In your plan, draw in an island in the middle of the kitchen 3'-0" from your sink, sliding doors and the wall you intend to cut out, so it measures about 5'-0" long and 4'-0" wide. Your island can be two heights - 3'-0" counter height on the sink side to give yourself work space in the kitchen. This space can be 2'-0" deep. You can design extra drawers and cabinets in here. Then drop the other side of the island to 30" (table height) so you may place chairs around. Details in the millwork would be important here as you want to make the Island's edges and countertops look nice. Make sure there is ample leg room in the seating area - at least 18" deep.

I always have had a walk in pantry but in this kitchen it just wouldn't fit. We designed a pantry I think similar to the one your kitchen design suggested. There are tall wall cabinets with a skinny drawer sitting on top base pantry cabinets with swing out inner shelves. There is more than enough storage for all my cooking and baking supplies, and its right in the kitchen so I don't have to walk far with full hands. If you cook a lot I would definitely do the 2 wall ovens. I'm finding the pantry set up like this to be much more convenient than the walk-in type.

Yes, as Sophie mentioned it was (or should have been) designed for built-in (which is a completely different animal) and not a counter depth. A counter depth refrigerator always has to protrude beyond the counters the depth of the doors or else the doors will not open...there is no other way around that. A built-in (or integrated) refrigerator is the only way to have the appliance flush with the rest of your cabinets. As you can see clearly on your plans, the doors do jut out into your space. You can always change your fridge to a built-in or integrated style.

Yes! It was always my dream to have one. When we moved into a small rambler 2 years ago, there was a 35 SF laundry off the 88 SF kitchen. We moved the laundry to the attached garage, built some shelves to go under some existing cabinets, and installed a tall Ikea Billy bookcase. There is a shallow closet with shelves inside the space, and we added the Elfa system to the inside of the door of this closet. The entrance to the pantry is a beaded curtain. I like to cook, and my pantry is JAM-PACKED with food, dishes, pots and pans, appliances and cookbooks. There still is room for two of us to be in there, and everything is out of sight from the kitchen. Needless to say, I love it! Before: After: