This first pic is the view from the living room. To the left is the kitchen sink and the door in the middle-left leads to the garage. 
The second pic is the view when walking in from the front door. The layout of the cabinetry is similar to before but so much better! Everything fits the space and utilizes every square inch. We added so much overhead and under cabinet lighting which makes the kitchen feel bright, clean, and fresh!
Now I've walked into the kitchen and I'm facing the backyard. I have always liked our big window...but it looks so much better with the light's built in above and framing it with cabinetry made such a big difference.
Another angle from the living room. We decided to extend the island and eliminate the kitchen table. Everyone gathers around the island and everything flows much better than before.
This is the view when walking in from the back deck. The island has a bookshelf on the far end, a wine/beverage cooler (which is pretty awesome!!!), a pull out with trash and recycle bins, and an angled cabinet.
Another view with the angle on the island showing. Here you can see the refinished floors. We left the existing wood in the kitchen and then replaced all of the carpeting on the main level with new wood. You cannot tell the old from the new...and the darker finish is so beautiful.
Walking in from the garage. Now I have a place for all of my cookbooks!
Entertaining is especially enjoyable with a the new beverage cooler. Kids and adults love it and I love having everything ready and accessible.
This wall turned out to be super functional. We closed the doorway between the dining room and kitchen and replaced it with the microwave wall. We designed extra deep cabinets to give the fridge a built-in look and I added the desk area for peace of mind and organization. 
I had doubts about this area during the build...I was worried I wasted space, but it turns out to be the perfect addition. The deep drawers add so much needed space for paperwork that always seems to land on the kitchen counters. We put an outlet in the cabinet so we could charge phones, ipods, etc. but keep them out of view.
The new dishwasher is so quiet...I'm in love with that. It also fits so much more stuff, the dishes actually come out clean, and dry! I love the corner cabinets that we designed with deep corner shelves rather than a lazy susan...I've never liked those. 
I decided to put granite in the window sill as well...I think it looks so much nicer than the drywall ledge before. I couldn't sleep the night before this granite went in because I was so nervous. Once the first piece was installed I was instantly relieved. We love, love, love it!
We have a few extra features in the kitchen and my last minute addition was this pot filler. I knew I wanted it from day one but I felt guilty adding to the budget...in the end I went online and ordered a faucet and had it delivered a week before the project started. I love it. I know it isn't hard to fill my pots with the faucet five feet away, but it is nice to have the ability to fill them on the stove!! It also adds interest to the big space above the range.
The organizational aspects of the kitchen are incredible. Everything has a place and looks stylish at the same time. We did pull outs for every cabinet and soft close drawers.
I got a few baskets and I was able to stash tons of stuff in them. It helps to be able to pull out the whole bin off of the high shelves rather than having to use a stool all of the time. I can't believe that this project I having been dreaming about for years is actually complete. I'm also thrilled and relieved that everything turned out even better than I had imagined. I had my doubts along the way, but I am happy with every finish, knob, and tile we chose. It definitely took a lot of planning, sweat, tears, and driving all over town for months looking at samples, but it was all worth it. We are blessed.
