When we did our kitchen, we went and picked out all of the appliances we (she) wanted first...then I sat down with a pencil and paper (and an eraser...don't forget the eraser) and designed the kitchen around where the appliances would fit. It took many renditions before we finally found a plan that would work while making the most and best use of the space available. So I'm well aware of what the planning phase is like.
Make sure you save room in the kitchen for one of these...
We love ours!
Designed the whole damn kitchen layout around it, but it is totally worth it if you like good coffee.