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Putting down a deposit, so we'll see how it goes. 

My $0.02

I like the second one because it keeps the fridge centrally located, and I think I'd prefer that.  I also like to keep the various cooking stations together, so I like the cooktop back with the oven.  

I see what you're saying about the sink feeling far.  Is it an option to move the sink to the other window, to the right of the fridge?  That'd be ideal for me.  Of course, that'd mean moving the dishwasher over a little to be nearer the sink.  

The only thing I'm not sure about is it appears the microwave is embedded in the island, and I don't think I'd like that.  I'd rather keep it back near the stove and oven.  But I don't know if that's an option.  Or you might have an overriding reason why you'd like the microwave there.  We use ours a fair bit reheating food, and I wouldn't like it that low.

But this looks like some pretty sleek options.  I like.  

Of the two, I prefer the cooktop on that back wall. BTW if you are doing it and running water, set yourself up with a pot filler. It's a little thing, but worth it IMHO.

I think the cooktop facing the living room is TOO front and center. I feel like that little mini-island will serve so many other useful purposes--such as a place to set up prepared food or bar/mixers, and you'd rather want it there and accessible. The cooktop gets in the way. In that location the exhaust hood now becomes an eyesore. It'll kill visibility between the kitchen and the living room--and if you're trying to cook and watch the game, it might get in the way of that too. 

A middle ground might be the cooktop in the main larger kitchen island. It helps a cook be integrated with the party (b/c their back doesn't need to be to the crowd) and there's more counter space on that island so it's less likely to overwhelm it visually and make the island otherwise useless. My MIL had that setup (with a drawdown vent) in their last house on a BIG kitchen island and it was quite convenient to be cooking while also being part of the festivities... 

And I'll second SFBadge... I think I see where the fridge is intended to go in the one, but where's the sink in either??

Of the two, I prefer the cooktop on that back wall. BTW if you are doing it and running water, set yourself up with a pot filler. It's a little thing, but worth it IMHO.

I think the cooktop facing the living room is TOO front and center. I feel like that little mini-island will serve so many other useful purposes--such as a place to set up prepared food or bar/mixers, and you'd rather want it there and accessible. The cooktop gets in the way. In that location the exhaust hood now becomes an eyesore. It'll kill visibility between the kitchen and the living room--and if you're trying to cook and watch the game, it might get in the way of that too.

A middle ground might be the cooktop in the main larger kitchen island. It helps a cook be integrated with the party (b/c their back doesn't need to be to the crowd) and there's more counter space on that island so it's less likely to overwhelm it visually and make the island otherwise useless. My MIL had that setup (with a drawdown vent) in their last house on a BIG kitchen island and it was quite convenient to be cooking while also being part of the festivities...

And I'll second SFBadge... I think I see where the fridge is intended to go in the one, but where's the sink in either??

I agree about the cooktop. That was my original idea when before we went full demolition mode. But the demolition creates a very long but relatively narrow space. I think it makes more sense to put the cooktop along the wall. 

A current sticking point between me and my wife is the island. I think we should have the island but get rid of the cabinet space on the back wall. I don't think there is enough space for both. She kind of likes the plan as it is. I feel like a bigger island looks cool, can seat people, but you need space around it. She likes the extra counter space - we have something like that now and the coffee maker, Vitamix, and air fryer all sit there as they all get heavy use.

Like SF, I'm not seeing the fridge in #2.

Weird - it's between the dishwasher and window. Maybe a software glitch?

We let them know we like #1, but with moving the cooktop to be next to the dishwasher. Further, I think we should go with a larger island but get rid of the counters and cabinets behind them. We'll see how that shakes out. 

Our kitchen, which obviously is compact, had 12" deep cabinets.  We replaced them with 15"ers and freed up quite a bit of useful volume without sacrificing countertop space.   The lower cabinet dimensions were left as they were, maybe two feet or so deep.  

They measured for the backsplash and then the electrician put in some electrical outlet strips under the cabinet, so the backsplash had to be recut.  This sort of thing happens a lot in kitchen redos I think.