Hi All,

I'm hoping for some layout suggestions for our "blank
slate" kitchen design.

The details are noted below, including a floor plan.

Thanks for your help!

Here is the clean
slate layout of the room:

***********************************************************************

Goals:
good functionality, good storage (both pantry but also serving dishes), lots of
counter space, everyday eating area.

Can't live without:

* I dream of an expansive island with a chunky stone counter top
where we can sit, but also where I can put out food when we entertain.

Definitely do not want:

* A kitchen that is broken up by a big peninsula and doesn't
allow multiple ways to flow through the room

* A kitchen desk or mini-office area

Would like if we can
find a way:

* A butler style area to store extra pretty dishes and linens

Kitchen Uses:

*We cook daily (2 cooks in the kitchen) and bake occasionally

* We have two elementary aged boys who are active and need to
access food on their own

* We need a good deal of food storage for the growing boys that
will eat a ton of food in the next several years

* We do homework and crafts and legos in the kitchen daily

* We entertain monthly with groups up to 20 or so (with kids and
adults)

* We have a formal dining room, but would like eat in space in
the kitchen

Constraints:

* The size of the doorways cannot be adjusted much due to the
rooms they adjoin. There is a little flexibility in the doorway to the entryway
(it could be widened by 1 foot), and a lot of flexibility in the doorway to the
dining. Other doors are ... well, what they are :).

* The window at counter height in the top left of the diagram is
where our sink currently resides. I'd like to keep the sink there, as it's a
nice view when you enter the house and when you are in the kitchen doing
dishes.

* Other windows are fair game. I'm not keen on moving them, but
I am keen on adding a few more, as they overlook our wooded property, which was
one of the reasons we bought the house.

* We can move plumbing/gas anywhere in the room

Appliances:

* Standard size, slide in range

* Ventilation hood

* Counter depth refrigerator

* Dishwasher

* Microwave (built in - not on counter top)

Additional:

* Our house is 60 years old, dutch colonial style

* The space in the layout diagram is currently 2 rooms. We'll be
knocking down the wall between them to open them up into a larger eat-in
kitchen space. The floor plan above shows the rooms with the wall fully
removed.

* The kitchen connects to our deck, family room, entry way, and
dining room. It is truly the center of the house and the place that everyone
likes to hang out.