I am not sure about the idea that your kitchen needs to look like it is in a display home at all times with nothing to indicate that you use it regularly. I love cooking and still manage to put used dishes straight into the dishwasher and keep the benches relatively clear. Any open plan kitchen layout will have the same issue ie you will still see dishes on the sink no matter where you place it in the kitchen. Stay focussed on the function, walking from one side of the kitchen between the sink and cooktop is not efficient nor safe. Next time you are preparing a meal imagine you are doing it in your new kitchen layout as this will test whether it functions properly for you. Definitely keep your larder/pantry you won't regret it. More than 3-4 stools at the island can be over rated, most people prefer to sit around a table as a family rather than line up at the bench looking at the sink and stove. It sounds like you have always been on the right track, just try not to over think it.

i think haephestus has the best idea of moving the door between teh hall and open plan area..the hallway space saved could be shared between kitchen and new playroom, with or without removal of the "corner"..but makes furniture arrangement easier for the playroom and the storage space could be used as a wardrobe or kitchen storage or both but twin cavity doors would be even better and allow more flexibilbe use of the whole space and doesn't shut off the hallway except when needed for privacy

Have you thought about leaving the partition between the living and sunroom, to create a small reading/study area in the sunroom. It would look better to remove the partition near the dining room and open the wall between the kitchen and dining. You would have to check if a structural beam is necessary for this work which may not have been allowed for in the approved plans. The L shaped kitchen could house the fridge at the far end near the pantry (as shown on the plan) or in the corner, against the wall at the other side of the pantry door. The stove could be placed under the window. The sink could be placed in the section between the kitchen and dining and that bench could be wider than normal to allow for a breakfast bar. Benchtops are normally 60cm wide and breakfast bar 90cm wide.

Hi Belinda. I totally agree. The closed kitchens are obviously harder to photograph and just don’t give the wow thing (yawn) when published. But I’d also love to see more options and layout plans for these spaces. The cooks of Houzz do tend to take firm sides on this, but the images on the website are overwhelmingly of the open variety. I enjoy seeing efficient galley style restaurant kitchens in full action with several staff in a smaller floor space producing massive amounts of food, and compare it to the open glamour kitchens of the same size but for just two people. It’s that cooking v entertaining thing they always discuss. Perhaps an average sized kitchen with more benches, less floor area looks disproportionately small when visible from the living area. And yes to kitchen windows, please not a kitchen shoved into a dark corner as so many are. Both open and closed styles have their place, so I agree, let’s have some photos of both.