I am in the minority, but I don't like having the garbage under the cabinet. I have a very pretty garbage can from Simple Human. If you are right-handed, then dishwasher should be to the immediate right of the sink. I am doing a full remodel of my own kitchen right now and that is what I am doing.

Given that you have a window and corner, I would center the sink with the window and put the dishwasher to the immediate left of the sink. Pots and pans would go into a LeMans unit that would installed into the corner cabinet to the right of the sink.

You can stick microwaves in cabinets or on top of your oven. I don't like bending down, so I don't like the idea of sticking the microwave in a base cabinet. Go to a store and see if you like this. I was going to install a 30" combination microwave/speed oven above a 30" convection oven in my kitchen, but I bagged that idea because I didn't like having a full-height cabinet. Instead, I am installing a 24" combination speed oven/microwave into the wall in my kitchen (frame to support the microwave is hidden in the wall) because I was tight on space. The back of my microwave/speed oven juts into my pantry, but that is not a big deal to me. If you install microwave/speed oven above a convection oven, be sure to have the two appliances be the same size, otherwise they look odd stacked together.

Open shelving is the new kitchen trend and looks beautiful. The downside is keeping it clean (dust and air-borne grease). I hate too many cabinets in a kitchen--particularly wall cabinets. Your kitchen, your preference. I don't have a problem with just having a wall with no shelves or cabinets. You can always put a TV there, which is what I am going to do with my remodel.

More pictures here would help.

https://www.amazon.com/Lemans-2-Shelf-Soft-Close-Corner-Cabinets/dp/B0927WNWPG?th=1

What do you envision storing on those open shelves? Items there will get dusty/greasy quickly. It can work for items that you will use and wash before that happens, but sometimes the most attractive items for display are not the ones we use most. Your cabinet tower steals quite a bit of counter space. If that was a typical wall cabinet, your microwave could go under there. Or a drawer style microwave in one of the island base cabinets. I would not do waterfall island countertop.

Why do you need such a large fridge for two people? Your space isn't large and the fridge will be overpowering.

How wide is your sink and what kind of sink

What is the window or opeing behind where the pantry is on the top left? You'd be better off with your fridge to the left of your sink, then your DW.

@rainyseason For the open shelving between the countertop cabinet and the sink (the long ones), I imagine having mugs on them and the coffee/tea station underneath! For the corner, no idea which is why we don’t exactly love the idea of those..

Is it possible to do a microwave in the counter cabinet and have it stick out or would that look terrible? We wouldn’t close it in so I guess it would essentially be like an upper with a microwave under.. I see what you’re saying.

Are microwaves in base cabinets ergonomic & is it annoying not being able to pull the item out of the microwave directly onto a counter?

Why wouldn’t you do a waterfall countertop?

@cpartist we currently have a 30” full depth fridge and it’s very full with meal prep, leftovers, etc. We’ll be going to a counter depth fridge with the renovation, plus one day there may be more people in the house so we don’t want to limit the size fridge we can get. We don’t have any other fridges in the house.

The sink is 42” and it’s the stylish workstation sink so it would double as having prep space.

The opening behind the pantry at the top left is a doorway that we will be closing off. So if I understand correctly you wouldn’t have the sink and dishwasher beside each other? Since the fridge would be in between? Why?

No the sink and DW would be next to one another.

First understand that when we go to cook, we normally take food out of the fridge (and pantry), bring it to the sink to rinse and then prep between sink and cooktop. Obviously with the sink being a workstation sink, you don't need quite as much prep space alongside the counter.

What I did was follow those guidelines and also this brings the fridge closer to the eating area so people aren't invading the work zones.

I also moved your island down a bit so you have a full 48" between counters. (Not cabinet to cabinet)

I also shortened your island just a bit to give you a bit more breathing room on the table side and on the side by the stove, so the stove also is 48" from counter to counter.

The pantry is now where the fridge was. And along side the fridge I put a narrow tall cabinet that can store linens, etc.

Lastly I put a microwave DRAWER in the island opposite the fridge since we tend to go from fridge to microwave most often.

Cpartist's plan is very good! You could also consider a trash pullout in the island. Our kitchen is an L+island very similar to Cpartist's suggestion. We end up doing a lot of prep on the island, so having trash and compost there works great. And for cleanup, turning to the island to scrape plates before loading the DW is convenient.

If this is the main entrance, rethink everything.

Glad you like cpartist’s plan. Have you thought of this location for your coffee bar?

Actually if you didn't want the cabinet next to the fridge for linen storage, etc, it could wind up being the coffee cabinet/bar.

And pots and pans can be stored in drawers on either side of your stove.

The island can store additional cooking plus dishes, etc.

I would delete the skylight. Why make additional holes in your roof? Keep the pendants.

@Mark, do you say to rethink everything because it’s not ideal having the kitchen right as you walk in the door?

@cpartist thanks! We do think the pendants would look great but our ceilings are only 8’.. not sure yet if that’s an issue / will limit our choices :/

Yes. It is not ideal, but sometimes unavoidable.

@Mark Unfortunately in this case it seems unavoidable unless we want to move the kitchen or make major kitchen sacrifices :( I’ve tried so hard to avoid having the full view of the kitchen from the front door but it’s definitely out of budget to move it.. sighhhhhh

Move the kitchen or redesign the entire layout.

Is this a new build or a reno?

It is listed under "Building a Home", which tells me it is a new build.

Sorry I think I chose the wrong tag.. it’s a reno 🙈

Majorly inspired by the comments here with some other small changes.

Any other thoughts on this new layout?

So I need a to scale floor plan nothing in it except for showing the window placement. The sizes of the appliances all mwasurements clearly marked on graph paper posted here in a comment DO NOT start another post .I like my trash under my sink since to give up storage for trash never makes sense to me I take my trash out ecery day who wants that sitting any longer I have a pullout with 2 small bins one for recycling and one for trash , I also have my DW pods in a cintainer under there and my compost . I have back to back sinks in my kitchen since hubby and I cook together so he does prep on the side with the pullous and I cook on the other side .Counter depth frisge lose about 10% of the storage but IMO so much better . I run a catering biz from my home with a counter depth fridge. I do suggest better glass storage in side the fridge for leftovers they can be stacked . there are many ways to make kitchens functional for how you cook. Post the plan here and see what can be done. BTW since almost everyone ends up in the kitchen I do not have a big issue with seeing the kitchen you just need to be a bit tidier when cooking I use my DW quick cycle a lot when working in the kitchen it takes 23 minutes so can often do 6-8 loads a day when I am busy. I do all my pots in there too.

What is planned for the large open kitchen space with the window bumpout next to the 1/2 bath?

Edit - in your revised drawing, how much interior space is alloted to the 3 island stools? If the island is now shorter (I agree with @cpartist’s changes), it doesn’t seem like there will be at least 72” for the 3 stools.