THANKS JSWEENC!!! Here are my pics and proposed layout.. thanks for the uploading lesson!!!! This is a big day! Let me try to walk you through what you are seeing: The living room, kitchen and dining room are currently three different levels. They will all be the level of the kitchen when this is done. The big thing surrounding the stove that separates the kitchen and living room won't be there. The wall above the current counters where the current fridge is will be windows. The window will be above the future sink and in between the new fridge and dishes cabinet (not the microwave as it says). The cabinets that separate the kitchen and dining room will be gone. Basically, everything you see will be gone. My main goal is to make everything one level and then to make everything less choppy and flow better. The drawing of the kitchen was just a first draft. Some things will change. The island will probably be 10x4 and perhaps the second island will be 8x3? (if you all still think there should be a second island after seeing the pictures). The laundry and pantry rooms will be flipped. When looking into the living room in pic #5, that back wall with the stripes won't be there. It will be floor to ceiling windows. Ignore all the furniture drawn into the living room sketch. The middle section will most likely be fairly empty and the end section will have seating for tv and conversation. I'm also thinking of making the second island movable incase a future owner would like to have a kitchen table there instead for an 'eat in' kitchen. But maybe you think our dining room is close enough to our kitchen for that not to be a potential issue. I'm definitely thinking of resale in this renovation. I'm thinking the perimeter cabinets will be white and the islands will be stained. The second island could be soapstone or whatever and the main island and perimeter counters will be calacutta marble. I'm envisioning the Refectory style from Christopher Peacock. It has a clean contemporary look that makes me think it will go with this house but it is also a traditional look that will hopefully warm up our home (just make it a little less funky). I have no idea what the second island will look like yet. The floor will be wood and the same floor throughout living room, kitchen and dining room. There are currently three surfaces. ANY feedback you have on these thoughts would be very welcome. Once I get a little further along, I'll be reposting my pics and layout in another thread to get my layout critiqued, so I apologize for the duplication in advance. I just didn't want to go further with the two island idea if everyone nixed it. Jsweenc, I will make sure to have seating at the first island because your point about people being closer while cooking is right on. Snowyshasta's islands were really something. Laxsupermom, thanks for showing me! The term continent made me laugh. Mairin, you and Amck's point about the island working if they made sense with the house is great. I like more traditional things and our house is contemporary so I always have to fight my urges. I will definitely post the sketches of the proposed islands once I get that far. It is so useful to get so many sets of eyes on the projects. I love reading everyone's comments on proposed layouts because I learn so much. I'm not good at visualizing outside of the box. Igloochic, our kitchens are similar sizes. Do you have pics of your proposed islands by chance.

You might be able to lace a 1/8 stainless cable between each of the existing slats- but by the time you did that you might be better off getting the 3/4 diameter black or bronze aluminum (one brand is DecKorator) balusters and replacing the slats with these- but leave no more than 4" space between them to meet code.

If they have stiff, unbending soles, I call them uncomfortable and won't wear them. If they have supple soles, I call them flip flops. By the way, at my (former) office, our boss banned the wearing of flip flops in the workplace. He thought they were too informal for office wear as well as unsafe/unstable.

I like it. I don't think the dining room is too far away. It is only steps through the living room. I like a pretty, formal dining room. This plan gives you the separation for a formal dining room along with the openness of the living room to the kitchen that you want. Consider a seating island in the kitchen for casual eating. With regard to the doors that bother you, it looks like you could put a hallway wall between the living room and bathroom/bedroom that will separate those rooms from the living room. It will close off the dining room a little. It's a trade off.