can't live w/o b/c we don't have, but don't need a warming drawer or pot filler

In terms of storage - I've done the inventories, and the cabinets as I have them, along with the hallway closet, will satisfy storage reqs.

That's what I've got so far, am now going to turn in for the night, and do my kitchen "Tai Chi" - wow, what a great idea!

Thanks!!

I think your best bet for seating is an L. What about something like this with or without the cabinet by the table. This is a 4x4 table, but you could go 3x3.

Also, you don't necessarily have to center the sink on the window. Many people here have theirs offset.

Houseful - thanks, I'm thinking of an "L" shape there myself, and b/c we are doing much of this DIY, we can wait until the main cabinets go in to see if that makes the decision a little clearer. I'm thinking it might be good to live with a table and regular chairs there for awhile before taking the final plunge.

Thank you for the drawing!

Got dimensions in, if anyone else cares to chime in on layout. May not have enough space to do corner pantry - so instead, think corner wall oven and pantry cabs to each side...

Still playing around with actual cabinet layout, keeping symmetry and usage in mind.

Thanks for looking!