SFGate

pegg Why do you need an eating nook if you have seating at your island? Get some comfy counter height chairs for the island, and use the former eating nook space for more counter space or a pantry. It looks like your working triangle is tight, with all your appliances bunched together--try an arrangement that gives a counter landing space at the center of your triangle. Consider a dual height countertop on your island--to accommodate casual bar seating in the kitchen, but to hide the kitchen clutter from the open living area.

lulamarie How often do you use the eating nook you currently have?
How often do you use the bar stool island?
Do you enjoy having the cooktop in the island?
Will you take a picture of the right side of the kitchen?

jacques976 think about what you use most in the kitchen first. the use of a double oven wall mount is not what I would keep and some times the double island is to much draw a outline of the kitchen and start from a clean slate and see what you get.

Interiors International, Inc. Loose the nook and add cabinets around that corner. Or do a built in desk.

curraghgirl what is the other side of the wall on the right?

gymbugmj2k personally, i don't mind the layout. and updating that look to be a more modern kitchen is fairly easy with new cabinet hardware, backsplash and maybe flooring.

i'm adding in a couple photos of our new kitchen (before backsplash and other last minute additions) to give you an idea of what we did to open up the layout. Like others have said i would lose the 'nook' -- you don't need it with the other seating options. If you miss it too much, you can create another desk/bar area in that corner (much like we did on the side with the glass door)

i would consider nixing the center island and creating a double height counter where your current bar area is. it might give you more maneuvering room. adding pendant lights by the bar would modernize the look as well.

Dytecture A floor plan of your current layout would be helpful to sketch out other possibilities. I agree with removing the eating nook area and also not a big fan of 2 islands in a kitchen.

pruner Can"t see the second island from these photos but it looks like you already have seating around the counter into the family room (and probably a coffee table near the sofa) so is the extra seating and 'snacking' space really needed? If so, consider continuing with a shelf arrangement and stools rather than the round table (space-hungry and awkward for cleaning) and large chairs. I think an injection of some bold accent colour and perhaps a change of hardware would give this kitchen a lift.

Andrew Crocker Architecture / Design I alway like a built in eating nock. Two wooden benches with a long table in between. It looks like you already have built in benches, just add a built in table and another bench on the opposite side. This solution does not take up as much space, because you do not need to push out the chairs to get in and out (the benched are fixed in place).

tippeileen All fantastic ideas. Thank you all so so much. I am including some more photos of the RHS of the kitchen. Apologies, but this is all I have at the moment, as we are not living in the house yet. Just a little more about my needs.... We have a very young family so sitting at a counter / island is not possible at the moment. This is why I was thinking of a eating nock. The working triange is very tight, and I do love to cook and bake, so am trying to work through a more logical flow. I am hoping to achieve a more modern and european look. One of the options I have been tossing about is closing up the door on the RHS, and building cabinets and eating area there. There is a large under-utilised corner wall attached to the outer bar , and I am thinking of removing along with that bar and then repositioning the other counter /bar to face out toward the living space, I love the white and grey gloss cabinetry from IKEA, but am unsure how the eating area will look within it. We will have a more formal dining area in the living space. Any ideas / advise on layout is very much appreciated. Also, modern cabinet style ideas appreciated also. Thank you all for your advise.

Main Line Kitchen Design Whatever you do don't redo a cooktop without countertop on one side it is dangerous. There should be a mimimum of 12 inches of countertop on all the sides other than the front.

victorianbungalowranch All new cabinets can be pricey. They are a simple shaker style and I bet you can mix them in if you painted them. And I would reuse and or relocate the eating nook if you wish. Like the idea of a trestle rectanagular table, or one with built-in leaves, for more space and a nice work area for baking and such. Tables are yesterdays kitchen islands and they are movable too.

Lucy Robertson You could change the whole feel of the kitchen by just changing the cabinet doors (or sanding and painting them a different colour) and changing the handles and replacing the work tops. Ikea cabinet doors are totally interchangeable, provided the cupboards themselves are ikea of course and if they're not they are likely to be something along those lines aren't they? It wouldn't cost as much as redoing the whole kitchen and it would be a relatively quick and simple job. It would also give you a chance to be in there and trying it out before you commit to a whole new kitchen.

You could also have smaller chairs and a rectangular table for the eating area which would free up space to move around the island. It also feels to me to be more friendly to eat around a table rather than at a bar because it makes for easier conversation I think, especially if you have small children to accommodate.

I've just bought an eighteenth century grade 2 English Heritage listed cottage that I am doing up and the hardest part is getting the kitchen right. Good luck with yours!

victor7136 Remodeling a 70's galley kitchen. More counter and cabinet space very important. I'm trying to decide on a built-in oven or not. My microwave is currently taking up counter space. Most likely will be converting to gas. What are pros and cons of built in ovens and range tops?

Tarey Cullen Perhaps my thoughts are beyond what you had envisioned, and I have to guestimate your room dimensions... but here are some thoughts, relocate the glass door cabinets and bases from the right wall ( opposite wall from refrigerator) remove nook area and built- in cabinets in that corner with the relocated ref. and the pantry cabinet included, add a small prep sink for preparing area .
reconfigure your island to allow landing space on both sides of cook top and extend length to form eating/conversation island with side cabinets below. You may find it necessary to have table and chairs for children (which can be temporary) and/or removed for adult functions if desired.
Just an idea. and Microwave can be built-into island or adjacent to left of ovens.

One Day Interiors Hello,

It is a bit off that the counter space on the right ends half way across under a window. The table and chairs just do not fit in the corner.
You have a counter top bar space and another table and chairs in the living room area.
do you need anymore eating area?
I think if you added a wrap around corner window with more lower cabinets that continue where the other counter drops off under the window might be nice.Then add a large pantry cupboard with slide out drawers on the end. The appliances so tight side by side on the one wall is not flattering. New hardware would be great. Refinish the cabinets or change their color. Lighting in the glass front cabinet would be nice, and edit all the dishes that are in that cabinet. I do not think you need the 2 buffet lights on the counter they seem too tall for a kitchen of that size. Under the cabinets lighting give a nice ambient effect.
It is a nice kitchen..just a few tweaks and you will have it as you want it. Best of luck!

Classic Designs by Brook For a modern look you definetly need to paint the cabinets in a shade of white. Your hardware is great so keep it. Take out that corner nook area and the passover island to family room. Replace the center island with a longer cabinet with countertop overhang on side that does not have appliances. See picture. Close door and add shallow depth cabinets designed to your preferrence. Books, decorative dishes, collectables and artwork always give life to a kitchen area. A walk around oversized island with bar stools makes a kitchen more inviting and functional. You can always paint island a different color and dark putty maybe. Add a new honed marble or granite to compliment existing counterops. You have a wonderful kitchen these are easy inexpensive fixes that will make your kitchen more functional and modern.

eagledzines Dimensions are necessary to give you a layout. I don't see a microwave in this kitchen. Do you want one included? Is the refrigerator staying? What size is it? Do you like the glass doors? Some families, especially with children, need storage space, not display space. Is there cabinetry in the current eating island? If you removed this island, would it be important to you to replace that cabinetry elsewhere?

Flat panel or slab cabinet doors will give you a more modern sleek look. Here are some choices you could scroll through: http://walzcraft.com/products/cabinet-doors/contemporary-cabinet-doors/
These pulls would complement this contemporary look.

ljfq I agree with using the island for eating - BUT for a family, especially with little ones, IMO it is important to use an L configuration, not simply one straight side, to see each other face to face. In fact, this makes for much more congenial social gatherings as well. For a larger family, seating around three sides of an eating peninsula might be necessary, and maybe in that case, packing the kids into a banquette area might make the most sense.

curraghgirl How about removing the curved island- make the island with stove top one long island down the middle with a lower level on the end (towards living area) with seating -kind of like an extension of the island that works as a table - or you could actually add a built in there with back of small built in bench attached to end of the island - add two small chairs to table end on the living area side. I agree with your thoughts to close off door by the current nook and extend your counters and cabinets along that wall.

sandy I would keep your little nook,but get rid of the chairs and use the area behind for a built in banquet.From your pic it looks like the "makings" are already there.Great if you need to keep an eye on little ones.You could have a different shape table too. Also I would definately lighten up your cabinet doors.A nice soft grey would go with your benchtops if you didn't want white.

sandy Though looking again, that would maybe be too much grey...go for the white lol.