All sounds good to meI love inverted boxpleat. Would suggest you stick with pleats for your main curtains but try not to get too busy with the sheers and keep them plain if possible. Examples of what you are thinking about would hel;p

We had the same issue in an old kitchen, we went with Coopers, There is a stripper then wax that will soak in. The stripper is in spray bottles, but I'd send the dogs on holiday or keep them outside while you're doing it. It'll take some elbow wax, but will look amazing when you're finished. Good luck!

I'd like to know what people do with their recycling. Do they just leave it on a counter or do they take it out every day like you mentioned with the rubbish? OR does it have it's own section that everybody just throws things into and then someone gets frustrated and takes out this heaving pile of recycling?

I think the L shape works for the shape of the room. I am not going to consider the appliances etc, personally I do not like a sink in the middle of the Island Bench so I think you have made the right choice there. The only thing that sticks out to me immediately is that your Island looks too small I think you should extend that out to make the end flush with the length of your cabinets on the garage wall side. It looks like you could probably add another meter onto that end, which will add more seating, more storage and to me would appear more balanced.