Perhaps you need a kitchen designer rather than an architect.

Some architects just aren't as good at kitchens. (Others are excellent.)

Thank you for posting plans that are clear, and that easily expand when clicked. That is so helpful.

Since your plans are labeled options 2 through 6, I will offer my thoughts using those labels.

Options 2 and 5 seem crowded to me. With the stove and the sink so near to each other (with the dishwasher in between), this may be a kitchen for only one person. Two people could very well be on top of each other while working on different tasks.

I also don't like the fridge location in option 5, since it breaks up the counter run.

I would personally prefer the dishwasher to be closer to the sink than to the stove, so I would prefer option 3 over option 4.

And I don't think I like the fridge location in option 6. It seems like it is sticking out in the dining area.

I guess that means that I like option 3 best, but it doesn't follow ice-water-stone-fire as well as some of the other options. But I would rather have a longer distance from ice to water

The challenge with all design is balancing your priorities. Unless you have unlimited time, money, and space, you can never have everything!

It might be helpful to lay out the options using some boxes (or a table or whatever) and just walk through what meal prep would be like. You could even do this out in the garage if you had to....

Good luck with your reno!

I would certainly contact a Kitchen Designer instead. My initial thoughts are- Island is in the way of most designs and should be moved out of the main traffic flow because of your intended use. The isles to the island may not be wide enough. Why not turn the island 90 degrees and get it out of the way of your traffic flow? In all the designs you are walking around the island except #6 but in that design the fridge is way too far away. I feel there is can be better flow. Drop the architect since I feel she has given you all the layout options and none show a good flow because the island is always in the middle of the design. I just feel there is a better one out there.

I like 4. I like the fridge/pantry out of the work zone. Available to those hanging out. The island is a perfect drop zone for gathering food from the fridge and pantry. But I would always have the dishwasher on the same wall as the sink. You definately do not want it next to the stove.

I don't love any of the options you've posted... seems you're just rearranging sink/stove/fridge. Having said that, option 6 is closest to what I would do, which is this:

The main differences from your Option 6 are:

--fridge closer to sink/DW (not sticking out anymore into the dining area);

--working aisles 4' cupboard to cupboard;

--added double oven & pantry storage on stove wall (pullout shelves);

--removed side walls to the cupboard area; added 15" deep, 48" wide pantry cupboard;

--shifted island seating slightly so it's not blocking pantry access

I happen to love this because it's very close to what we did for our reno and I love my kitchen to this day. It works beautifully, is comfortable for 2 cooks, and great for entertaining.

Here's an image with my design overlaying Option 6, so you can see the changes a little more obviously:

A variation on this design would be to replace double ovens with wider pantry storage, stove instead of cooktop, and have a larger island:

If interested, you can see our reno here: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6386356/kitchen-reveal

IMO architects are poor KDs so start with an independant KD to do this right/ I am decidely left handed and always have my DW on the right I think a U shaped kitchen with somme seating at the peninsula next to the DR would work then you could even have a nice wall of pullouy pantry and fridge along thta bottom wall.

What are the spaces on the lower wall that look like openings? Do they exist? Where do they go to? The sink should be centered on the large window and the stove on the lower wall. I would put the ref on the lower wall as well and turn that other section into full pantry storage or some sort of beverage center. Ideally the ref should be to the right of the sink but since you have such an open floor plan, I wouldn't want it so visible. Just my opinion.

Some of your plans are showing the stove in front of the window? Not sure if that is code compliant. Is that window really there? Or is it new?

What does your kitchen look like now?

I do agree with everyone else that says find a kitchen designer! Architects are not good at kitchens unless they went out of their way to be properly trained and do it on a regular basis.

This is not that small of a kitchen - designed right and I thik you could really enjoy it!

Good luck!

Show the as built of the entire area to include all adjacent rooms.

Does the kitchen need to be so big?

My thoughts:

• In a large L-shaped layout like yours, the best arrangement is for the sink to be on one end of the L and the range on the other, forming a triangle when you work. So I prefer options 2 and 6.
• That being said, I'd center the range on that cabinet run. It's too far from the sink as is.
• Fridge is too far away--do you need all those cabinets between the sink and the fridge?
• The island is not a good proportion--it's too long for the width. I'd shorten it a bit. You probably don't need seating for 3 at the island.
• D/W should not be between the sink and the range, it should be out of the way of the prep/cooking areas. A trash pullout between sink and range is more efficient.

Building off Debbi's idea upthread, here's one more take that puts fridge and pantry on the far wall:

Following...

Get a new kitchen designer. The one whose work is shown seems to bee determined to get the refrigerator away from the sink, which suggests to me a lack of creativity on their part.