Sketchup is a Pain in My Butt

Our friends, Nick & Hanna (who I'm sure I reference frequently), are planning on re-doing their kitchen in the next couple of months. They are heading to Denver in a few weeks to pick up some cabinets, and offered to grab us a few when they go. We seriously have a TON of planning to do before we're anywhere NEAR ready to buy cabinets, but I want a new kitchen so badly, I've already started messing around with sketchup in my attempt to find the perfect layout.

I have no idea what I'm doing. It's such a pain to move stuff around in this blasted program, but here's what I've done today....

Kitchen Plan 1: 
In this plan, I left the wall between the kitchen and dining rooms because I'd really like to keep the coved ceilings. The sink and stove are in the same place. There is a new door at the bottom of the kitchen to (hopefully) keep traffic out of the middle of my cooking area.

I really want to keep the coved ceilings.....

In these drawings, I kept the stove where it currently is for the sake of venting, but I'd be fine with switching the fridge and oven in real life.

The door to the basement is supposed to be by the oven, but for some reason....I'm going to have to go measure again. It's a bit wonky. Don't know what's up with that.

 The main thoughts I have regarding this plan are as follows:

1. I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to sketchup
2. I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to kitchen planning
3. I like the feel of the dining room in this plan, it's really nice and formal
4. I really like the idea of another door to route traffic somewhere other than THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE KITCHEN like it is now. Would people use it, though?
5. There wouldn't be a "bar" to sit at (something Eric really wants). Could we make the cabinets by the fridge narrower and pull a couple of stools up there?
6. The extra amount of counter space is AWESOME. So much better than our cabinets now

To sum it up: I like the dining room. Kitchen is too crowded.

Look for other kitchen plans coming soon!

ps- any suggestions on how I can keep my coved ceilings? I would be most grateful!