Adding more photos.

We need a scale drawing of all openings, wall to come out, pictures of kitchen walls to the right of the dining room door. A dishwasher is and easy DIY taking out the cupboards and drawer to the left of the sink. But can you afford to lose that storage? With the stairway door next to the refrigerator I don't see the priority of a counter depth 'fridge.

Best I can do

I see aton of wated space htta could be unitized Is the basement finished ? If so take the door off then raise the window to allow a cabinet or 2 under that window Get a counter depth fridge . Thsoe cabinets triimmed out at the ceiling with way too much trim it wasted space . Lots of space for a DW but it takes some palnning and using all that wasted space like the 36" wall Do the plan on graph paer to scale right now you have 2 walls next to the DR opening those are not to scale or you are not shoing something The plan should be with nothing in it I know you want to keep the cabinets but IMO new ones will bring the best plans to the space . Stoves never in a corner no matter what . Post the plan here in jpeg format in a comment just like before but make sure it is to scale the easy way is graph paper . DO NOT start another post .

w

The Wall between the kitchen & DR is 6" thick

The two walls I'd like to remove are the 53" wall & 33" wall

There are two windows above the sink total length 57.5"

Next to stove, wall comes in about an inch, must be a pipe there (tried to show that)

Basement is finished, there are 4 steps to outside then to right additional steps to basement

I'm willing to change up the cabinets

Thank you in advance

On the fridge wall you could pull those cabinets forward and get an extra deep counter space.

Please add knobs and pulls to the cabinets.

I could see widening the door opening but I don't think removing the walls altogether is a good idea.

Thank you. I was holding on pulls on knobs until the kitchen was done. I am curious as to why not remove the wall.

Could you swap out your basement door for a glass french door? It might give the appearance of a larger space.

Agree that your cabinets look nice and I would want to keep them - is this an older home?

you mention needing more storage in the kitchen and dining room as the driver for the changes?

for more storage in your dining room, you could replace the glass cab and bar cart for harder-working closed storage pieces

extending your wood floors into the kitchen would be a huge upgrade - a good wood pro can stain new floors to match existing -

FWIW before a very expensive reno I might go thru everything and make sure I only have what I need - I say this after just helping my aunt avoid a super disruptive kitchen reno bc she said she “needed more space” - we pulled everything out and turns out she had 27 different water bottles in drawers in her kitchen and 9 small appliances I have never seen her use (air fryer, steamer, belgian waffle maker etc..) - once we pared everything down and organized it, she had empty cabinets lol - her space feels fresh and new and the whole thing was free..

Re: not opening the wall: the kitchen is not big enough to be an entertainment space, so guests are not going to be moving back and forth there. Your home has a traditional look with the decorative floor detail and framed windows. Also I think walls are useful :) and some people who go open plan everywhere regret it.

But you haven't told us how many people live and cook here, how you like to entertain and so on.

It's 4 of us that live here. Kids are at school but they come home & they cook too. I cook almost 5/7 days and I do entertain. It's an older home and very small. We moved in almost 2 years ago, downsizing from a bigger home but we have a summer home. I actually don't have alot b/c of our other home and I am storing crockpot, blender, roasting pan, big things in the basement. I would like to remove the walls to extend counter space for when I entertain but it also feels so small when I prepping meals or cooking. The refrigerator, over & microwave are only 2 years old. I had to replace what was there. I can move the refrigerator to the basement or sell but I would prefer to keep the stove/microwave. Also we don't intend on stay here more than 5 years.

What if remove one of the windows over the sink and moving everything down. Put a narrow floor to ceiling cabinet in the corner, add dishwasher to left/right of sink?

To get more counter workspace you could add an L shape or peninsula (if you remove wall) to the sink wall - the wall with the chalkboard on it.

Can you add the window widths to the drawing?

I will add to the drawing but for reference each window is 28 in.

Maybe we can help you get realistic with your wants and abilities:

You will only be in this home for five years, you prefer to keep the cabinets, don't have the budget for restaining floors (which is not very expensive), yet want to move windows, take down a wall, and add more counter space - which means adding more cabinets, which will then not match existing cabinets - AND you are making the dining room and kitchen one space with two different floors, plus cutting into your cabinet space by removing a cabinet for a dishwasher (totally get that need!), and cutting into counterspace for a counterdepth fridge.

All of your desires spell out major kitchen renovation. But, I presume this is not in the budget. You purchased a small home that is not made for kitchen entertaining unless you invest a lot of money. Think of how to sacrifice some of your wants and stay within your budget. DON'T do a half-assed remodel that is going to look bad when you go to sell your home in 5 years.

Removing wall

Instead of removing the wall, make a cut out in the wall where your chalkboard is. Make it as large as you can without having to mess with electrical, without ruining your nice door frame, and while still being able to use your current cabinets. This WILL enable more conversation between dining room and kitchen when your kids are home and cooking. No it is not the same as combining rooms, but it saves you from having to have the same floor, from figuring out what other cabinets to get to extent into the dining room that will match your current cabinets.

Dining room

You have 9 chairs in here. How often do you seat 9 people? How often do you seat 6 people? Get nice, comfortable folding chairs to store in your basement and bring up when you have more than 4 or 6 people at the table. This allows you room for a much longer workhorse of a buffet for more storage.

Your china cabinet is used for display, which is a waste of space. Use it for storage. Stack plates, bowls, whatever. It can be pretty and functional.

I have a galley kitchen and use my dining room table when I'm prepping for a gathering - pies cool on the table, things come out of the oven and on to the table. Use it like extra counterspace!

Living room

How does the dining room connect to the living room? Do you have a good arrangement for entertaining in there? This is an old home not built for entertaining in the kitchen. Change how you entertain. I have lived in many old homes with a separate layout like yours. Prep everything before friends and family arrive. Spend time in the living room and dining room, not in the kitchen. It is a different mindset but means the difference between a complete kitchen gut vs using the space you already have. Try it two or three times before you do many kitchen renovation.

Kitchen

You need to get realistic about the amount of space a counterdepth fridge requires, and your clearances for opening doors. You need to get realistic about your base cabinet size, and whether one can be easily removed to add a dishwasher to the left of your sink.

I reasearched a ton about how to get every inch out of a galley and how to make it feel bigger. Painting cabinets well is quite expensive. Painting them on the cheap will chip. Plus, you have grain that might show through. There are a lot of color tricks you can use to make this space feel bigger, less choppy, but for now focus on layout and function.

Thank you great feedback

We’re a family/friends that likes to sit around the table

I would love to have the floors go from the DR to Kit I just didn’t think it was feasible, considering the age of the house but seems from previous comments its possible.

I can get a compact dishwasher

I realize keeping the cabinets is not practical, they must 25+ years old and not custom to the kitchen. Therefore, I would update to new cabinets for better layout and more storage

I’d like to replace the dining table/credenza with a more modern, useful dining table. This table/chairs are flimsy

The china cabinet is for displaying a wedding gift I never use, more of out gilt that I display them

I’ve been entertaining less b/c of the layout but people are over, not as much with kids gone but about once a month we have 6, but I do host, this weekend I am having 12 over. Holidays its 20 plus

I still want to remove the wall/ interested in add L-shape pennisula

I am miserable in this kitchen

Some ideas--hope I'm not duplicating.

-Are dining room and kitchen same color? Dining room seems a cream color. If so, paint the kitchen that cream color for a lighter feel and flow. That gray is a downer and doesn't go with the floor or backsplash.

--Yes to counter depth fridge. Get a freezer for the basement if you freeze a lot. Otherwise shop efficiently so you don't have to store a ton of food. A small dorm size fridge in basement can be used for bottled drinks, sodas, etc. when you have company. Then just set up a drinks station in your dining room so guests don't have to come into the small kitchen.

--Dining room looks a bit fusty. Move out some of the dining chairs. Add them back when you have company. Put the upholstered ones that are against the wall at head and foot of table with just two chairs on each side of dining table. Get short slipcovers for the chair in an ivory color. Have one simple centerpiece in the table instead of all the this and that.

--Look at the nice roman shades in this dining room. Get something modern like those for dining room and kitchen windows. That white china cabinet looks kind of great too.

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--No to glass French doors only because basement door should have over-the-door hanging shelves to keep cleaning supplies and other cabinet items shelved there. That will create more space under kitchen sink. Attach paper towel holder to under stink cabinet and put some other mini shelves on those doors.

--Keep extra large dish liquid and cleaning supplies in basement with small containers under the sink. Refill as needed. Why is a giant pack of napkins on the fridge? Banish it to basement. Better yet, get nice cloth napkins for the table, so you don't need to buy paper napkins.

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--Familiarize yourself with Rev-A-Shelves. These are super easy pull-out drawers and shelves for bottom cabinets.

--Replace cabinets closest to dishwasher with open wood shelves that match the finish of the cabinets. Put attractive daily dishes there that get washed regularly. Open shelves in a galley kitchen can create a lot of visual space and allow people in the kitchen easy access to dishes, glasses, mugs. I wouldn't get a compact dishwasher if you entertain.

I just want to add that when you entertain, make maximum use of your bar and what looks like a buffet/sideboard on the wall where the chairs are. If you ever find a bigger buffet/sideboard that looks good, use that for bar/coffee station/serving and below for big serving pieces. Your kitchen is overused and your dining room is underused. Give the dining room some work to do!

Also want to add is that it's okay to change entertaining habits to make things easy on yourself.I just read about a champagne and chocolate party online. Do creative brunches/teas instead of bigger meals if that's what you've been doing. See how young people entertain on their blogs. Many live in tiny apartments and still entertain a crowd.

Yes love all the picture and love 3rd picture with cabinets opening to dining room. I will put a more detailed plan together.

Don't open the wall to the dining room, you have beautiful trim around the doorway. What is behind the wall where your refrigerator is? Could you borrow a few extra feet from there to widen your kitchen? Removing that would alter the character to your home. I suspet you have that trim around most doors. Also, stay away from adding glass door to your basement. Seeing stairs and/or a dark space through the glass will absorb light, giving the illusion of less space. Glas shouls only be used IF you are showing something aestheticallt interesing. Stairs are not that. Only space I can see to utilize would be te basement stairway. Is there a way to reconfigure the stairway and move the door inward? You'd create a space to move your refrigerator, and add cabinets and/or counter . Also stay clear of the silly trend to have open shelves in your kitchen, the make the space looked cramped and become a nuisance to clean whatever is displayed there. Consider moving the stove to the left of the sink. It is limiting to have it against the wall on the right. Put a rolling island in front of the window which can serve as added counter space when needed. (If you are right handed, put your dishwasher to the right of the sink. Good luck!

So many great ideas on this thread!

really don’t want to be negative but if you’re not going to be in the home more than 5 yrs I’d think about the reno - this a not a super-simple project so the planning/designing will be a bit of a process, plus selecting the pros (waiting for them to fit you in, which will be a long time if they are any good), them ordering everything, plus demo and install. Not to mention all the disruption and all the money - it’s a big undertaking

I'm right handed - my dishwasher is to the left of my sink. It feels very natural to use my right hand to wipe/spray a dish - while holding it in my left hand - and then place it in the dishwasher (to the left of sink) with my left hand.

Based upon what I've read on this forum, when deciding where to locate your dishwasher, it's more important to make sure that it's not located between your sink and your range/cooktop. While I don't leave my dishwasher door open while cooking, there are people who do - and it becomes a trip hazard when located between the sink and cooktop/oven/range.

I also agree with Kendrah re: how the counter depth fridge will feel tight due to having people over fairly often. I was positive that I wanted/needed a counter depth fridge as part of my kitchen renovation - but realized what really mattered to me was having a fridge where the sides didn't extend way past the base cabinets/countertop. If you encase your fridge with panels that match your cabinets, you can achieve the same look while keeping the extra storage that a full depth fridge provides.

Sorry, I just saw that you already posted a drawing of your kitchen. Can you add a drawing of your dining room too? Include the doorways into the living room, stairs, hallways, and radiators. Are you looking to move radiators or keep where they are?

I presume with wanting to keep a large entertaining space in the dining room, you are not going to be able to add that much more cabinet and counter space into the dining room area. But maybe some is better than nothing.