Thank you in advance for any wisdom you can offer.

I’m a function over form person and obsessed with getting a kitchen that WORKS. I’ve lived with this kitchen for 11 years while we’ve saved $$$, and over the years we’ve consulted with 3 different designers, but I’m not sure any of them have it right. Now it’s crunch time as we’ve found a contractor we like.

I am very humble and open to feedback. Just really trying to fix this house so that it works for many years to come. Many thanks in advance for anyone who takes the time to comment.

About us: husband and I are new empty nesters. I do cook and sometimes do canning. Hub does grilling and smoking meats in the back yard. We don’t entertain much (only when the adult kids come over for dinner) and we intend to live here for many more years.

About what we want:

Main goals are to open up the space and make a whole cooking/dining/living area that makes sense.
We’ve already placed beams so we know removing the walls is possible.
I’m obsessed with function, flow, and efficiency (zones).
I have been reading GW/Houzz for years and I would really like to follow the ice/water/stone/fire ethos, if at all possible in our tiny space.
Traffic is a concern, as the kitchen is the only route to the much-used back door. However, only my husband and I live here, and we have managed with this traffic pattern for a decade. If there are ways to ease it, let’s, but we probably can’t change it.
We have a full basement under this level.
We like the idea of banquette for our dining area to maximize storage and space.
I much prefer a large, uninterrupted island counter space for food prep and eating. Neither sink (germs and splashing next to eating?!) nor stove (mid-room ventilation) appeal to me on an island.
Everyone seems to want to expand the over-sink window, but I could go either way. Our house is an old brick craftsman, so I’m guessing expanding a window would be difficult and pricey, but I’m open to it, provided it’s affordable and makes functional sense. I’m open to sink not under window, again, if it makes functional sense. The view isn’t spectacular out that side of the house, but the light is nice.
I prefer not to have under-counter microwave. Standard DW, 30” range or cooktop, 33” sink, and any size of fridge as long as it doesn’t stick out.
True vent hood a must. We have solar and will do induction cooking (not gas).

-The only thing that can’t be moved is the fireplace. We’ve asked. It’s apparently concrete down into the basement. (!!)

I’ve included current floor plan with all the measurements, and the 3 different designers’ visions. I feel that each had pluses and minuses, but not sure how to pull it all together into something that WORKS.

Thank you so much for your consideration.

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