Kitchen planning renovation: Question about windows and electrical appliances

that the kitchen from us - so far - has been planned more according to functional and less according to design criteria.

Well, both is possible. For example the mix with the shelf and dishwasher, you can make the shelf 60 cm deep and as tall as the dishwasher! Right now it looks mismatched. Who planned that? A professional planner pays attention to that - especially when it’s about an open kitchen. Window seat: who is it supposed to please? The cook, who no longer wants to leave the kitchen? The cook who sits alongside the pot while cooking? Or the kids who then turn the kitchen into a play area?

The SbS fridge is probably not a sight for sore eyes, but on the other hand easily accessible from both the kitchen and dining table

SbS, fridge or French door can also be made into a real eyecatcher. However, I think that in a household with children the door will be opened a lot, so the passageway is blocked. That could be annoying … …

It helps to ask what you actually expect from the reading window sill?
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You don’t have that much storage space for a coffee machine or kitchen machine.

The seating window was mentally added mainly as a gimmick for the children. And maybe for the adults to look out into nature with coffee on Sunday mornings. But it is certainly more of a (beloved) nice-to-have than a must-have.
As a surface for the coffee machine, we could (exceptionally) imagine the island, directly at the column (the column then with integrated sockets). Or alternatively above the dishwasher. Otherwise, we still need a kettle and sparkling water device (to the right of the sink) and possibly a kitchen machine (which would then be on the left in the row).

What makes me a bit suspicious, now that I take a closer look... you are throwing 23 kEUR at a kitchen... and you have one oven.

Does that mean, conversely, that 23 kEUR is too expensive for this kitchen? I’m a bit missing the feeling for the price. You just hear everywhere that kitchens in particular have become so much more expensive...
A second oven is currently not an issue for us; our cooking habits work quite well with the one appliance. However, if that should ever change, I will keep in mind at least having a separate power connection installed. A microwave is planned above the oven. You could put that on the countertop and add a second oven if we ever want that upgrade.

The dishwasher is propped up, but at least 2 meters away from every cabinet that the dishes have to go into.
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I am in any case a fan of having the dishwasher next to or below the draining area of the sink, because you can easily sweep crumbs in there.

We plan to store plates, cutlery, and pots in the kitchen block, which would be quite accessible from the dishwasher. It was important to us that it be close to the sink and the dining area (in case you bring something from the table or terrace that can go directly into the dishwasher). We then sweep crumbs into the (tall) trash bin pull-out next to the sink directly below the countertop.

Have you ever thought about setting off the "bar counter" for the bar stools with a “slope top”?

We find a slope top visually appealing. What has spoken against it so far is mainly the desire for a large surface in case large-scale Christmas baking is planned. Here you could also use the dining table instead, but that is further away and lower. We will think about it again.

Who did the planning there? A professional planner pays attention – especially when it comes to an open kitchen.

Here I have to fully defend the kitchen planner. We “messed up” his plan like that. Attached is the original plan with clearly more symmetry, but also too many upper cabinets at an inconvenient height (we are both not very tall) and a very low window. Based on this, we then removed/lowered the upper cabinets, made the window larger. Moved the oven down (so the microwave can go above) and the dishwasher up. We made the space above the dishwasher a countertop to have more places for the coffee machine, plants, decoration, etc.
We find the suggestion to make the shelf on the right the same height as the dishwasher good.

The initial planning looks great visually. Have you ever taken your change requests to the kitchen planner? I think a professional could redesign it to suit your needs without losing sight of the symmetry.

The initial planning looks great visually.

Yes, I also like it at first glance. Especially the cake on the table. :D I quickly found two photos with an elongated window in the position where you have it as well. It could look something like this.

I agree with and , the original plan is great! Unfortunately, the whole effect of the kitchen is lost because of your changes, it’s somehow neither here nor there and looks haphazardly thrown together. If you don’t need or want so many upper cabinets, I would talk to the kitchen planner to see if he has another idea to connect the two sides to the right and left of the window. What I like about the original plan is that the boxing-in effect makes it look harmonious.

We have "messed up" his plan like that.

I thought so. Often, as is the case here, you see amateur planning.
By the way, we also have a dropped light strip, although unfortunately not as long as the photo further above. Flat wall cabinets fit very nicely above it, which are also very easy to use at 160 cm length (I’m 165 …).

The seating window was mentally added mainly as a gimmick for the kids.

Well, then you have to expect that they will take over the kitchen for themselves.
Personally, I don’t think much of more than two heights (including the worktop).