I'm not against island cooking as long as it's properly ventilated with an actual hood and has enough room to work around it safely as both the cooking zone and prep zone. Yours as proposed doesn't have either, and the rest of the layout isn't so great either.

It's a barrier island. It's in the way of everything and is too small to serve as the cooking zone and prep zone. And it doesn't have a source of water on the island to create a prep zone anyway. There really isn't a good place to do prep in this kitchen as laid out. Not without walking a mile around the island so you can prep next to the sink, which isn't what you envision, I'm sure. There also isn't enough aisle clearance for the seating as pictured.

This is a kitchen that a peninsula would probably work better than an island if you want seating of some variety. With the breakfast room right there though, I don't think you need island seating.

Can any of the doorways be moved? They chop up the room badly and don't leave you with much usable contiguous counter space.

the island is 9 ft long. Why is that not large enough for cook and prep?

The different functions of the kitchen are much too spread out and the island is in the way. You will end up doing much of your prep in the small area right to the left of the sink and on one side of the island, while the fridge and ovens are yards away on the other side of the island.

I agree that the doorways cut up the space.

I would consider moving the one to the left (dining room?) and placing the door to the pantry and the door to the hallway at the bottom of the drawing adjacent to each other, and moving the fridge out of that area altogether.

With the island cooktop you could easily vent up and between the joists (which I am assuming run "vertical" on this drawing and straight out the back with just a turn at the ceiling.

thank you for your thoughts. I think we like the door placements so without moving the doorways, can you suggest a better appliance layout?

Given those parameters.

I would consider putting the fridge next to the opening to the dining room at the other end of that short counter run where the ovens are.

I would make the island slightly longer toward the right to line up with the upper counter run and consider putting a small prep sink on it and eliminating seating. Get a prep sink that has cutting boards that fit over it with a small hole, and you could keep it covered most of the time.

I would make the counter run where the fridge was into a beverage/coffee/microwave hutch area adjacent to the breakfast area.

I would still consider moving the pantry door to the other end of the pantry.

I have no problem with the cooktop on the island, but I do agree with Holly about the barrier island, so I would recommend that you move the fridge or add a prep sink.

Switching the double oven and fridge might improve the layout, especially if you put the microwave in the area by the fridge and maybe add a prep sink. This would give you some zones that will help with your layout...

Clean up zone is great because you don't have the dishwasher opening up into the cooktop...way to dodge a common mistake! You could have your trash on the right side of the sink, or across from the sink, next to the cooktop.

Your cooking zone seems plenty big enough to me, and a pop up vent for an induction cooktop (and no frying meat) should be fine. If you're planning to have stools on the other side of the island, just be careful if/when frying zucchini or other veggies...or any other hot/splatter cooking that might occur. Since you have a nice breakfast area, family/friends can sit at the table, when doing that type of cooking.

Fridge/snack zone (if you move the fridge) will be close to the cooktop and hopefully, also the microwave. If you're swapping the fridge and ovens (and one is the microwave) the layout still works, well. A little prep sink by the fridge (next to you side doorway) would be handy for second prep area/snacks/salads, etc...and making drinks to go into the dining room (I'm guessing that's the room to the left?)

The baking zone (one of my favorites) is in a great place...if you move the ovens to the back wall. You have a nice landing space by the ovens, the kids can sit at the stools and help put cookies on the cookie sheets (if that's in the plan) and you have plenty of space for baking supplies, pans, etc.

Finally, love the big pantry and the access to the mudroom! I really like your layout a lot...and whether you switch the fridge/ovens or not...it works, but I prefer the fridge a little closer to the cooktop.

What are you plans for cabinets, countertops, backsplash, etc? I look forward to seeing your new kitchen, come to life! :)

I can't add anything to the layout comments.. but i just wanted to say hello from another vegetarian family here! With an island range too...and no ventilation a year after our reno due to decision fatigue.

Good luck to you!

With your stated restrictions, I'd do everything that palimpsest suggests above including moving the fridge and pantry door and moving the island and adding a small prep sink to it.

The only thing I'd do differently is I'd keep the seating on the island by making the island bigger (wider) and elimiating the cabinets behind the seating altogether -- they don't serve a purpose and they narrow the path behind seating considerably. You can then have 42" between sink and cooktop, and have a 4 1/2' island (with 12" base cabs on the back side for storage of occasional items and 18" seating overhang), and then approx 4 1/2' clearance on the pathway behind the island.

I can't add anything to the layout comments.. but i just wanted to say hello from another vegetarian family here! With an island range too...and no ventilation a year after our reno due to decision fatigue.

Good luck to you!

Hey girl - everyone is trying to point out problems and potential solutions based on their experiences. It may not feel like it right now, but some things you might let sink in and marinate for a while..

Part of why kitchens are hard to do is that everything is connected. What follows is some talk about that and your plan - I had too much caffeine today, so be warned that I am normally fairly direct and today is worse.

The induction cooktop in the island is fine until you get to the seating and exactly where its located. If you envision a pot of spaghetti sauce spitting, you know it can travel a long way in any direction. Even if 90% of the time, no one is using the cooktop with seated people; in this particular case, seated people can end up with burns or ruined paper. It's recommended that people be seated at least two feet away from a functioning cooktop. And spaghetti sauce spits just as well on induction as on a smoothtop.

So - to fix that, either the island seating should move or be removed. You might not believe that someone may get burned and keep the island seating exactly as it is. It will help some to have the pop-up hood, particularly if its tall and intercepts some splashes, but the pop up will cut off whoever is behind it socially and likely won't be tall enough to intercept all splashes.

On the other hand, pop-up hoods don't work well. Could be ok if you don't do a lot of boiling or frying or high heat work, grill veg in a grill pan, or that sort of thing - but likely because you want a hood, you do all those sorts of things. The ceiling mounted hood will work better than a pop-up hood, plus if you consider a non-island positions for the cooktop, wall hoods are half the price and work twice as well.

The position of the cooktop in the middle of the island, particularly with the island not centered on the sink or window seems kinda strange to me. It cuts down on prep space because you need at least 12-15" on either side of the cooktop for take off and tool rests. It leaves 2 areas that are both slightly less than 2 feet of counter to prep in. It can be done, restaurants do it all the time. However I can't do it and would rather pile that counter into one run of four feet. Bigger chunks are more flexible.

Perhaps you centered it in the pursuit of symmetry, but you'll never achieve it because the wall of stuff behind the island (on both sides) isn't symmetrical.

I'm not sure how you envision working with the oven - are you a baker? I don't see where you'd work or where something like a mixer would be or a place to knead dough or roll out dough.

I like having pantry and refrigeration close together too, but you'll have to walk around the island to get to either one instead of having a straight shot. It those stools are in use, I don't know how you'll get all of the stuff out for a meal - carry it all the way back - one or two items at a time?

I'd be sort of in favor of moving the doorway on the left also. I'd be more likely to line it up with the "traffic" aisle.

One more example nitpick on that traffic aisle - its about 4 feet wide (fine for a traffic aisle), but it also has stools (bye bye 2 feet of the aisle) and the ref. Refrigerators are rarely 2 feet deep. Even counter depth ones can be 30" deep including the handles - meaning the ref could unexpectedly stick out into the aisle another 6". So, your 4 foot aisle suddenly becomes 18" wide in front of the refrigerator. Again with a lot of refs, its not enough to even get the doors open, much less be able to stand in front of it and get stuff.

So, I don't know what to think. I'd want something that would work better for me. I like having multiple sinks and a tight area of prep, cook, and food storage so I would hate this plan. I don't know if that would matter to a more organized cook.

I don't like the people piled up on the other side of the island all facing me - like I'm the entertainment or something. I do like to work facing people but I like people to sit at the table, chat away, eat and catcall over every once in a while. I like "helpers" to have clear paths to and from the clean up sink and dish storage without the temptation to cut through my prep territory. So, that's the kind of thing I'd think about - what are my goals and how best to accomplish those in the space and within whatever your budget is.

This is the most terrible thing I've ever said to anyone, but If I had the kind of money you're spending, I'd just want something more special that I could love and love working in. And I'd want that more than replicating a childhood kitchen.

I responded earlier....but if there's concern about spaghetti sauce spilling, I'd raise the seating part of the island. Very few people like this idea, but I think it makes a LOT more sense, especially when the cooktop is on the island. It also gives you a slight backsplash for electical outlets and to hide salt/pepper, etc.

If you don't want to walk around the island...an easy solution is to put the fridge to the end of the sink counter, by the breakfast room slider. I know you don't want to move the dining room door, but if you did move it to the 'bottom' of that wall, you could have a continuous counter, between your double oven and the rest of the work area.

That would give you more seating for the stools, a wider walkway, between dining room and breakfast room...and easy access to the pantry.

I would think about tall, shallow pantry storage on that back wall, with at least glass uppers on the top 1/3. This will give you some beautiful display space and lots of shallow storage for everyday foods, cereals, snacks, etc. That would leave the walk-in pantry for bigger storage and lots of extra small appliances, if you use those :)

Hi Miffy,
I recently posted a very similar layout and received many ideas from other GWers. I agree with bmorepanic and let it sink in for a while. Try to act like that is your current layout and see what you think will work for you and what is eventually going to drive you crazy. You'll never perfect everything, just look at what is most important to you and how you and your family cook and use your kitchen.
It does seem that many of the folks here on GW do not like an island cooktop and maybe it's not the perfect place to put one but I think they can work well. If you get a popup down vent make sure you get a tall one. I've seen some go up only 6-9" and others up to 14". Also, when choosing your induction try to get one with the burner sizes you will use most toward the back since that is where the vent is most efficient. Your cooktop is convenient to the sink for filling and draining pots.
I think a prep sink would be wonderful but a double sink can serve the purpose too without adding the extra plumbing. I think you should be able to prep next to your sink or next to the cooktop just fine.
I agree with other posters to try to move your fridge so you don't have to walk all the way around the island. If there is room where your ovens are put it there and put your ovens where the fridge is with a run of counters next to them for a baking station. (This could be a problem, though, if you use your ovens a lot and that aisle a well travelled route through your kitchen.) I also agree with another pantry area closer to your cooktop/sink area where frequently used items are kept. Do you have space for that in your upper or lower cabs to either side of your sink?
Have fun!

This is very good, but we can improve it with a few simple changes. First, I'd swap the sink and cooktop locations. Next, I'd extend the island all the way to the right wall. Also, close off the pantry access and then combine the pantry and mud room into one large space. This should give you a more functional feel.

I would try to put the refrig on either side of door on the left side. Does that door go to a dining rm? It would be a much shorter space from refrig to water.
One option once the refrig is gone from the back wall is use upper cabs as base cabs. Then you could enlarge the seating at the island. I too loved island cooking in my last house and first had a JennAire downdraft that was useless. Then I did a telescope which was much better! That said in my present kit I have a hood and it is better yet. Good luck with your project.

Thank you everyone for your comments. I want to really sit and think about each one before I truly respond but I just wanted to give my reason for the fridge placement. This is the only place I can reccess it, into the pantry, so i get a standard depth fridge that doesnt stick out. The cabinets next to it could be only 18" deep so the walkwy would be 56"

Oh, the picture says they're 2' deep, so that makes more sense!

Are those low built-ins or tall built-ins indicated by the 1'8" in the adjacent room to the left. If they are tall built-ins you could still recess into the adjacent room and it would be disguised by the built-ins.

they are tall curio cabinets in the dining room. so i could use 2" but probably need the rest for curio

Just an observation...but with the way the dining room entrance is now...you see the cooktop, from the dining table. If you moved it 'down' a bit, you could see the stools and the eating area. Maybe a broom closet where you have the double oven, then the entry to the dining room, then the double oven with continuous counterspace to corner?

Or, even better (IMHO) broom closet, dining room entry, then fridge and countertop to corner...and double ovens back by pantry. Still a great place for a baking area and your fridge would be so much more handy to the sink and cooktop. Who cares if it bumps out a little...or you could get a counter depth fridge? Still a beautiful kitchen plan, either way! :)

I would think about how often you travel from fridge to sink, or pantry to stove. I also have an island with cooktop in the middle of a U-shaped kitchen. The island always seems to be in the way when I am moving from fridge to sink or cooktop to pantry. What I would love to do is flip my island 90 degrees, for instance in your case so you would face the breakfast area while at the stove. Then you would have a nice work triangle behind the island.
Unfortunately, as other people have pointed out, you would probably need to switch from island to peninsula. Someday that is probably what I will do in my kitchen!

I tried to convince my husband to consider a peninsula but what do we do with all the space in the middle? It would be a dance floor.

my husband just suggested two smaller islands with walkway in between

You could dance... :)

Seriously, a peninsula might solve a lot of problems. And, by the time you leave room for the stools to back up and the chairs at the table, there might not be as much 'room in the middle' as you might think.

Hi, Miffy. One thing, you have a luxuriance of space to get everything you want, including an island cooktop like you grew up with.

I was wondering, what is the reason for placement of the DRM door? Is it lining up with a feature in the family room? What is that rectangle in the FRM doorway? Thanks.

I just noticed the question about "what to do with all the space." So many people start with a space (more often with doorways and windows firmed up than not) and then put in kitchen elements until it's filled up. Some pretty strange things are posted here after people have done that. Come at it from the other direction too: define what you want, then decide what space that needs. For instance, you will want a bigger island for cooking, but happily you lots of room for it.

I confess I have a blind spot where 2 islands are concerned. Some people do it, but I've never understood why anyone would want to bolt down a second block of immovable cabinetry set off to the side. Except a cooking school?

Yes, if you are trying to figure out how to fill the space, maybe it's just too big. The space could be added to other rooms below it on the plan, or maybe the house could be recessed a bit deeper in the kitchen area to make the patio wider in that area.

Because kitchens are designed around a lot of specific dimensions, the space allotted can be too small and too big at the same time: too big for some layouts and too small for others. Lots of kitchens seem to fall in the category of too small for the perfect island but a bit too big without one.

I took the time to really think and talk to my husband and we have decided that we really like the island and doorways where they are but we should get a counter depth fridge at the end of the sink run. The doorwall there is going to be shrunk a ft so we can make that run longer. lt will be better for cooktop and sink. Do I still need a prep sink? Where should the ovens go? I also want a pantry with toaster, micro and other often used appliances somewhere. Thoughts on placement? Also, what were the reasons for moving pantry door? I thought that would be most convenient for groceries from mud room.

While the present location of the pantry door is convenient to the mudrm for groceries, that is usually once a week. Think how often daily you want access to the pantry then make the decision. The change for the refrig will make it much more handy. I start some things on the burners then put them in the oven so for me moving them closer to the island cooktop would be better. In my last house I found the large 1 & 3/4 sink worked very well. I kept the 3/4 clean for washing veggies and such as well as drain my knives, wood cutting board or the rare thing that didn't fit in the DW. Now I have one big sink, no room for a prep sink, I really miss what I had.

I think moving the fridge is a great idea! A counter depth fridge will really work in the space and be much more practical so close to the sink and cooktop.

I'd leave the double ovens where they are, in your plan. It's a good location for a baking area and it works with the doorways as they're laid out.

What are you doing with the former fridge wall? How deep is that area going to be? 4' is really not very wide for a pantry...is there any way you can borrow some space from the walk in closet and whatever that space is to the left? Or are you planning to expand it to the area that used to be the fridge and cabinets? I know you said that would be shallower, so you'll have more room for the stools.

If you can keep cabinets on that back wall...and the pantry, then I'd put the prep sink, microwave, toaster, etc. on that run of cabinets (that used to be for the fridge) and have the walk-in pantry next to it. You'd have a nice snack area there...maybe even an undercounter fridge for drinks. It keeps family/guests out of your main work/prep area, when you're trying to cook! :)

just to throw in a different idea...move the island toward the pantry a bit more so that there is a definite walkpath from the left-hand door past the double sink to the eating table and deck door. Declare the window sink to be cleanup and general purpose space. Put the rangetop on the lower left-hand wall with a real overhead vent--does not block any views), put the ovens on the upper left-hand wall next to the run of cabs that can serve as baking center, and put the dishwasher next to the large sink. Store all the dishes and serving pieces on that window wall. Put a smaller sink on the island on the pantry side. Move the refrig closer to the informal eating area and the pantry door closer to the range. Now you have a dedicated cooking area in one corner and a nice open area with open views for guests and family on the outside of the island. Also, this gives you plenty of room for mealtime helpers and second cooks. If you want stools at the island put them on the walkpath side and/or the breakfast area side.

You might consider putting the rangetop not centered on the island so that you have 4' of prep area on one side and 2' on the other side instead of 3' and 3'.

The distance to the pantry wouldn't bother me. Our pantry is off a hall just outside our kitchen/family room. We have a 12" cabinet with pull out shelves that holds the liquid ingredients we use most (oils, vinegars, soy sauce, etc), two drawers in the baking area that hold the most common baking ingredients - some flours, sugars, baking powder, etc.- a drawer for spices and herbs and a drawer for bread, jam and peanut butter. So making a trip or two per meal to the pantry for other ingredients doesn't bother me.

It is a big kitchen so a small second sink would be useful even if it isn't the "prep" sink. Someplace where hand washing can be done and water can be gotten. Where in your kitchen will coffee be made or other beverages prepared? Where will baking and mixing be done? The counter outside the pantry might be a place for snack prep, baking prep and or beverage making so that might be a good spot for the small sink.

We have an island rangetop and like it. I put some comments in the other island rangetop thread about it.