The kitchen needs to be renovated totally. I am having a hard time to deside.

1. Wall between living and kitchen. Keep or remove it?

A. remove it. Really want a kitchen island/ open kitchen. if so, where should I put the fridge? I decided to put all cabinets until the washer/dryer place. Put fridge in the living room??? Also, due to coop requirement, need licensed contractor to remove the wall, and has a light switch on it. It will cost me at least $5k to remove it and relocate the electrical wiring stuff.

B. Keep it.

i. lower bottom of the cut-out, so I can put an "Island" there. But it is weird to have the "frame" around the island.

ii. Total fill out the cutout part, but it will block more light from the kitchen. The apt is east-west facing, but there is a south-facing window in the kitchen. It will definitely bring more light to the living room if it is an open kitchen, or has the cutout part.

2. Possible to have a U shape?

Originally I would want a U shape window, but the heating radiator is really on the way. And I was told that the range stove can not be moved too much away from the wall, might only a few inches...

So please let me know what ideas or options do everyone has?