Raj - What you say is true that a lot of interior design's margin is in furniture. I will not sugar coat it. And many designers may seem to be more interested in that when you bring them in. But I have had several clients call me over the years saying they are building a new home and would like to consult primarily on layout. When you speak to someone is tell them you are not ready to order furnishings or window treatments, but that you would like a contract that focuses on layout, planning, and interior detailing (i.e. doors, trims, floors) - i.e. the bones of the house. What I would suggest is when you call for a designer, you be prepared to pay a good consultation fee. A good rule of thumb is that you can expect to pay between $3-$10 per square foot of your home depending on the area of your country and the expertise/experience of the designer. If you are not averse to paying this type of fee, and communicate to the designer that your interest is in getting the best solutions, not in purchasing furniture at this time, I'm sure you will be able to get the level of service you desire. If someone you talk to doesn't seem thrilled to provide this kind of service, move on to the next person. Don't rely on "fame" or how well known someone is. They may be well known for doing show houses or just because they've been in the field the longest in your area. Not because they're the right fit for you. You could also check the Houzz directory for good designers in your area. The difficulty is that there are often decorators whose expertise and focus is really just on furnishings not so much on construction - and they serve a purpose for their clients. But there are other designers who provide more of a wholistic approach and have more familiarity with building a new home. These are the people you should seek out. Houzz is a fantastic community - and as I said you may get good advice here but there's really no replacement for someone to work with you in person. Sorry for the super long post but I feel passionately about this and I think this advice will best suit your needs.

I think a comfortable distance between the island and the counter is around 42". It seems that you have only 30" between your cook top and the counter. I might be a little too tight. The wall between the entrance and the kitchen could be 4' long instead of 6', you would then be able to move the island a foot which would give you more room between the cook top and the island. Could you switch the location of the toilet and vanity in your dad's bathroom so your enter facing a vanity instead of a toilet which is a lot nicer.

The wall is stunning and creative, but sadly, I have to agree with the consensus expressed on all your threads: this wood should have been bone dry, carefully checked over piece by piece for holes, insects, existing fungus etc., and probably treated and certainly well sealed before before being installed. At this point, I would cut my losses and take it down. Once the pieces are all down, it's possible that if you thoroughly scrub off all fungus with a bleach solution, then let them dry bone dry (preferably in a wood kiln or perhaps a DIY drying shed), then treat and coat, these pieces could be reinstalled. Even that depends on the conditions they'll see - if this wall is exposed to lots of steam or grease you'll be having new issues before long. Also, is the wall itself dry and solid? Any chance water is leaking or oozing from somewhere and adding to the issue? What species of wood is this? Some species are naturally more fungus resistant and appropriate for this than others. Long story short, I'd recommend finding a different way to cover the wall - with ceramic, galvanized metal, or with a really scrub-resistant paint.

The wood has to reach what's called Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC), which is different for various areas of the country/world. I don't know about end grain slabs, which is what you have, but the rule of thumb for lumber air drying (vs. kiln drying) is 1 year for each inch of thickness. Moisture leaves the end grain faster than the side and/or edge of the boards, so in your case the drying time will probably be shorter. If it is not dried in a controlled environment your slabs are going to split radially, due to drying too fast.