Your house sounds very cool--I'd love to see some pics!

Your layout looks very workable, although it seems like you could be using more of your space. Can you say a bit more about what is flexible in your design? You mention that windows and doors could be moved. What about plumbing? The wood stove? Anything else? How tall is that big window? Are there any particular views you want to preserve or to see during specific tasks?

The only real issue I see in the current layout is that the passage between the island and the little cabinet next to the pantry seems narrow. I'm not a fan of your refrigerator placement, either, but using the "cave" next to it as an appliance garage lessens that concern.

That appliance garage will be virtually unaccessible. I'd rather see you turn this kitchen into a version of a galley kitchen by moving that wood stove and making your island much bigger and longer. Make the back wall 30" deep cabinets and make the island deeper too. It would be much more efficient from a cooking standpoint, and it would utilize the space of the room better too. If you need pantry space, put two on each side of the window/door at the bottom. Either make the island actual usable seating space and give up the seating at the lower right, or make a small built in banquette somewhere and eliminate the awkward bisto set. If this is a door leading to the exterior, you need to clarify your pathways and how you expect that to work. The woodstove needs to be addressed as well. Is it ambiance, or is it actually functional? YOu don't have enough real clearance around it for traffic flow and heat flow if it's functional. If it's for ambiance, a better location would be at the bottom, centered between 2 windows instead of having the large single space.

Ok, some more information to put this into context. There is currently no plumbing in the room. The wood stove is actually a wood stove insert into an existing fireplace, so that can't move. We used it on the weekends last winter, but we're in the process of installing geothermal now, so it may not be as necessary next winter.

I've done nothing with the south wall because my DH has a dream of french doors and sidelights and huge windows. Right now there is a Dutch door near the pantry end and a window opposite the one on the North wall. I tried to explain that not being able to use that wall at all significantly limits the kitchen plan, but I've all but lost that battle. We eat all of our meals outdoors when the weather allows (We're in Philadelphia - so about half the year). So easy access from the kitchen is a big deal. There are doors to the outdoors in every room of the first floor!

I like the frig placement because it will be easy to access from the dining room- running back to get things, but I'm not set on it. Definitely open to any and all suggestions!

The kitchen will be in the stucco addition at the end.
{{!gwi}}From Kitchen

I had some of the same thoughts as lwo.

Except I'd really like to see that exterior stone exposed in the room. Is that a possible location for wood stove?

OR something like this
{{!gwi}}

I think it depends on how you are using the appliance garage. We ended up with a space like this in a kitchen I worked on and left it as a niche and upper cabinet rather than a garage, but the client loves it because she keeps some things accessible, but out of plain view.

It depends on your outlook, will you hate having a little area that can collect stuff or will you like having an area to tuck things without putting them completely away?

I really like it as a one-woman work area, and could enjoy using this space. My only worry is about enough storage. Where will dishes be stored? Have you figured out your cabinets and mapped out where everything will live? That would be my next step and will tell more about its workability.

Thanks for the ideas thus far. I have done the mapping of where everything will live. It all fits... no extra space, but enough. (It actually wouldn't kill me to purge some of the things I never use, too)

I am planning to keep my food processor and stand mixer in the appliance garage. I would just have to pull them out onto the counter. I can't imagine that would be difficult to do in that spot. Am I missing something?

The overhang on the island is at least 15" (maybe closer to 18)... is that enough for eating breakfast and working on the laptop? My original layout had a much larger island with more seating, but that felt very "modern"- not old farmhouse. Is that just me? I love all of the pictures of kitchens with big islands!
Unfortunately the stone wall doesn't look great on this end of the house. They really roughed it up when they did the addition in 1950... so what would be in the kitchen was originally an exterior wall. The 250 year old mortar has been patched with concrete. Could be a cool restoration project ... our project list is very, very long!

Please keep suggestions coming. Is there any way to put a table in there without looking awkward?

Your house is very cool! The layout, stove placement, and general look of the house as a whole reminds me of the old European kitchens. That said, I keep imagining a large farmhouse table to double as an island/seating/baking area (maybe a freestanding "buffet" for lower cab storage along the dream french door wall?). Of course, that makes the sink and DW placement problematic.