A round (or even an oval one at 90 degrees from present orientation) dinner table might help make the eating space more functional and less intrusive into the tight space opposite the end of the counter. Do you need all those seats at every meal, or only for guests? If not for every meal on a daily basis then the table clearances on the far side can be slightly scrunched-up, and perhaps the chairs can even be staged in another room until needed. This is kind of personal, but I think narrower aisles are also more workable for generally smaller and thinner people - they need less room to bend and turn and scoot past each other. I question whether building in the 12" cupboard will save a full five inches: you will still need some kind of wall cladding, so not all of a wall's thickness can be harvested. I plan on having a narrow island with no seating, just a work space. I have tested counter tops of various widths and find that one even as narrow as 24" provides very useful work surface. But 26-28" was better and allowed for the use of stock cabs below wth a standard overhang. The overhang has high functional value in a tight space. Our aisles are 40 to 42" apiece between counter edges. Both sides of the room have active, with full (or greater depth) counter work zones. (The range on one side of the kitchen and the clean-up sink on the other.) Another benefit I plan on incorporating is access to the shelves and cabs below the island from both sides. This turns out to be technically trickier than I, at first, imagined, but we are working on it. Of course simple shelves, or baskets set on shelves are easy to do. We are currently working on designing workable two-way sliding drawer hardware, but there both practical and aesthetic complications to what is commercially available at the moment. Still it's very important to us and allows two workers (one on each side of island) to be active without getting on each others' toes. A poster above said they made a scale model and mocked up the proposal. So have we, and this winter we're going even farther by making it a working setup to cook in for a few months. That way when we start making permanent changes we'll know for sure it works for us. At least make a full scale mock-up, if not make arrangements for doing it in a your current live kitchen. HTH L.

Here are more pics of a narrow island. I love this idea, of the skinny island. Think of it--it's essentially a galley kitchen w/ no upper wall on one side. It would still be very useful. Aptosca's comments about hers: So far I love the island the best. I never had one before. We got reduced size cabinets (18"W) so I could have an island. The island measurements are 21"W x 75.5"L. I know that sounds small on paper, but it is a great workspace. I use it constantly. I store all my appliances underneath and it will be my prep area. I do love the red garnet in the VB granite too. When the sun from the skylights fall on the island it sparkles. I love it! I think the 8-feet part would be hard. I'd be tempted to break it into two islands, so I didn't have to walk around it every time. Here is a link that might be useful: Aptosca's kitchen w/ narrow island

I have a 36" aisle between my rangetop and island and find it plenty roomy... Grown-sized children and 2 big dogs... we all fit. But you have to figure in the possibility of pulling out the fridge to clean under or replace/repair. I see that your work zones may be delineated, but you have crossing traffic patterns. I'm not sure where you'll prep, thinking of the usual fridge to sink-&-prep to stove path. While you're walking that path, also, you're crossing the clean-up zone. Depending on how you want to work with your family, I'd map out task paths to see how they work, and to make sure you won't be walking all over each other or having collisions. I'm not sure if you want this sort of advice, so ignore me if it's out of line. I'd like to see the stove on the side of the kitchen with the fridge, probably next to the lazy susan, creating a work area with the island and prep sink. Then keep the cleanup zone off on its own on the right with the sink possibly next to another lazy susan on that other corner where the stove is now.

This is my personal opinion - I think it would be awful - its likely to feel way more cramped than your existing layout. The dishwasher, range and refrigerator doors can hit each other. In your drawing, you show the proper depth for a counterdepth ref, but ranges are 27" - 28" deep and their doors generally need to stay in front of the cabinet line - you ain't countersinking it into the island - it would void your warranty right there - aside from driving a blding inspector insane. So - you know that 30" aisle - it goes down to about 22" right in front of the ref and range. Do you know how far out a cabinet drawer comes these days? 21-23" depending the mfg - not including the handles. Do you know how big a tall tub dishwasher door is? 28" How far a range door sticks out? From 16" to 21" from the already extended depth. How much front clearance does the freezer door/drawer need? How the heck will you get the ref or range into place? Or take them out for service or replacement. Plus, now you have the chance to knock pots off the range if you make even a small mistake on the other side of the island. Plus, plus YOU END UP WITH LESS PREP SPACE because you moved the ref and the range. Personally, I would put the sink/ref/dish storage/micro on one side wall and the range on the other. I would shorten and narrow the existing island (maybe 30 x 51 finished counter) to allow for better clearances, but also better access from one side to the other. I would think about pushing it all the way over to the window (more like an ungrounded peninsula).