The Remodel: Current Situation

Our house was built in 1951. It was designed by a man who spent no time in the kitchen. The kitchen is small and closed off. My sink is so small I can't get some of my pans into it. There is very little cabinet space and zero room for a pantry.

The kitchen was redone in 1980 by the previous owner who spent money and got a top-of-the-line kitchen. So there's been no functional reason to redo it yet; the floor and counters are in tact.

In 1991, the previous owner put on an addition in the back, which is our family room and which accommodates the dining table. So now we'd like to combine the original dining room, which was small, with the kitchen.

Basically, we have to take down a wall and rearrange the appliances.

I'd like to extend the wood flooring throughout, and I'd like white shaker cabinets. And finally, I want a walnut butcher block countertop. I understand the limitations and maintenance of wood countertops. But I love the look and I'm willing to deal with that.