The first thing I'd do is switch the living room with the family room functions. Make the quiet away space away actually away. Then I'd talk to a different engineer because you can replace the whole wall between the living room and kitchen/dining room with a steel beam and have a complete open concept room. That's really not that expensive to do, and it will make the world of difference between a 1979 house and a 2020 house.

I have some ideas, but it really starts with function...what functions would you like to see in the space? What is missing from your house that you'd like to add...do you need more closet space? Office space? Do you want to maintain a formal DR or would you like it open to the kitchen? All of those are possible with the space you have. And I keep thinking about the LR and FR...do people realistically need and use both? Or might there be a better function for the rooms?

I would probably keep the DR more formal as that's my preference. I would move the door to the DR down and make the kitchen a real U shape with the fridge (counter depth for sure) on the left, the sink under window and the cooktop on the right. Then I'd add an island which was just counter height, rounded on the far side with seating facing into the kitchen. On the wall that backs up to the LR, I'd put a pantry and a desk and/or bar area. This way the traffic would flow by the kitchen but not in the cooking area and people could gather at the island and flow into the DR.

Holly -- Thanks for the feedback. I'll have to look at more fully open concept houses to see if that would work for me. Any special considerations with having the range in front of a window like in your design? Will it impact hood options?

Annie - Thanks. Can you tell me more about island you mentioned? Would it come off the U into the room?

My goals are better flow, kitchen seating to talk to the cook, counter space and kitchen equipment storage space. Right now, the house has plenty of other space for me for office or closet space. I want space for a good sized dining room table, but I'm not set either way whether that needs to be a formal room or open space. Right now, I use the family room space for TV and whatnot. The living room isn't used much but may be more for entertaining or socializing after I put some effort into that room.

Would you consider swapping the kitchen with the DR? You can have an L there and have the fridge/pantry on the wall bottom wall.

Sorry but have to ask: what does 'sandbox ideas' mean? I'm surmising you mean general thoughts but I've never heard the term.

Well, I've not done scale drawings like others have so it may not work, but I was thinking something like Hollysprings has but shortening the run of cabinets where the sink is in her drawing and using the extra space to add an island. Only I'd keep the sink under the window and put the fridge on the right and the stove on the left.

Sena -- That is really interesting. I hadn't thought of that and it has lots of workspace.

Running -- It is IT slang that basically means freeform design within the box. I guess I thought it was more common than it is. Oops.

Annie - Thanks for explaining more. I get what you were saying now. I can sketch it out and see what size of island I could use.