Your kitchen looks lovely already; but I understand you need/desire for a microwave and dishwasher. Simple & least disruptive option: - Remove the boiler and cupboard surrounding (I'm assuming that's presently next to the fridge) - Relocate the wider 3 drawer unit to where the boiler cupboard was - Add new counter top to the 3 drawer unit - Put Microwave on the new counter top - Put the dishwasher next to the sink where the 3 drawer unit was originally (If the space left by the boiler cupboard can't take the wider 3 drawer unit then do all of the above using the narrower 3 drawer unit & buy a 'slim line' dishwasher to put in its place) I hope you find a solution - please post photos when you've finished so we can see what you did.

We got the IKEA shelves that are pictured in the butlers pantry photo I posted when we were on holiday in Melbourne, Australia. We don't have IKEA here in New Zealand! Hubby is going back over in May/June so will get him to get more of that sort of thing when there. We would pay about 4x the price for that sort of thing here in NZ. I need to work out what I will do now where the fridge was and there is the angle change (does that make sense?).

Your suggestions are really greatly appreciated. My town house unit is under complete exterior re-cladding works, prompting quite substantial interior makeover (i.e installtion of ducted air con, replacing wall to wall carpet with timber upstairs, and tiles in open space downstaris, replacing creamy wall paper will be replaced with neutral white paint. So my green kitchen with creamy formica counter (bench) top should go. I don't hate green simply had egounh of it after long 15 yeras! My small U shape kitchen is due for complete makeover, I think! I'll probably go with new cabinets (lower one for microwave) up to the ceiling, when move fridge at the end I'll go with panel with matching colour up to the ceiling, expanding counter top on the other side to the fridge. I guess that removal of the cupboard can be compesated with extension of the counter top so we can fit 3x drawer underneath and cabinets up to the ceiling can provide some useful storage space. Backsplash in same white palette or darker in contrast? Your kind ideas please!

This made me laugh: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jun/09/seagull-turns-orange-after-falling-into-vat-of-chicken-tikka-masala I couldn't copy the picture, but it's hilarious.