Is there a reason the 1/2 wall curves around ?

Yes and no. The wall curves because the exterior of the house as at a 45 degree angle. Part of the wall is horizontal to the kitchen and the other part to the dining room. However, I see no reason why it could not be straight except I would need to redo flooring.

You already have an island! I would look into taking the wall out or at least bringing it down to the island level. To cut costs from replacing the island and reworking the flooring you could take out the angle on the LR side of the island countertop by bringing out the countertop less on the sides and more in the middle. The countertop type would depend on your wish list and budget.

Cheers
Mary

I would definitely remove the half wall. It's hard to tell from the photo if a longer island would work. In any event I would straighten it out and you're not talking a lot of patching I think it can be done inexpensively. I would take the sage you like to the marble and granite store and see what you like. I think I would go lighter on the counters ...sand maybe. Then match your backsplash to the counter and maybe bring in a tile border with a littlle green or a patterned tile if counter is not too busy.

Penny construction makes. Good point.

I like the idea of cutting down the wall. I'm not sure I understand what Penny Construction is saying regarding the new top following the original kitchen side. Are you still thinking that I straighten the cabinets? I have plenty of room on the kitchen side.... no extra room on the dining room side. It would be great to bring in the whole island closer to the fridge but thinking that would be alot of work dealing with electrical and flooring.

I was originally thinking a darker quartz countertop but not sure how that would look with all the "lovely" oak. If I go lighter (sand) would you do a light or dark backsplash. Tile?? stone?? Other??

"the new top following the original kitchen side" Means that the new top would follow the same edge line and overhang where the doors and drawers are on that "island". On the ends where the wall sticks out past the cabinets, is another issue. One could extend the top ends enough to cover up the top of the cut down wall, or cut the wall back so the ends of the wall match the ends of the esisting cabinets. The problem there is the hardwood and the carpet issue arrises as well as matching the wall texture....

If you put take the existing cabinets off the wall and put in a filler piece on the kitchen side thus making the back sides longer so that the ends of the cabinets flush up with the end of the wall, then the top is simple. To extend the cabinets or the top, you might not have enough room between the cabinets in the "island" and the cabinets across from them, which appear to be part of the sink base area. You still have to address the switch and outlet issue.