An 8'x8' kitchen is a classic deadend galley style kitchen. Option A is to locate the refrigerator adjacent to the center doorway, stove with exhaust hood in the middle of the dead end end wall, sink in the center of the wall opposite the refrigerator. LOGIC: Classic triangular work relationship, plenty of counter workspace, easy access to refrigerator for others without interfering with someone cooking at the stove, space on each side of the sink for a dishrack. Option B really can't beat Option A unless your building's plumbing wall dictates other locations for your sink and stove. Is there a window in the kitchen? This can also have impact on the layout.

Here are more pictures. Main door is exactly opposite the big opening. Forgive my ignorance, as I wasn't aware they are not called french windows. Since there is not much space between the main door and the big windows, I don't want to stuff it with furniture. Also, since we like big spaces, we would like to keep it as simple as possible. Anyway, my main concern right now is whether the bamboo blinds will work for these big windows, or they will give a stuffed look as soon one enters?

No. If you really want a shower fixture, make sure there's a drain and a sloping floor (so no glass door or shower pan) and just hang a fixture on a reasonable sized piece of wall. And consider the costs, how long you planned on living there, will you use it for more than spraying plants or washing the dog, etc.

This reminds me of my kitchen in Hyderbad, India. As others said, go with open shelves. Both wood (contrast) and stainless (brightness) would work well for upper shelves. I would also do shelves in the lower cabinets. If you want to minimize cleaning, add heavy, easily washable curtains to the lower shelves. You can add some battery operated lighting so you can see into those darker spaces. As for the walls, I would use a white subway tile and go as high on the wall as you can afford. The glaze will reflect more light and the surface will be relatively able to keep clean. Paint the other walls in a high-quality white paint (use a ceramic one if you can find it, as they are a lot more durable). Keep the appliances to a minimum. Kitchen gadgets might be handy, but lost of them will make the space seem small. For the ones you do buy, go with white or stainless steel. Finally, hang pots, pans and utensils on the walls to free shelf space and get them off the counter. Make sure what you use frequently is within easy reach, while "occasional" tools can be higher up, where you might need a stool to reach them.