If you want to do this, I would keep the pantry and the refrigerator. It puts the fridge in a better relationship to the kitchen than all the way in the corner.

I would also recommend Not removing the base cabinets in the rest of the run but leaving a peninsula of sorts for some storage underneath that could also double as a serving area for the dining room. You don't appear to have a lot of square footage in the dining room for more than a table and chairs, and if you remove the walls you won't have anywhere to place even a small serving piece.

Open plans are all well and good but there should be some separation to define spaces, control noise, and selectively screen views. If you remove the entire wall except for the refrigerator enclosure half of the people seated at the DR table will have a great view of a potentially dirty kitchen if you are serving a labor intensive meal.

Its been my experience that day-to-day cooking can be done relatively tidily, but when entertaining and pulling out all the stops is when things pile up. One of the Positive features of a separate dining room (the big negative being wasted real estate if it is not used for multiple purposes), is the ability to eat a meal without sitting among all the evidence of how the meal came to be.

I really like it! Everything is nicely separated. I would definitely add a trash pullout by the prep sink. Also, maybe make the overhang 18" IF you have the space and are a tall family, and make the corner cabinet non-angled, but that's it. Nice kitchen.

I really like the layout and agree with Palimpsest about keeping the pantry cab so the fridge has room for door swing, isn't in the pantry doorway, and is a straight shot down the aisle from the stove and prep area.

I also like the suggestion of leaving the bases as peninsula to serve as divider/serving area/place to set things when moving meals and dishes from kitchen to dining, and vice-versa.

The corner cabinet in the upper plan is not angled, but in the others it is...I'm hoping the upper plan is correct. My view: Angled corner cabinets rob floor space, reduce counter length on both walls, create a deep counter corner, and although technically offer more space inside, the opening is smaller so things are more difficult to access. Also, as Tracie.erin pointed out, it'd make it very difficult to reach that upper closest to the window wall.

Best wishes...Looks like you're going to have a wonderfully functional kitchen.

Thank you.

Yes, you are correct the DR does not have a lot of square footage, which is why I feel crampt and isolated in it. We currently have a hutch along the wall between the DR & kitchen. The hutch will move to the wall that appears to be a short wall (it will be lengthened).

I forgot to add if the wall is removed I will have to leave a 1 ft-2 ft column/post at the end of the wall away from refrig, where the desk area would be. So it would be a "framed" opening.

The idea of leaving the lower bank of cabinets is definitely something to consider. What I like about removing the entire all is will be less of a "tight squeeze feeling". But the idea of the extra storage and the countertop area is a great point!

I agree with you both about angled cabinets. The top cabinet is not angled, the cabinets just run to the wall. There are no uppers on my sink wall. What could I do to eliminate the corner cabinet? Use a 36" blind cabinet with a pullout? Then put a 24" drawer base to the left of my sink?

We mostly experience the feeling of spaciousness or being cramped from the waist up. We can negotiate 18"-24" pathways between furniture groupings relatively easily, but walking down a 24" hallway would be a problem (both because of our arms, and psychologically).

I believe that as long as you open enough to expand the views selectively, the lower wall or bank of cabinets will not make it feel cramped. You will still see over 36" when seated.

I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I have two negative thoughts about your proposed change. I want to say them so you don't commit to this hoping for a result that you don't get.

The first is about opening the dining room wall - because of the sight-lines, it won't do what I think you hope it would do. You'll be able to see more of the back of the fireplace, and a tiny silver of the living room but that's it. For more dining room vistas and communication, you'd need to open a space about where you show the ref.

The second is my personal preference, so take or leave as you wish. I would absolutely not put wall ovens in that location. They would feel like a huge visual obstacle in my way to the laundry and the ref. I'd hate having the oven doors open across from the prep sink in an aisle that looks somewhat less than 42". I'd move them to the ref wall inna heartbeat or use a range and an under counter oven..

What a great plan. And I echo the others about leaving the lower cabinets as a peninsula seperating the space between kitchen and dining room. We added a peninsula between our kitchen and eating area and I was afraid that I would feel cramped and I don't at all. Leave the fridge/pantry where they are and you will have a peninsula of about 6' which is a very usable size. It looks like you already have a 14' entry into the dining roomand then opening up the upper part of the wall will continue the spaciousness. I think any bigger entry will be too big.
The peninsula can be used for buffet serving, putting dirty dishes when clearing the dining room, maybe used as a bar area when entertaining - it will be very useful.

I have two questions/concerns - your top plan shows 2 double sinks while the others show a single in the island and then a double on the perimeter. Hopefully that's the way the it will be planned - one double and one single.
My other question is the use of a trash compactor - do you have one now or is it an addition. I don't have one so can't speak to its usefulness but not alot of people have them. I think what will be more useful, which I don't see, is a trash/recycling pull-out station. Just thoughts for you

Bmorepanic. Not taken the wrong way at all! I appreciate your suggestions. I think when you look at a plan for so long you get a block on new ideas. I welcome all comments.

I see what you are talking about with the ovens. I do not want a range, but will have to look at the oven placement you suggested. What would you place where the ovens are now? Continue the uppers and lowers (add 33" upper and lower)?

Blfenton. Thank you. The island has a single sink. The engineer's plan at the top is off when it comes to the actual kitchen cabinet/fixture layout. Where he has labeled trash compactor it is actually a dbl trash pullout.

We're not saying you have to get rid of a corner lazy susan to do away with the angled base...There is a style of corner lazy susan that has a 90-degree front with a hinged-in-the-middle door.

Frankly, I don't see any problem with the oven location, which are back against the wall and not open that often. We all have different things that would bug us. It might be different for me if there was a window, glass door, or a more public room on the other side.

Here is a link that might be useful: drawings of 90 degree corner cabinet

jg1126 - Thanks for clarifying about the sinks and pull-out trash. Just a thought though - where ever you are planning on doing most of your prep is to put a/the pull-out trash at that location. If most of your prep work is on the island put it there and move the drawer/cupboard to the current location of the pull-out trash. Or is it's between the double sink and stove, then put it there.

I like your plan a lot...and it makes sense to open the kitchen up to the dining room. However, I don't think your best view, is from the desk end of the counter.

Could you switch the fridge and ovens...then leave the pantry...but move the wall ovens to the end of the counter. This would give you a nice baking/prep/buffet area, between the kitchen and dining room.

The wall ovens are usually used less often than the fridge and the fridge now makes a great work triangle, with the cooktop and the prep sink. Just a thought :)

Ooops, hit the button too soon :)

I meant to add, that with the oven and pantry on either side of the baking/prep/buffet area...now, you also have a better view, from the dining room into the kitchen...of your big window over the sink.

blfenton. Great point. I put the trash where it is thinking of using it for cleaning plates, as well as trash from the sitting room area, would keep traffic out of the cooking/prep area.I will doing most prep at the island. I will take your and tracie's advice and put a second trash possibly under the sink area.

lavendar lass. I hadn't thought of that option. My reason for placing the refrig where it is was to keep traffic out of the prep area (same with the trash). I don't think I want the ovens towards the sitting area but what if I reversed your idea and put the pantry cabinet at the far end with easy acess to the sitting area and the island seating for snacks, cereal, etc. and the ovens at the end close to the laundry.