Mine is only 2 cabinets long, so a little over 4'. Here are the latest photos of it, from the other day. The 2nd one is a weird angle and it makes it look really tiny, that is why I put both in to show you. Even though it is small, having nothing in that space would have been weird, and I find it useful. The one on the left has a microwave/pizza oven in it, with a drawer below. And the one on the right is 2 deep drawers for pots. I thought a 24" microwave cabinet would have been big enough, however, it turns out that I don't think any of the m/w drawers could fit in it, and most microwaves were larger than the opening. The one we ended up getting fits really nicely.

Our layout is similar to beekeeperswife's (though you can't tell it from these pictures!) -- and our island is tinier, but we love it and, as she said, it would be weird to have a big empty space there.

Ours includes a 24" trash/recycling pullout directly across from the sink, and two 12" cabs that are angled. We use those for holding trashbags, small cutting boards on one side, vinegar and like bottles on the side next to the cooktop.

These are BEFORE pictures, but we're keeping the same configuration in the new kitchen 'cause it works for us. HTH -- Amy

My island is just under 6 ft long, about 28in wide - underneath there are two sets of cabinets, each with a wide drawer on top. I wish I had done at least one in deep drawers instead. But I love having the island and it is very useful. We often have people working from both sides at once.

Small compared to most, but *deceptively* small. I'm always amazed at how much workspace it has.

Three Daisies - how big is your island? What do you keep in your drawers? What white did you use on your cabinets?

Sorry I don't have pics, but I do have a small island, 48"X25". It has 2 24" drawers above a cabinet with a full shelf that opens from both sides. The island is used as my main work space. In one drawer I keep flatware and the gadgets that I use on a regular basis, paring knives, garlic press, etc. In the other drawer I keep the baking related gadgets like plastic measuring cups, measuring spoons, beaters, etc. The cabinets are used to store pots and pans, casseroles, that sort of thing.

Although I was originally concerned about the small size of the island, it has worked out really well for us.

Totally Confused

Hi - my island is about as small as a rectangular island comes, and is in a small kitchen (12.5 x 14' I think). There are only 3 practical places to put it but they're pretty limiting as you can imagine. One is to turn it parallel with the long counter (that has the sink in it and two windows above); the other way is to make it appear to be coming out of the old furnace chimney (has the mushroom painting hanging on it) - almost like a built-in counter; and the final way is to do the latter only pull it out from the chimney a little to make its edges line up with other edges in the room (e.g. edge of stove or doorway to mudroom) to give it a feeling of more symmetry and make it more centered.

Here are the pics - apologies for the dirty kitchen! The first one is of the island parallel to the long counter:
(I'll be replacing the stainless top of the island w/ butcher block since our new counter will be stainless and I don't want to go overboard...that counter will have a white farm sink and gooseneck faucet BTW - I'm always defending it and trying to explain how it won't look too modern in its surroundings! ;)

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen island parallel w/ long countertop

My small island is 54 inches long. It has a 33 inch pot drawer and a 21 inch trash pull out. Both are one of my favorite parts of my small kitchen. Hope that helps.

Sorry...I got distracted! Here's the island turned the new way which - with our new fridge being in the stove's prior location now (the only logical place for it to be) means it might need to stay there in order for that triangle space to look defined (if I keep the pot rack above, I'd have to turn it to go with the island...the center light fixture will be replaced with something more period, soon)...

Here is a link that might be useful: Small island coming out from the tall old furnace chimney

Here's another view - from the opposite side of the room (standing in the sunroom). You can see there's plastic still on the fridge - until they're done working on the kitchen - and that above the stove is an awful looking cupboard...we need to figure out how best to utilize that shelf (it keeps getting cut to fit different things under it...I'm thinking microwave for now until we can afford new stove and nice hood and then we'll incorporate those somehow). See below:

Here is a link that might be useful: Another view of its latest location which makes most sense

Sigh... one day I'll learn how to actually put up real pictures instead of only putting the links in! :-/

Showing the wall where the countertop was/will be so you can get a visual of the island from that perspective too. Clearly I have too much time on my hands!

I sure would love to someday have an appropriately fitting island built. But meanwhile this one has been very handy for the last 8 years, takes a lot of abuse and is easy to move around. I think it'll look much nicer once it has the butcher block top.

Here is a link that might be useful: How island looks perpendicular to long counter...

ejbrymom - the island itself is 24" x 48" and the counter has a 10" overhang. The island is for sure larger than any k_itchen designer would have recommended so we have narrow aisles as a result. But it SO worth it & works really well. I can have my 3 kids sitting there and still have plenty of room for prep work.

My cabinet paint (and trim and all doors) is BM White Dove - it's a wonderful soft white but shows up a bit brighter in those photos.

To answer your other question - the tall cabinet is my trash pullout; the bottom drawer holds plastic storage containers/lids, middle - all foil, plastic wrap, ziplock bags, pot holders, dishtowels, top drawer is silverware (right across from DW & convenient).

We have a small island with seating for 3(but when the kids have friends over sometimes we have 5 kids around it). It is 5' by 2.5'. I have trash and recycling on the short side and on the long we keep our silverware in the drawer. The bottom cabinet is for our kitchenaid mixer, panini machine, blender, waffle maker, food processor etc.

I know some people say don't bother with a small island, but ours is the favorite part of the kitchen. Everyone hangs out around it and I use it constantly for prep.

Good luck, hope the pictures help.

This is the trash and recycling, the drawer above is for all of our odds and ends....like a junk drawer. Pens, clips, scissors, tape measure, kid stuff etc.

This is one of our silverware drawers and small appliances below.