I have 30x30 pole barn with concrete floor, insulated, and electric that I use to weld in and fix mowers. I have 3 acres that I maintain that belongs to me. I also have a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, with a 2 car garage home. I really enjoy my shop and have plans on selling and have another one built on 5 acreas with a walkout basement house. That is if I can sell my present house. The shop has really made it eaiser to repair things because of the room I have. It houses my welders, air compressor and tools to do the job. I would like to run a business out of one day maybe.

One thing that I notice is that you have a lot of counterspace to the Left of the DW. If you are someone who has a lot of small appliances and gadgets and keeps them out, that's fine. (But you also show most small appliances over in the MW/coffee station area). With this arrangement it seems that you could possibly end up doing a lot of your prep right over the DW and the yards of counterspace to the left will be neglected, or they will end up accumulating stuff because nature does not like a void. I personally am fine with range on the island, if it has proper ventilation and personally I have not found that in the larger context venting it is significantly more expensive particularly if the joists run in your favor to duct out the shortest distance and not near a window. The hood itself will be more expensive than a comparable wall mount. You may want to consider shifting the range to the left and adding a prep sink, or you may want to consider the DW and sink on the island with storage for dishes and stuff in the same place it is now, and the range to the left of the current DW location I would also consider dropping the MW to about counter height and have the appliances next to it rather than under it. In a kitchen this large it's not a necessity to have a face level microwave. If you are tall, maybe it's not a big deal, but lower down is usually a bit safer.

Yes, get rid of that corner of grass. So many directions you can go here. For very low maintenance, you could just do low growing (dwarf) evergreen shrubs, ornamental grass, groundcover, etc. Nothing that has to be cut back, deadheaded, whatever. You could have a seating area with stepping stones and plantings. Mixtures of dwarf shrubs, ornamental grasses, semi-dwarf Crape Myrtle (that won’t be in the sight line of your house), tough perennials, a decorative boulder, birdbath. Once you decide on a look you’re going for, specific plantings for your area can be suggested. Of course, you could do away with the bed completely, and just sod it, but I think it’s a very pretty accent in your yard. :) General ideas, pretend the tall shrubs on the right and corner of grass are gone (hopefully Doug or others see this, they can take those out with their apps) —

Sammie J, I meant what surrounds the gas fireplace insert, and also the column to the left of the cabinetry. Right now it looks somewhat like concrete, too, but perhaps more like concrete tiles. I wonder if I should cast the whole thing in concrete. Thanks.