Truly terrible plan attached! This is the kitchen as we have it now. There are also two small cupboards on the wall over the washing machine/counter space, and we have shelves over the sink, the radiator, and the dresser, and a pan rail on the wall over the radiator. It's all been done very cheaply (was a very tired rental; there is very elderly woodchip wallpaper and horrible cheap wood-effect lino).
I recently replaced our old kitchen table with the dresser base (to get more storage space), and I really liked it, so I fancy replacing cupboards etc. piecemeal. I don't like matchy-matchy, and it has the advantage that I could slowly buy pieces I liked, then replace the floor when we're a bit more flush. If I got a built-in kitchen obviously I'd need to do the floor first. What do you think? And where would you put things in this layout?
Things I want to change: I'd love the sink under the window, if I can make it work with the cooker. I'd love the cooker on an outside wall (ie., where the washing machine is now) so I could have an extractor fan. I really want more open shelving, and I'd love to move the washing machine into the pantry, ideally with a counter over the top.
Things I want to keep: at the moment, there's not much counter space but that's fine by me. I love having the pan rail and I love having space for a comfy chair in the kitchen as it makes such a difference when you're cooking if someone else can sit with you. I do not want an island (they drive me nuts) and quite happy not to have a kitchen table as we don't like to eat in there.
I would love some ideas/thoughts! 