I think you would have to stand still, directly in front of the center of the island to be at the angle to see that it's 6" off-center. I really wonder if you'd notice from anywhere else, especially because your range isn't centered on the back wall, and your uncentered prep sink also affects the overall visual balance. (Not in a bad way, it just would affect the appearance of center) It looks like you have some special cabinets flanking the hood (one on each side), and I'd want to keep them equally sized. I don't think the island matters as much in this plan.

To answer your question, I didn't start out planning that, but I did end up with the island centered on the rangetop...But the rangetop is also centered on the back wall, which is completely symmetrical on either side of the hood and hemmed in by wall sections at each end. Its limits and design demand the centering, where I don't think yours does.

Mine is centered on my pantry wall and about 6" "off center" to the range wall. You have to be dead center behind the island, looking at the range and then looking where the island lines up with the range wall to see it's off.

Which way does the cabinet guy want to move the island and why? I'm assuming he wants it closer to the sink wall?

Here is mine...no attempt to center and I never really thought about it until now!

I have a huge hood but not a range. It's purposefully not centered on the island. If they're centered, don't butts collide in the middle?

That said, I think 6" off might bother me. A heck of a lot of people would never notice it, but I would.

Mine is not centered on my range- If I didn't have the pendant lights, I don't think you would be able to tell, Here is my kitchen:

I think in person it doesn't look as "off-centered"..

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the opinions. I don't think having the range off center would look wierd in the kitchen. I'm worried about the 2 pendants that will go over the island. Also there will be a dining table the same length as the island (8'). The table will be centered on the island with a chandelier also centered on this space. I'm more worried about how the chandelier, pendants and hood will look relative ot each other if the hood is not centered.

How does the layout look in general?

The layout looks like your architect reads this forum. ;) It's quite functional. I'm not so sure about the 36" side by side fridge in the mudroom, unless it's just one you own. But it looks built in. If so, and you don't already own it, I'd reconsider it. As in consider again. Most people seem happier with a bottom freezer unit.

Is there trash in the kitchen? It's marked in the DR (and I think it's brilliant where it is!).

So, regarding the original question: What is the reason for moving the range? You can cheat things by lining up your lights and hood, but your rooms are so rectangular they sort of call for centering.

Why can't the cabinets be as marked on the plan?

There are pull out trash cabinets to the right of each sink. We already own the 36" fridge. We changed quite a few things from the architect's drawings. We swapped the mudroom fridge with the closet. We got rid of the sink/ice maker, in the dining room, we still have the wine fridge. But keeping the trash might be a good idea. I might put that back in. The island is all one single level. There are no upper cabinets on the range wall, just open shelves.

The reason for possibly moving the range is that we have an extra 6" we don't kow what to do with. There's a 12" lazy susan in the corner. Then 36" large drawers for pots and pans. Then 12" pullout for oils/spices. We don't know what to do with the extra 6". 36" is the maximum for our cabinet company, so we can't make that any bigger. We don't want to change the lazy susan to 18" (besides we don't have an extra 6" on the other side). We can change the 12" oil/spice pullout to 18", but I feel that will be too bulky. I'm thinking of doing two 9" pullouts instead. One for oils and aseparate one for spices. Would that work? Would it look wierd ot have 2 9" pullouts next to each other?

I'm hoping to sketches from the kitchen cabinet guy soon and I'll post them. He's just waiting for me to decide on this issue.

I like the 2 9 inch pullout idea. I don't think they'd look wierd.

Without the wet bar area in the DR the trash isn't so necessary. What I might like there though, if you're doing the wall to wall cabinetry, is recycling. It would be a great place for paper and packaging recycling, which seems to multiply in every room in my house, especially when there's company. It would also be a good place for beverage containers if you're planning to put beverage service there when you entertain.

I'd rather have two pullouts side by side than knock apart the symmetry. I don't think it would look weird. But even more, I'd like the bigger pot drawers. Mine are 48". So it's too bad you can't get that. Depending on what's available to you, you could also get two 3" spice pullouts flanking a 6" oil/wine pullout. It's easier to find the spices if they're in single file, and that would make a more interesting arrangement. But the two 9" ones, or a 6" and a 12" would look fine too. And they're half hidden behind the island, unlike the hood which is the focal point at the end as you look across the dining room and kitchen.

Mahlgold,

sorry to get off topic but how big is your range? I'm looking for pictures of 60" ranges with their hoods.

Ok.. so this didn't bother me until your post, but now when I look at my island it does seem really off centered. there is nothing i can do at this point, it is stationary- but is there anything I can do to distract the eye? sorry to hijack-

Your drawing is very similar to my kitchen. Mine is also open to great room. Personally, it would bother me if mine were off 6". Sounds like yours would bother you, so why do it?

Here is a link that might be useful: My Kitchen

Love your kitchen, malhgold.

pps7 - my range is 48" and the hood is 54".

pirula - thanks for the compliment. I'm onto the backsplash and am having a tough time of it. I don't know how anyone ever decides with all the choices out there.

I guess I don't notice the 6" off because I don't have an open space behind my island where anyone would ever be focusing on the "center" point. Also, i think it depends on how long the island is. The longer it is, I think the less noticeable the 6" will be. My island is about 9.5'.

mahlgold, something that won't break up the beautiful clean line you have with the range wall and fridge wall. Keep it very light, in fact keep it white. And I'd do all the way to the ceiling on range wall... maybe thassos? or a marble to match your counters? White glass??

siiigh..... (sorry to hijack)