I have 140" width like you have on your 143 1/2" wall. I orginally wanted an island, but felt it would be too tight of a space. JMHO. Funny, I actually added a peninsula! I'm sure some of the layout experts here can help you. Good luck!

Barb

119" = 9'11"
143-1/2" = 11'11-1/2"

Minimum kitchen width of an island (assuming a minimum 27" deep island, although 30" is better):

• 24" cabinet + 1-1/2" overhang for wall run of cabinets

• 42" aisle

• 1-1/2" overhang + 24" cabinet + 1-1/2" overhang for island

• 42" aisle

• 1-1/2" overhang + 24" cabinet for other wall run of cabinets

• 5" more if CD refrigerator is on one of the walls (includes 24" carcass + 2-1/2" or so doors + 1-1/2" handles)
  ---------

  167" (162" w/o counting the extra refrigerator depth)

Even if you reduce your aisles to 36", you only gain 12"...
167 - 12 = 155" (or 150" w/o refrigerator).

What do these numbers say? I don't think your kitchen is big enough to accommodate an island and have cabinets and/or appliances on all three walls.

Additionally, a 21" deep island (which means 18" deep cabinets), IMHO, isn't very useful...it's a great obstacle, but not a very useful work surface. And, definitely no seating except possibly one seat on the very end (table end).

Your current layout is actually quite useful...maybe if you shortened up the peninsula leg or switch the peninsula legs (I prefer the first idea), it would help.

We actually went to a "U" with 2 short legs in our kitchen and absolutely love it! Our kitchen was 11'1"x23' and we tried very hard to find a way to put in an island. When I finally realized that not all kitchens can support an island and opened myself up to other possibilities, this one jumped out at us.

We've been working in it since June 2008 & couldn't be happier. Everything is open and accessible, no walking around an island to get to anything...everything is a direct shot!

What's different? In our kitchen one "leg" is only 62" long and the other is only 54" long...no problems walking around them. They're still deep enough to protect the cooking & prepping zones & baking center.

Where does the doorway to the left go? Can that be closed up or moved? That might open up some more options as far as layout goes.

I think that kitchen could support a moveable island very well. I have the Ikea Groland island (47"x21") in my 9x11 kitchen and it is very useful and functional. Someday, I'd like to upgrade to a Boos island with similar dimensions, but this one works for now. 36" is actually a plenty wide aisle. I made this decision after many many mock ups, so you might want to so some investigating.

Hi

Thanks so much for the responses. Buehl and Lightlystarched, you sound like the two halves of my brain! I go from one conclusion to the next and then back again.

Buehl, you have a lovely kitchen, and if I do go with a peninsula, I will make the leg shorter, as you suggest - it looks better and works better. I would love to do something different this time around, though.

Lighlystarched, I searched for a photo of your kitchen, but could not find one, If you have one, I would love to see it. I have looked at the Boos islands and, except for the big cutting blocks, they are all wider than 21 inches.

Laxsupermon - The doorway to the left goes to the dining room. I would not want to close it off, but it could be moved three feet closer to the window side of the kitchen and about 6 inches in the other direction. The kitchen has six doors - pretty hard to work with.

Thanks --

Jama

Could you dedicate some space in your laundry room for pantry storage? You could then do (going from the NW wall), 24" base w/upper, frig, then oven. That would leave that space for a wider island... at least in part. Unless, you're able to move plumbing... then it's another whole ballgame.

I agree with Buehl, your kitchen is not big enough for an island and cabinets and/or appliances on all three walls.

Here are some questions/random thoughts:

Do you use your dining room? How big is it? Could you steal some space from the dining room?

Do you eat at a table in the kitchen now?

The door to your dining room seems rather wide - could you reduce it to a 2' 8" width?

What if you kept the peninsula, removed the upper cabinets and turned it into a seating area?

What about placing a pantry on the wall to the right of the mud room door?

Hi

Kitchenredo2 -- I appreciate hearing your view on whether I can fit an island or not. That is the biggest issue for me

I have gone to different cabinet shops and have heard both views. I worry that the people that say I can put an island in are just trying to tell me what I want to hear so they get my business . . . .

It would be great if I could find a third type of layout I am happy with, but I just can not see it.

Regarding your other questions, we eat in our dining room every day. It is about 12 X 14. I dont think I can steal much space from it because the exterior wall of the dining room lines up with the exterior wall of the pantry - ie the kitchen juts out about 2 feet. I could reduce the dining room door width, though.

We also eat breakfast/lunch at the kitchen table, but I could change that to bar seating, as you suggest. I would not add the upper cabinets over the peninsula in the redo as I do not like them at all.

Remodelfla, I am able to move plumbing - is there a layout you can think of that would work here if I did that??
I could add pantry space in the laundry room - I am guessing you are thinking about an L shaped island? I will need to think about that. Thanks.

Thanks -

Jama