What does better mean to you? What is the budget? I wouldn’t spend a penny unless I could get the range off the island- impractical for a million reasons. Have you lived in the home?

Yeah that island does not work for us at all. I also don't want the range in the island. About to be living there...40k

40k is about half what you need. Live with it and save save save until you can do the renovation it needs to correct the layout. Looks like a cool house. I know it’s not what you want to hear but there’s no point tinkering with it and just spending money.

I would need more counter space around the cooking area so if you are going to be cooking there before you can renovate consider buying a counter-height mobile kitchen island on wheels. You can always find a use for it later somewhere else.

I have a cooktop on my kitchen island and I hope i never have to go back to facing a wall while cooking, and it allows both me and my husband to be in the kitchen at the same time while I'm cooking and not feel we are in each other's way. However, it was not possible for me to get an exhaust hood over the cooktop, so all I have is a downdraft exhuast, and I wish it could be otherwise.

I would take a look at getting the door to the kitchen to swing the other way -- but I don't know what's on the other side of that door

There are a few things you could do for short-term improvements, if a full remodel is years away. First, remove the pantry.*

• Then, move range where the pantry currently is, with a cart or second-hand cabinet on the other side. Or the cabinets that are currently under your stairs?
• Alternatively, put the the fridge where the pantry is, and range where the fridge currently is. This range location is uncomfortably close to a doorway, but it would be more convenient to the sink, and you can pivot to the island for extra landing space.
• Reconfigure the island to a standard rectangle, or buy a second-hand island and paint it a contrasting color.
• Install new laminate countertops to tie everything together.

*Could the pantry fit on the left side of those corner cabinets by the stairwell, and then the base cabinets go on the former pantry wall under the light switches?