Here's my $0.02 for what it's worth.

I would say no toe kick on the end panel of the cabinet. For detail, you could have the same panel configuration as on your cabinet door (shaker or raised panel or whatever), or you could just have it plain. I think it depends on whether you like things simple and plain, or more formal and matching. Our cabinet company designed an end panel for our end cabinet, but at the last minute we decided we just wanted plain and we have no regrets at all.

For the island, I think toe kick all around with some kind of legs at the corners will make it look most like a work table. I think it could be a great look. As you having legs or feet on nay of the other cabinets with toe kicks?

I really like your final layout by the way.

I like the look of a decorative panel with no toe-kick for the sink run. I'm not savvy enough to help you with the island design, though.

"...now my KD says I have to order by today or risk getting behind several large orders and delaying the cabinets."

I hope you don't mind if I say I would be concerned about this statement. I don't know anything about your KD, but it sounds like a sales tactic. Have you demolished yet? Every contractor/KD I've spoken with says do not order until you have framed everything.

Thanks for your input and kind words!

The cabs are Euro boxes and simple shaker panels. Very simple trim at the top (all the way to the ceiling, no soffit or big crown molding). No feet elsewhere.

Here's a photo of a kitchen I like. Similar cabinets, except without the double-panel detail, and ours are natural cherry. This end panel looks pretty nice, do you think? It would just be one panel on the side, not the split one shown here.

{{!gwi}}

houseful-
Thanks for your concern about the KD. I know it's not a sales tactic... it's just that she knows we're starting demo this weekend and that due to scheduling, the framing will be done in 3 weeks. These cabs are made in Canada and have a 6-week lead time, and we don't want to be living in a construction zone any longer than we need to. It's a REALLY small house. We're moving all the LR, DR and kitchen stuff into our bedroom (!) this weekend. The cabinetmaker is a small business and she knows they have a bunch of orders all of a sudden, and she's just being helpful about trying to accomodate our desire to get them ASAP.

But thank you!

I agree with the earlier posters about no toe kick on the end panel. I like the look in your inspiration photo and seems like it would work for the "look" you are trying to achieve.

Re: the island. I know that having a toe kick space makes for a more comfortable work area. Unless you have an additional overhang at island I would vote for putting toe kick in. Also, looks like that's what they have in your inspiration photo.

I am also trying to figure out the same issues. I am thinking no toe kick for the end of the cabinets but not sure about the island.

Anyone have photos with toe kick? without toe kick? so we can compare. thanks

I would do the sink run end panel just like the picture. I would also do the island the same way on the two seating sides, with toe kicks on the work sides.

I agree that the island with toe-kick and possible feet is best. But I would also do the end of the run just like the side of the island in your photo (with toe-kick and panel ending with the side of the cabinet box), not the panel all the way to the floor. I think that looks awkward or bulky...like it ran too long. JMO

Ah, conflicting opinions! Are you guys doing this just to confuse me? ;)

rhome410, so you would make the toekick return along the 24" side of the drawer cabinet at the end of the cabinet run? So it's just like everything else? That was actually my first instinct, but then I looked through the finished kitchens blog and I did not see ANY cabinets at the end of runs with toekicks on two sides. So I though it must have been too weird an idea. But- that's what you are suggesting, no? Do you have any photos of it?

It's such an important area- highly visible from the DR, LR, fireplace seating area....

O.K. without reading everybody's post, I hope I'm not saying the same thing. Here's my thoughts. With a simple shaker style, I'd forget the toekick on the side of the sink run, maybe put finished panel on end of that, if you do it on the island, but do not bring the panel down to the floor like your inspirational pic. It'll be a dust catcher & you'll hate trying to get in there to clean it all the time. & I think it just doesn't look right.
Also ... I'd to toelick all the way around the island w/ endpanels, but forget the feet. I think your shaker style is simple & the feet wouldn't fit in, plus they just might look like an afterthought.
Good Luck

Here is a link that might be useful: granite countertops

What holligator said or no toe kicks on island. Aren't you glad you asked? :)

Okay- I had to decide so it's now a done deal. Thanks for your opinions and input folks!

I'm sure in the coming weeks I will have a zillion more questions, but I feel a huge sense of relief that this MAJOR part of the decision-making is finshed. And I feel very good about it! Thanks again-

Stacey

I was gone all day and know it's too late to be of any real help, but I was looking at the island in your inspiration photo...If the bank of cabinets facing left was just cabinets, and not backed onto the island, I'd do it that way. Was that as clear as mud, or what?

I agree no toekick on end. I have one now and it bugs me. The panel looks really nice.

If I knew how to post PDFs I would attach the pic of my island that is coming next week...it has furniture feet in front of the box on three sides, and goes down to the floor on the fourth where stools will be. I am going to paint the toekick black--a neat trick I have seen here on GW to make it disappear. I too wanted a work table but just can't give up the storage. HTH

So funny, I just had the exact same end panel & island toekick conversation with my kitchen designer today. He said its more comfortable to have a toe kick on the work side of your island and would recommend to just leave it flush if its under a countertop overhang (seating). He likes the end panels for open ends to dress it up a little, but of course they cost more moolah. Isnt it crazy how you never think of all these little details!

Well- it's toekicks all around (including the end of the sink run) and a detailed panel on the end of the sink run that comes down the normal amount , i.e. ends at the toe kick space.

I looked at a bunch of photos on the cabinetmakers site and decided this looked most normal. As it turned out I did not feel awfully strongly about either choice (or, both looked OK to me) so I'm hoping it will be OK!

With the toekick all the way around the island, I can add simple feet (& paint the toekick black) if I decide to.

I know I could have spent another week obsessing about this one little detail, but I realized at some point I just have to say, enough! So I did. Decision made.

Thanks for all your input!!