In one of our past homes, we had one section next to the stove that was butcher block, but the rest reg. There is def upkeep to one & doing a small section is much easier than a whole top. Wilson Art & Formica have some really great new laminate choices---for example, if you like granite look, you can get it with these but a matte finish which reads better in a country kitchen.

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.

where are the existing kitchen cabinets and exact position of the sink (and dw?) stove and fridge? ..please include the length of all walls for better understanding of the total space available......but, assuming that the whole end wall is about 3.6m and the existing kitchen cabinets run along the bedroom wall about 3.6m? (with stove sink and fridge?) having matching kitchen cabinets installed under the window with a matching tall 1m wide pantry cabinet in the corner (no more than 60cms deep to allow doors to open without projecting past the corner) would give the best results ...anything else is just a free standing cabinet and with the new cabinets (and new counter and doors for the old kitchen?) you'll have a streamlined new kitchen with three times the storage and counter space with patience and enthusiasm the new cupboards could be made out of flatpac cabinets available in most Hardware stores

my suggestion would be to keep the new kitchen in proportion to the size and scale of the whole house so i prefer option 2 with cabinets only as high as the top of the window, tall narrow fridge (less than 80cm wide) next to the back door with wall mounted mw and wall cabinets all round, no tall cabinets, more counter on the fridge wall then stove, sink and dw along the window wall to make sure that there is counter on either side of the stove and sink and locations for a toaster, kettle and other appliances..but exact location of appliances depends on budget and sizes of all the cabinets you want to use.. but, if you plan to remove gas in future, why not start with electric appliances and best insulation ready to add solar power at a future date? ...eg check out the electric air sourced hot water heaters and consider an electric flame heater for the kitchen fireplace and save the gas heater for the hew rear living area although it may be possible to have one heater with hot air connected to the other rooms with an in roof ducting system and, if you have long term plans to alter the rear lean-to research options for renovating the whole house and then plan all the work in stages...eg i would have the new laundry/bathroom next to the refurbished bedroom (master suite?) and have the future new rear living area with the north aspect