We moved into our current home about a year and a half ago. I Inherited my mom's kitchen - current layout is designed to keep people out/1 person kitchen. She didn't want people in her space!

I would like to change it to a more open, shared space for informal hosting. We are a family of 3 with a tween and we all cook to some extent. I have an illness that leaves me tired so being able to sit while prepping is one of the critical aspects.

Would like to have:

* Island with seating

* Induction range

* Counter depth, french door fridge

* Base cabinets with drawers - I do not like rollouts. I don't want to have to open a door and then pull out a shelf.

* Trash pullout on the island - probably closest to the sink.

* A fulll range hood, currently the MW is over the stove, but not sure where the MW would go?? We do use it a lot, though I think with an induction cooktop, we would use it less.

Ideas:

* Merging kitchen and nook (nook is currently used for hobbies not eating - this area can move to the basement)

* Removing part of the wall that separates kitchen from garage entry

* Moving sink/dw to exterior wall - I would rather there than the island unless there is a good reason to put them on the island.

* Moving fridge and range

* Change sliding glass door to single swing glass door and add pass through windows to deck (we hope to eventually build a bigger deck). There is a view through these windows. DH would prefer french doors to deck or keep the door we have.

* Add cupboards to the ceiling (currently 30")

* New countertops - preferably granite but open to ideas. (currently corian)

We have an open basement with exposed joists, 8' ceilings, and no second floor

Would prefer not to move load bearing walls (yellow in the second pic) but can if a great idea is presented.

The top left of the kitchen, where the wall is next to the brown square and couch houses a chase for electrical and HVAC. Moving that corner specifically would be difficult. The thin line crossing the hall from the hall bath to kitchen going into the dining room is just a "space dividers". There isn't a wall or door. Same for the thin line between the nook and the living room. Both are open.

We are just getting preliminary ideas at this point as we are still probably about another year out before we dig out the crowbars/hammers/power tools! We will likely look to talk to a KD within the next month or two.

To generate ideas and play around with spacing, I am using free software, so it has its limitations but is helpful in getting my brain wrapped around what might work.

Our current layout:

First round of ideas:

Island is 44" wide (regular base cabinets with 18" overhang for seating, the 18" wraps all the way around for seating on the end) x 9.5'. Is there a better use of the length of the space? I have the Fridge measured at 33" deep for a counter depth fridge, so that measurement may change after we purchase it.

(that's a cat in the picture by the door to the deck :) )

Thank you very much for your thoughts. I appreciate your insight.