I get to help my good friends make their kitchen more user friendly this year, and would love to hear additional input from the good people here. Sample designs included below - heads up my graph paper drawing was done quickly on site and is not drawn to scale though the measurements are correct.

• Family of mostly very tall people, with 4 elementary through teen children, homeschoolers so the kitchen is used or traveled through all day long.
  -currently it’s a wide galley with sink on the lower wall, gas range on the upper wall, 2x5 island worktable squished in between. They love the blank island worktop and gathering round it, but traffic is impossible and it’s a huge barrier to cooking flow.
  -below the kitchen floor plan area is an enclosed, insulated converted porch that leads to the backyard at one end and the barn at the other end. Both exits are frequently used.
  -house entry door is in the upper right of the floor plan, downstairs WC is bottom left by the foot of the stairs.

Needs and wants and changes possible:
-plumbing can be moved anywhere
-gas range stays on its current wall somewhere
-there is a water heater under the stairs that is currently accessed on the kitchen side but may be able to move access to dining room side

• willing to remove or lower load bearing wall that the range is on (via the less expensive option with support posts remaining)
  -messy and rather chaotic family, it must be said!
  -want a baking zone out of the traffic
  -want to be able to interact with people at the table from the kitchen (table for 6 is currently at the lower portion of the right hand wall and the room by the fireplace is a sitting room)
  -want something that functions like the current island: clear workspace to gather round that has no appliances