I think it would be of more use moved. I would also move the dw to the other side of the main sink.

Thanks for the input, Rhome! I'll sure consider swapping the 24" DW and the 18" base (which is the trash pullout) but how would I get the uppers centered on the window then?

The uppers wouldn't need to change, but Shoot! ...I looked too quickly and thought that cabinet currently to the left of the sink was 24".

Now that I know that's the trash, I would doubly want the swap, so the trash is handy to your cooking and prep area, as well as when doing cleanup. But with your window so tiny and the cabinets already built, I'm not seeing a solution for swapping and keeping the sink completely under the window. If the cabinets weren't built, you could've used a 30" to the far left of the sink, or a 30" sink base...

I think having a prep sink farther away from your cooking/ prep zone than your main sink is sort of a waste. Are you going to walk past the main sink just to get prep water from the prep sink because that's what its name is? I don't think that would happen in my house.

Now if one of the uses of the prep sink is non-cooking related, non-dishwashing related running water, then it may be OK where it is. Say you plan on the prep sink being used for handwashing, or glass of water delivery, or even filling the coffeemaker type uses then it will have some functionality where it is now drawn. If you're going to move it, get it closer to the action area for prepping and cooking on the stove end of the island.

But I'm with rhome: the DW and trash positions are really a bigger problem for me. With the DW where it is now, it's in prime place to be a shin-banging, bottle neck to whoever is doing the cooking. If your kids or husband are "helping" you by getting things from or putting things into the DW while you're busy cooking you'll rue the day you put it there, precisely at the busiest nexus in the work space.

Unless it's prohibitively expensive, I would consider making the switch now: reduce the 36" cab to 30"; move the DW to the left of the sink (nearer where dishes are stored anyway?). Then install the trash in the place of the DW and if necessary add a narrow pullout for oils or spices to fill in the space. You don't have to move the sink, nor the uppers and the uppers don't have to macth the lowers. They're not seen as one unit when behind an island like yours.

Truly, the position of the DW would be a must-fix-this-at-all-costs item to me. Can you still do it? I think in retrospect you would be glad you did! I wish I had seen your earlier plans - sorry to be chiming in so late.

L.

I completely agree with you both, rhome and liri, about swapping the DW and trash. Thing is, when I first introduced my kitchen, I realize now that I wasn't looking for REAL feedback. DH and I and dear friend/architect had labored over the layout, so I KNEW it was right. Right? Not so much. Seeing alexhouse's layout thread has really taught me so much about a truly functioning kitchen, zones, etc. I realized this too late. (Yes, it really is too late. I love DH more than my kitchen, and now proposing changing cabinetry, currently waiting in the warehouse for us, would likely force a choice.) I think I could make the kitchen somewhat more functional and inviting by just moving the prep sink, and filing away the would-be DW/trash swap in lessons learned for my NEXT kitchen. He-he, sweet DH would certainly be apoplectic over that last comment. Don't think he'd survive another kitchen. I'm not sure I would, either, and we haven't really even started!

But if the cabs are not yet installed (that's when they get costly to change) you may be able salvage things. The 36" cab can be shortened inside (local workers may be able to make that change)and then you will only need replacement drawer or door fronts. Then you'll just have to figure out a solution for the extra space next to the trash.

That could be a) filler piece or b) thin open cab for hanging dish towels or c) buy the filler piece and figure out an aftermarket pull-out for spices later. It doesn't have to be too heavy duty since it is so narrow.

No, it won't be free, but truly you will be so glad you made the changes, now. Unless you have very high end cabs I doubt it will cost an enormous amount. Can't hurt to check it out, right? Once you've gotten them installed and under a countertop - that's when it gets really expensive to change. Comparatively at this point it won't be awful. (At least that's my semi-imformed impression.) You could even go ahead and install without the drawer/ door fronts. They can be added afterward so it shouldn't even delay you.

I'm sorry you were so focused on the completed plan and not feedback. It is very hard to open to others' ideas when you've already put so much brain work in already. I know this from personal experience with my own plan - it took me months to get to the usefulness of some of the comments that were offereed. But the harder emotional work has been done because you recognize where you were then (and why), and where you are now. Life cannot be lived without making mistakes.

Even if you can't change it, though I still hope you can wangle a change - is the Easter bunny delivering newly-resized drawer fronts maybe? - your kitchen will be fine, I'm sure.

L.

As others have pointed out, you have a couple of fairly big functional issues - the island prep sink location and the DW in the way of the workspace b/w the sink and range coupled with the trash pullout too far from the range. If you're open to major rearranging of cabinets to include adding 3" to the length of the island and 3" to the length of the sink counter run...

This is your current layout with base and wall cabinets labeled

Here's a re-arrangement of the cabinets.

The most changes are to the base cabs, including switching the 36" cabinet to the left of the sink with the 33" cabinet in the island, thus making the island 3" longer and making up for 3 of the 6 inches added to the sink run when switching the DW & trash but leaving the sink where it currently is.

Because the sink cannot move, I added a 6" filler pullout b/w the trash pullout and the blind corner cabinet (another issue, but less important) to fill the 6" leftover from the 24" space originally there for the DW. Filler pullouts do not require a cabinet - they install b/w two cabinets. The pullout is attached to the wall of the cabinets on either side. It can be used for spices, oils, etc. or might be a pegboard for holding utensils or lids to pans. I've linked to Rev-A-Shelf so you can see some examples.

Note that I also switched the 30" upper cabinet to the left of the sink with the 33" one to the right of the range. This adds the extra 3" to the upper cabs to match the extra 3" in the base cabs. I actually think you might be better off with the narrower cab over that short run of counter to the right of the range b/c it appears to be very close to a door and it's nice to give the door trim some "breathing space" b/w it and cabinets next to it, especially upper cabinets b/c they're more visible/noticeable. It will also look less crowded. Plus, since the upper cabinet does not extend to the end of the counter on the left, I don't think it will be an issue that it doesn't extend to the end of the counter run on the right.

So, why did I say the blind corner cabinet was an issue? Because these types of cabinets are generally used only as a last resort when corner susans (or corner drawers) cannot be used b/c there's not enough space on one side of the corner. In your case, you have 12" b/w the range and corner cabinet - the exact amount of room needed for a corner susan. Blind corner cabinets are difficult to access, even with some of the half-moon & similar pullout inserts. I won't go into the pros & cons here since you cannot change the corner - but keep it in mind if you ever remodel again.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rev-A-Shelf Base Filler Pullouts

Thank you, liri and buehl, for the creative solutions! I will talk to my GC and cabinet person about the cost of tweaking the cabinets a la liri. buehl, I like your ideas, but I didn't give you enough info (sorry!) -- the island is dark stain and the perimeter is white tinted varnish. So I can't swap between the two areas.

I really appreciate the thought and time you've both put into helping me maximize the function of my kitchen! I'm a function over form type, so this help is key to my happiness with my new space.

OK, I'm back. (Had to drive DS1 back to school yesterday. 7 hours of driving is tiring.) So I want to respond to your comments more carefully.

liriodendron, thanks for your good advice and kind reassurances. I am feeling stupid for ignoring GWers' earlier good advice. It was also given to me by my architect way back in the beginning, but I insisted that, because I'm a righty, the DW had to be on the right. But you're right -- this is a process, and I will make mistakes. I'm just glad you all helped me catch this one before it was too late!

buehl, you got me thinking. That is a NEW window. Can't change the size, but I sure can change the location. So I can swap the DW and trash pullout and slide the window 6" to the right. There is a 12" void in the upper right corner, so the 36" cab (which is actually a 39" cab now, since pantry wall moved, but it's not reflected on this plan) can just slide right into the void. I'd just have to order new doors for that cab. This would also give my little window some more breathing space.

Make sense? Is it a good idea? Will all this in addition to moving the prep sink closer to the range makes it a good working kitchen?

Many thanks!

Yes, I think what you're now proposing will be an improvement, though I'll have to make a sketch in my mind.

One of the key things for me is to imagine the travel routes of food and utensils through my kitchen during meal prep. I don't want to backtrack, nor do I want to inadvertently invite unnecessary incursions into the central prep/cooking zone.

Where does food stuff come into your house, where is it stowed? Then collecting it from storage and passing to prep area (with water if possible) and cooking. Then where are plates for plating? And of course the reverse for dirty plates and left-overs repacking for storage.

And in the center of the main cooking zone (in your case on window side of island and in the corner and beside the stove, allow nothing that doesn't need to be there that might be used during the meal-prep focus (i.e. the DW) because if it's there, it will be opened.

Don't worry about having the DW on the left. If you're a righty then you'll hold the dishes in your left hand and scrape with your right. Then you stow with the left hand, without having to switch hands. I am a righty and deliberately studied this question for exactly that reason. In my test it was much more efficient (and I did it naturally) to hold the item in my less dominat hand (left) while washing or scraping with my dominant hand. Therefore DW on left as well as (in my case) dish drainer on left.

Dirty cookware (in your case) can fetch up in the clean-up sink awaiting post-meal attention, keeping your working area clear.

Your plan seems (now) to be approaching ideal travel paths, but keep thinking about it for a bit. Ordering a few new door/drawer fronts won't be a big deal, neither will be cost of moving an as yet not installed window.

I would move the prep sink as Buehl and rhome mentioned above, too. Get it in your prep zone, not farther away than the other tap. Unless as I mentioned above you intend it for primarily non-prep things like handwashing or coffeemaker filling in another area. Even then perhaps those activities can happen at the main sink and out of your "cockpit" area around the stove and adjacent counters.

I apologize for my tardy notice of your plan. My DH had a sudden, critical medical problem on the 23rd of Jan (day after you posted) and I was away from the forum for weeks. he is fine now, thankfully.

HTH

L.

Sounding much better. I assumed that since the cabinets were complete, the window location was already set, too. Not sure about the cabinet sliding in behind the others into the void, but if you can order new doors to make it work, then great! Or have open shelves there?

But if I'm understanding right, you'll swap the prep sink as you first discussed, and swap dw and trash. All should be good.

One thing I'm not perfectly clear on is if the window will have equal spacing to each side... It probably should to feel and look right.

So here's what I'm proposing, roughly (I hope you can see it alright):

I'm going to let this plan rattle around in my head for a bit, but so far it feels really good to me when I imagine working in it. (Yes, I try to visualize the flow of working in it.) The window is centered on the cleanup sink, and my little window has more than a foot of breathing space on either side. The huge cab near the corner will be cut down by being slid into the void, so it won't be so visually overwelming. This DW/trash swap has fixed several aesthetic problems, as well as the big function problem. And then there's the prep sink move. It's out of our eating area and actually in my prep area. I couldn't be happier!

Thank you rhome, liri, and buehl for coming to my rescue! Crisis averted this time. :) Please do let me know if you think I'm still off, though.

(liriodendron, I'm sorry about your DH's medical problems -- sounds scary, but I'm glad he's OK now!)

OK, I'm back. (Had to drive DS1 back to school yesterday. 7 hours of driving is tiring.) So I want to respond to your comments more carefully.

liriodendron, thanks for your good advice and kind reassurances. I am feeling stupid for ignoring GWers' earlier good advice. It was also given to me by my architect way back in the beginning, but I insisted that, because I'm a righty, the DW had to be on the right. But you're right -- this is a process, and I will make mistakes. I'm just glad you all helped me catch this one before it was too late!

buehl, you got me thinking. That is a NEW window. Can't change the size, but I sure can change the location. So I can swap the DW and trash pullout and slide the window 6" to the right. There is a 12" void in the upper right corner, so the 36" cab (which is actually a 39" cab now, since pantry wall moved, but it's not reflected on this plan) can just slide right into the void. I'd just have to order new doors for that cab. This would also give my little window some more breathing space.

Make sense? Is it a good idea? Will all this in addition to moving the prep sink closer to the range makes it a good working kitchen?

Many thanks!

I hate the ipad for GW. I don't even know how I resubmitted that post! Sorry...