EXAMPLE #1: L-shape, Table & Chairs, Remove Bench for Fridge and More Counter * Your Back Door: where they have large ceiling to floor window. * 1st Counter Along Window Wall: counter top with sink under window, and upper cabinets over counter on either side of the window. * Turn to Right Side and Create 2nd counter: put your full stove where this picture has a cook top. * Removed closed wall so your kitchen is open to the hall. * With this expanded "wider" space that combines with the hall, you can put a round table with four chairs. (Almost where they have their "counter island". * In your diagram, to the left of the door is your bench. If you have a table & chairs in the "wider" space, could you remove the bench? * On the wall where the bench was: a. put a fridge, b. build a counter with cupboards overhead. ********************************************************************************************************************* Example #2: U-shaped Kitchen In this photograph, beginning from the left-side corner: * Back door. * Fridge (theirs is built-in / too expensive for me / just put a fridge with freezer). * 1st Counter: Your sink under window. * Right turn: 2nd Counter: Stove (they have stove-top and built-in own below). * Since a full fridge & freezer is beside the door, you can use a longer counter to the right of the stove. * (Ignore their sink in this picture.) * 3rd Counter with cupboards below and above. * Remove bench. Along the "removed bench" wall: a. buy an "island" on wheels with chairs; b. when you are alone you can use this table-top for large cooking projects; c. use the island and chairs for eating; d. use a chair to change your shoes coming/going into the backyard. ******************************************************************************************************************** EXAMPLE 3: L - SHAPE * Remove lift-top freezer. * Keep sink under window. Have counter on both sides of the sink. * Counter on the right. * On this second counter, put stove (they have a stove-top and built-in oven). * Remove the wall so the kitchen and hallway are combined. * Move the fridge against the Bedroom #1 wall (on the kitchen side). * On the bench wall. Make the bench smaller so it will fit under a kitchen table. Use the table top for food preparation. When you have company, pull the table away from the bench so you can sit on the bench and use the table. With a small bench, you can put a table on this wall. Build the bench in a U-shape. Put baskets or wood boxes underneath to keep your boots and shoes. This table costs $99 at Ikea. When it is folded in, it can be used as a counter-top. So you don't obstruct the back door from opening, you can push this table over the bench. When you have company, you can pull-out the table's sides to make a larger table top. www.ikea.com Table Name: BJURSTA Table Description: Extendable table, birch veneer Size: 19 5/8" wide x 27 1/2" deep (when table is folded) x 35 3/8" height x 35 3/8 " (when table is unfolded). ******************************************************************************************************************** EXAMPLE #4 If you remove: * the lift-top freezer, and * the wall between the kitchen and hallway. * Will you have room to build a counter from where the freezer was into the space that was the hallway? * Move the fridge to the wall against the 1st Bedroom * In this photograph, there are many "fancy extra" to ignore (i.e. built-in ovens). I think your stove would be on the counter where this picture shows just a built-in range top. Hope something from these suggestions is a help to you! - K

Bravo to all these amazing creative minds. I hate wasting stuff that still has life in it. By the way, though I have read that some pallets are treated with a fumigant which is toxic. Generally, make sure pallets are stamped with “HT”, which means they haven’t been exposed to chemicals (at least not in the treating process.) Avoid unmarked pallets or those with “MB” for methyl bromide. Well, if anyone wants some really nice, bargain 2nd hand windows we just pulled out of our 12 y-o house to make way for a sliding door, and you live around Melbourne Australia, please check them out here: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/112070272414?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1586.l2649

I would suggest replacing the counter tops with a stone not overlapping too much for a modern look. Neutral white or light grey tones or if you want to go overboard a gorgeous Carerra marble. Keep your cabinets white too, white kitchens are great for re-sale, easy to live with and you can bring in colour with accent pieces such as a decorative bowl on the kitchen island and some coloured appliances. I would personally paint the window white. With a white kitchen you can virtually paint your walls whatever colour you want. I think a pale grey/blue would be lovely for a Hamptons feel which would suit the style of your kitchen but remember if you paint the architrave around your window white then you may have to follow through to the adjacent room. You could also replace the hardware on the cabinets, black knobs and D handles on the drawers would be nice, I used black in my beach house kitchen. See the image below. The blue on the ceiling of this kitchen below is a lovely colour, if you definitely want blue I would choose a blue/grey. Make sure it doesn't throw any mauve as blue's can do this, use a test pot first and ask them if it has a lot of red in the base as you don't want this. I can't advise a paint colour unless you live in New Zealand as I am not familiar with US paint colours. Remember the colour you paint the kitchen walls will also depend on the colour in the adjoining room, you should try to choose something that will work with your adjoining spaces. Putting two new suspension lights over one of your islands would also give a new look to the kitchen. I don't know what the rest of your house is like with regards to style so can't make a suggestion but your kitchen definitely could be Hamptons style by the look of the cabinets. I just noticed that you have stained wood architrave around the other adjoining room so if you paint the kitchen window you may have to do the entrance to the other room etc. White will make the spaces feel bigger, they won't seem broken up by the wood colour. Good luck, would love to see your finished project.

Thanks for all those comments. It would be nice to replace everything but it was done in stages and some bits cost a bit. Taking shape piecemeal with out a whole perspective resulted in the dilemma now. I would hate to lose the stone bench top and the tiles laid recently to match it. The rest is negotiable so I really aim to tie it together. No one is tending to sit in the kitchen they rather sit in the living room. And yes I need better shelf space and spot for microwave and I did hope to get the fridge next to the door beside the wall return but I would need a thinner fridge. I had hoped to remove that door altogether and use the bi fold doors in the living room as an exit but they may not be ideal for that. So my main aim was to tie together the bench top and floor with colour and maybe some modifications to the upper cabinets?? The back door is actually and off white.