If its not too much trouble, try some of the following and see what you think

-the tile all the way up the wall
-the counter top material in place of the tile
-stainless on the island
-island as white or dark cream
-island with only 6 inch drawers and legs - no bottom shelf and again as 12 inch drawers and legs without bottom shelf
-on the dining room wall, white or cream cabinets, glass and stainless doors
-thinner (less deep) island - 3 footer instead of 4 footer

I'd try the last one first - cause I think it looks crammed in and that's what doing it. All of the other suggestions above eliminate lines or ease up changes in materials in the hope of landing on what's bothering you.

the open pantry will be fill decor pieces or food boxes? if will be food... the shelves will disappear whit all the color from the food boxes, I will try to hide.

I will change with more modern look hood, instead of that big traditional hood...try to keep away the eyes from the hood and let see the kitchen range/cabinetry.

my 2 old liras... :)

remodelfla - round table and pantry cabs can stay or go if I have island seating.

Bmore - thanks for the compliment. It always pays to have a fresh set of eyes take a look. My only hesitation for white or cream on the island is I was hoping to reduce the amount of painted cabinets in the kitchen. Also wasn't sure about a black and white kitchen. I will try reducing the depth of the island. And I think you're right....there are A LOT of different lines going on. Maybe that's where the busyness is coming into play for me because when I've eliminated the open pantry, it seems alot cleaner.

Giacomo-I had thought about the island in stainless, but I'm REALLY not sure where to source that. I am in NJ, so I could probably find restaurant supply stores in NY to build it. Do you have any suggestions? If I went this route, would you do a stainless counter or keep it marble?

The hood is purchased and honestly, a modern hood would've been too modern for me.

This is a reno and the wood floor is staying...

If I can't source a stainless island, what about stainless cabs on the back wall and a black island. Or would that be too much mass in the middle of the floor?

I had considered eliminating those pantry cabs altogether and doing some sort of wall treatment there instead. A funky wallpaper, some sort of molding treatment or tile. Thoughts??

I sincerely think the rendering is playing some tricks on you if you think there are a lot of lines going on. You have to remember that the pantry is about 30" deep, so the 12" or so shelves in the back will not show like they do here. I think the doorway comes across as a void, rather than adding lines.

I am influenced by a lot of the inspiration islands you've shared with me that others haven't had the advantage of seeing, so I can't even imagine black or stainless on the island. You always seem to like examples that are more rough and rustic wood.

You have no uppers, and just a few of the simplest/cleanest of taller items: the builtin frig and freezer, the almost invisible pantry, and the simply-styled Shaker cabinets. I think this kitchen is simpler and cleaner-lined than almost any I've seen. The Shaker style of the tall cabs and the style of the island add character, without which I think you'd risk austerity.

I am sad that you are so unsettled about your plan...Because we just haven't been able to hit on one you love and can be sure of. I am torn between thinking you're being too critical of your design judgment, and wondering if we're on the wrong track if nothing ever gels.

Anyway, here is the same view as above, but with a few changes:

-I removed the doorway framing, cabinet, and shelves in the corner near the dining room doorway, since they do add visual noise and you've been thinking of getting rid of them anyway.

-I added lighting to see if that makes anything more clear and with less glare.

-I adjusted the height of the backsplash, because I have always been uncomfortable with how the line of it cut across the middle of things, and Bmore mentioning it prompted me to try something new. You've seen it all the way up, so I thought I'd try using the hood as a guideline.

And, I'm posting more views, since you won't always see the room from that one angle. ;-)

From minimalistic kitchen

From minimalistic kitchen

From minimalistic kitchen

make the island all SS make more sense for me because will be the prep area and I love SS countertop when are all stretched. Then the cooking wall in black and the tall units need to be more pieces of furniture, where will be your fridge?

it looks like a beautiful plan and i can't wait to see it spring to life! good luck!

I would just use the same slab as the island as the backsplash on the oven wall.
And then frame the glass wall cabinets with the same wood as the island.

Or something equivalent to tie it all together...

Otherwise you may well find that the focal point of your kitchen becomes the box of pancake mix or whatever else is bright in there.)

Outside of that everything looks great. I like your colours and the contrast in textures between the island and the cabinetry. It's looking very Tribeca to me.

If you do want to explore the stainless island option - Ikea has stainless front cabinets. Personally I would go for rough-hewn wood and think about leaving it open underneath. It will add a lot of space to the room.

Very nice room so far !

Here's the island without a shelf on the bottom. Does it make a difference?

Or do I just stick with the closed island with seating?

I like the pantry without the door,too.

I think that it is possible to make a great-looking island either way...with or without seating. How you want it to work for you is what should reign on this decision. Do you really want a spot for people to sit and talk to you and ds to do his schoolwork right where you can look over his page without walking over to the table, or do you really want people seated out of your way? Will you keep the table either way? --Because I see a lot of advantages to having table seating available. You can really enjoy someone's company while also enjoying the ambiance provided by the fireplace...whether eating, doing a puzzle, or lingering over a glass of wine or lemonade/cup of coffee or cocoa.

But, what would you store on the open shelves at the bottom? Platters, bowls, less used items? Would you keep it clear? Who is going to dust, clean down there? When I see open shelving like in the pantry and really the fridges in your inspiration pic- I realize that it is for a different type personality than me. Now having said that, I DO have open shelving and several sets of clear drawers in my sewing room- and that works great for me there I can see everything that I need at a glance - but, it is a separate room that I can close off if it gets messy.

So, are you the kind of person who doesn't ever go to bed leaving dirty dishes in the kitchen, who doesn't leave the room before tidying up? Cuz then, all the open shelving will work for you. Unfortunately, I'm not that organized or disciplined.

What about leaving just enough of an overhang on the end of the island facing the table to have room for one or two stools? Someone could sit there with a cup of tea/wine and chat; ice cupcakes; shell peas; whatever; and be involved in the action of the kitchen.

I actually am the type of person that always cleans up after each meal, and doesn't have dirty dishes in the sink. However, I am "somewhat" concerned about the quantity of open shelves and the dust factor. Not as concerned about the "messiness" factor.

I was planning to store pots/pans, on the bottom shelf of the island. However, again, a big dust factor down there and I really need to think if I'll be happy looking at a collection of pots/pans haphazardly places every time I walk in the kitchen. I could always go without the lower shelf like in the rendering below the inspiration pic.

So the reason I'm torn about the islands is because i think the one that has more visual appeal is the open island. However, last night DH and I were in the kitchen with DS and his friend. The kids were sitting at the island and we were all talking. I think I might miss that without having seating there. I agree the rendering of the solid island is not as "charming". Hopefully I can work out a better design for that style if that's the route I take. Even DH made a comment that he doesn't want a big blob in the middle of the room. The round table will stay even if I do island seating.

Here's a layout where I've put in horizontal recessed shelving for dishes instead of the step in pantry. The paneling on the right is first attempt at trying to do something with that long wall behind the island instead of just filling it with pantry cabs. It's still a work in progress. What do you think about the horizontal shelves? I actually like the way they look. Maybe it takes some of the visual off the refrigerator columns?

I will second the cleaning "nightmare". I have a small amount of open base shelving. The ones closest to the floor gets twice as dirty as the others. You're going to have to do hands and knees for cleaning the bottom shelf and to clean underneath it - and you won't be able to reach it all from one side.

Maybe try just a utensil drawer and a shelf on the side facing the range? In that height, you could probably use the cabinet bottom and a shelf surface for storage. Do one deep drawer with dividers for lids?

Sniff, sniff, big watery eyes. I'll miss the pantry. It wouldn't be hard to clean.

bmore - I think what you're talking about with soffit over the doorway area between the frig and pantry cab is shown in the 3rd pic that I posted yesterday where i show the solid island. Is that what you mean? Were you also thinking the ceiling should be dropped there? Rhome had actually suggested that at one point.

You don't think the lower shelving in the step in pantry will be hard to keep clean? Is that because there won't be constant "foot traffic" in there? I haven't ruled the pantry out. Just trying a few different things.

Not sure I completely understand what you're suggesting for the island. Is your comment for the "open" island or the island where the cabinets go to the ground?

Your pantry wall behind the island is how deep? What would you store on all the open shelves? I thought the 'panelling' pic was just an alternative design for the wall pantries (which I prefer over all the open shelves). I would die for a wall of narrow pantry space in the kitchen. I assume your dishes are going in drawers across from the DW? Just thinking that you want to make sure the pantry wall is deep enough for whatever you plan to store in there.

I think I see what is reading busy -- it isn't what is in the kitchen as much as the stuff that is happening beyond it -- in those openings either side of the fridge. If you look at the one with the paneling, the panels keep that wall smooth rather than having cabinets bump out from the wall. That simplifies the look, and you could have that single depth on that wall with storage behind panels.

Beyond that, in the hallway to the right, you also aren't showing the cabinet and shelves on the right. That simplifies the view as well. Is that a change in plans or a change in the viewing angle?

I don't think it is the pantry that is making things busy. I'd focus on that right side all the way down. I'd probably put a pocket door on the pantry -- if you decide you want to use it, you'll have it, and if you like keeping it open, it's completely out of the way. You can also do a pocket door in panels to match the cabinet or panels on the right, or keep it very simple and streamlined -- or even a chalkboard.

You are very close -- and have been very close for a long time now.

I don't have anyhthing that draws in 3d and am envisioning the return of the big pantry where the decorative cross hatch thing is. More like an actual soffit with a ceiling and an undefined passage to another space instead of (viewed from kitchen) doorway frame, doorway frame, doorway frame with bonus doorway frame with moldings.

Lascatx - eventually I will get this finished. Supposed to be going to the cabinet guy tomorrow at 11 EST. Those panels(which are just in design phase at this moment) are actually just attached to the wall. I'm not really sure what you meant by "storage behind it". The cabinet and shelves in the hallway has been a trial and error thing. It does make that area a little more "claustrophobic". But, I've been trying to "simplify" the kitchen area by not putting anything behind the island and I think I need some storage in addition to the corner pantry. Do you think I should just eliminate anything in that area to the right of the frig?

Bmore - are you suggesting the soffit should start at the front of the frig and make a ceiling across to the front of the DR doorway or the back of the DR doorway? The front of the frig doesn't line up with the southern end of the DR entrance it lines up with the northern end.

I think what you're suggesting in your diagram, is that the wall should be smooth and the pantry units actually made to look like they're "built in"? In order to make that wall "smooth" I basically need to build out the entrances surrounding both the DR and the foyer area. Is that correct? Would that look odd if it's the kitchen is the only room in the house that has "deeper" entrances? Here's and overhead of the kitchen and the family room to the left and then of the downstairs as it currently is.

Thanks for everyone's help. I know I keep pouncing on this, but I feel like I'm close, but am just missing something that I can't put my finger on.

what about that these will be the only 2 openings in the house that look like this? Any reservations?

I keep wanting to chime in, but haven't had anything new to add to this high level discussion until now. The unifying theme to your design seems to be the linear directionality as you look into the kitchen from the seating area. Everything you do to emphasize that works with that modern industrial feeling you're going for.

I like the general look of the paneling much better than the pantry cabinets, because the heavy grid doesn't break up the horizontal lines. Though it might be even better without the verticals. Could you do something like that as overlay doors on top of cabinets?

I also like that area better run up to the ceiling. By stopping short you're not so much gaining a horizontal line, as turning the paneling or pantry cabinets into a very vertical structure akin to the fridge. Extending it to the ceiling doesn't break up the horizontal line of that whole wall.

The horizontal shelving looks great. If you want the added storage of the step in pantry, can you keep that kind of look going? Chunky, shiny shelves, maybe, like the inspiration pic? If you have shedding animals the lower shelves, especially, could get gross, but a good vacuum hose and cleaning wands with extension handles should make it easy enough to keep ordinary dust under control, unlike the island where you have to worry about splatter.

The one in your inspiration picture looks good, as you said, but that picture doesn't have the kind of cool, refined look your drawings do. It's all cluttery and warm with the wood tones, and reds and yellows in the fridge and pantry. So which one is it you really want? Cool industrial, or family jumble?

Re the island seating, I agree that it looks better without, but function has to come into play sometime. You can always design it for seating and decide later. Nothing says you have to actually put stools there. Or if you have a counter height table you can use the stools for either or.

Another option might be to turn the island into a fixed workbench with shallow drawers and a bottom shelf of slats thereby allowing for seating . If you extended the storage cabinet behind the island to run the length of the whole wall you could probably end up with the same amount of storage space.

Not sure how functional that would be but it would look great. Should be workable though.

I was talking about the storage on the right appearing like a smooth wall as bmore drew. Visually, it is a lot cleaner, even if you put the design on the panels. That is great storage, but if you think you don't need that much, maybe the smaller area in the hall on the right will be enough. I think I would like that cabinet better if it wasn't black though. Again, keeping the view on that wall simpler.

It doesn't bother me if you don't have thicker walls in other parts of the house. Once it is built, it just becomes the new wall -- my blue wall at the end of the kitchen is kind of like that and it's a full 24" deep.

Are you thinking that it is either the storage on that wall or the island seating? That's tough. I like the island both ways. If you have the walk-in pantry and the space in the hall to the right behind the kitchen (either base and shelves as you had it drawn or full height cabients), then you may not need all that storage on the longer wall. That would favor the seating at the island.

I think I prefer the more open versions of the island though. The open shelves near the range seem to fit with contemprary and industrial. I like the look, but I've never had to keep them clean or worry about whether it would look bad if I had one more skillet in that space. Whether you do a shelf or shelves, drawers or some combination on the side facing the range, would you consider backless stools that you could slide under the counter (and possibly the top shallow drawers) on the far side? That look would seem to work, but you have to consider whether your family and friends would be comfortable sitting and chatting without a back on the stools.

You've gone through several variations that I have thought would be great kitchens, so I'm sure that whatever you decide at this point is going to be good.

One affirmation - I really like your sense of style.

One statement - Remember that you aren't the first person cabinet guy has ever talked to who had some details that needed to be worked out.

Hope you have a good meeting.

Giacomo - I hope you don't mind.

BTW...I've been working with this cab guy for over a year. He's used to "working out the details" with me. LOL!!!

And yes, they definitely continue the horizontal lines in a way that traditionally hung cabinets never seem to do. Having the open space above and below them emphasizes that.

Definitely modern and sleek. And you can play up the "industrial" with the facing material. I like the rendering with the shiny, though that might be hard to keep from getting printy and smeary.

Why weren't you crazy about it? Maybe the other changes you've made to the room have let it back in?