Is this a new house for you? It sounds like it ("...I see myself always struggling for space while I cook..."). If so, have you moved in yet? Normally, I'd say try living with it for at least 6 months before doing anything, but the island, to me, needs to be fixed ASAP. As you have noted, there is far too little counter space on the sides for working, landing space, and safety margin as well as too narrow a seating overhang behind the island. It's too bad you can't at least change that (24" would be best).

Based on your description, it sounds like you're creating a "G", not a "U". That could be even more problematical, depending on the aisle widths in your kitchen. Right now, you have all three work zones in one small place...the sink and island. If you add a counter you will now have all three in a very small space...only one person will be able to prep, cook, and cleanup at a time b/c there won't be room for anyone else to stand in the narrow "U" portion that will now be housing the cooktop, sink, and DW How wide is the aisle b/w the ovens and the island?
Between the island and sink wall?
How many people will be using the kitchen at one time? This includes prepping, cooking, cleaning up, getting a snack, etc.
Where is your MW? Next to the refrigerator? In the oven stack? Somewhere else?
How are you handling the countertop? Changing all counters? Putting in a different material for the "new" counter? Something else? (Food-safe butcher block might be a viable option...)

What are the following dimensions (see the pic below for the corresponding measurements)? No, it isn't to re-arrange the kitchen since you've already stated you aren't willing to make other changes, it's to see if creating a "G" is a good idea. I'd also like to draw it up for you so you can see how it will end up.

• A. Distance from the left edge of oven cabinet to window wall: ___

• B. Distance from the right wall of the oven cabinet to the window wall: ___

• C. Distance from the oven wall to the right end of the counters on the window wall: ___

• D. Distance from the oven wall to the door trim for the door to the deck: ___

• E. Distance from the end of the window counter run to the door trim for the door to the deck (not the end of the backsplash, the end of the counter...I can't tell for certain if they end at the same place): ___

• F. Distance from the window wall to the far counter edge of the island (the edge of the seating overhang): ___

• G. Distance from the oven handles (or whatever sticks out the farthest) to the island counter edge: ___

• H. Distance from the edge of the oven wall counter to the island counter edge: ___

• I. Distance from the sink counter edge to the island counter edge: ___

• J: Distance from the end of the current wall counter to the table in a straight line as if the table were up against the door (i.e., not the current measurement that would be taken on the diagonal b/c the table and...

Is this a new house for you? It sounds like it ("...I see myself always struggling for space while I cook..."). If so, have you moved in yet? Normally, I'd say try living with it for at least 6 months before doing anything, but the island, to me, needs to be fixed ASAP. As you have noted, there is far too little counter space on the sides for working, landing space, and safety margin as well as too narrow a seating overhang behind the island. It's too bad you can't at least change that (24" would be best).

Based on your description, it sounds like you're creating a "G", not a "U". That could be even more problematical, depending on the aisle widths in your kitchen. Right now, you have all three work zones in one small place...the sink and island. If you add a counter you will now have all three in a very small space...only one person will be able to prep, cook, and cleanup at a time b/c there won't be room for anyone else to stand in the narrow "U" portion that will now be housing the cooktop, sink, and DW How wide is the aisle b/w the ovens and the island?
Between the island and sink wall?
How many people will be using the kitchen at one time? This includes prepping, cooking, cleaning up, getting a snack, etc.
Where is your MW? Next to the refrigerator? In the oven stack? Somewhere else?
How are you handling the countertop? Changing all counters? Putting in a different material for the "new" counter? Something else? (Food-safe butcher block might be a viable option...)

What are the following dimensions (see the pic below for the corresponding measurements)? No, it isn't to re-arrange the kitchen since you've already stated you aren't willing to make other changes, it's to see if creating a "G" is a good idea. I'd also like to draw it up for you so you can see how it will end up.

• A. Distance from the left edge of oven cabinet to window wall: ___

• B. Distance from the right wall of the oven cabinet to the window wall: ___

• C. Distance from the oven wall to the right end of the counters on the window wall: ___

• D. Distance from the oven wall to the door trim for the door to the deck: ___

• E. Distance from the end of the window counter run to the door trim for the door to the deck (not the end of the backsplash, the end of the counter...I can't tell for certain if they end at the same place): ___

• F. Distance from the window wall to the far counter edge of the island (the edge of the seating overhang): ___

• G. Distance from the oven handles (or whatever sticks out the farthest) to the island counter edge: ___

• H. Distance from the edge of the oven wall counter to the island counter edge: ___

• I. Distance from the sink counter edge to the island counter edge: ___

• J: Distance from the end of the current wall counter to the table in a straight line as if the table were up against the door (i.e., not the current measurement that would be taken on the diagonal b/c the table and...

Is this a new house for you? It sounds like it ("...I see myself always struggling for space while I cook..."). If so, have you moved in yet? Normally, I'd say try living with it for at least 6 months before doing anything, but the island, to me, needs to be fixed ASAP. As you have noted, there is far too little counter space on the sides for working, landing space, and safety margin as well as too narrow a seating overhang behind the island. It's too bad you can't at least change that (24" would be best).

Based on your description, it sounds like you're creating a "G", not a "U". That could be even more problematical, depending on the aisle widths in your kitchen. Right now, you have all three work zones in one small place...the sink and island. If you add a counter you will now have all three in a very small space...only one person will be able to prep, cook, and cleanup at a time b/c there won't be room for anyone else to stand in the narrow "U" portion that will now be housing the cooktop, sink, and DW How wide is the aisle b/w the ovens and the island?
Between the island and sink wall?
How many people will be using the kitchen at one time? This includes prepping, cooking, cleaning up, getting a snack, etc.
Where is your MW? Next to the refrigerator? In the oven stack? Somewhere else?
How are you handling the countertop? Changing all counters? Putting in a different material for the "new" counter? Something else? (Food-safe butcher block might be a viable option...)

What are the following dimensions (see the pic below for the corresponding measurements)? No, it isn't to re-arrange the kitchen since you've already stated you aren't willing to make other changes, it's to see if creating a "G" is a good idea. I'd also like to draw it up for you so you can see how it will end up.

• A. Distance from the left edge of oven cabinet to window wall: ___

• B. Distance from the right wall of the oven cabinet to the window wall: ___

• C. Distance from the oven wall to the right end of the counters on the window wall: ___

• D. Distance from the oven wall to the door trim for the door to the deck: ___

• E. Distance from the end of the window counter run to the door trim for the door to the deck (not the end of the backsplash, the end of the counter...I can't tell for certain if they end at the same place): ___

• F. Distance from the window wall to the far counter edge of the island (the edge of the seating overhang): ___

• G. Distance from the oven handles (or whatever sticks out the farthest) to the island counter edge: ___

• H. Distance from the edge of the oven wall counter to the island counter edge: ___

• I. Distance from the sink counter edge to the island counter edge: ___

• J: Distance from the end of the current wall counter to the table in a straight line as if the table were up against the door (i.e., not the current measurement that would be taken on the diagonal b/c the table and...

What else are you doing? Are you replacing cabinets? Countertops? Appliances? Other changes?

How wide is the wall for the base of the "U"? How many people do you plan to have working in the kitchen at one time? (If you have children, plan for them working with you and learning how to cook, bake, and clean up.)

Many people feel "trapped" with a "U" shaped kitchen, especially if the base of the "U" is relatively short/narrow and the legs (wall leg + peninsula in your case) are relatively long. We have a "U", but the peninsulas making up the legs of the "U" are 62" and 54" long/wide and the inside open space in the base of the "U" is over 10' wide (121"). It works b/c it's so wide and the legs aren't too long. What will the dimensions be of your "U"?

If you're replacing cabinets, then I suggest you first come up with a layout that's as functional as you can make it instead of just replacing what you have in the same place.

Have you considered switching to a range and getting rid of the tall oven cabinet? It takes up a lot of room. Wall ovens are nice, but only if you have room for them. If you and your family are short, you might consider a single wall oven mounted under the counter. (If you're even slightly tall, I don't recommend it, though, b/c ovens installed this way are closer to the floor than an oven in a range.)

Personally, unless I had a significant amount of space behind the cooktop, I would not put it right next to a door like that. By significant, I recommend no less then 18", and 24" is even better. If you also plan seating at the peninsula you're creating, then definitely 24" behind the cooktop.

Do you have a measured layout of your space? It would much easier if we knew all the measurements, not just one. For more information, see the "Layout Help" topic in the "Read Me" thread (linked below).

Here is a link that might be useful: New To Kitchens? Posting Pics? Read Me!

Oh! Somehow I missed the statement "...I am not remodeling, just enhancing...".

You're not replacing anything else...that could be a problem b/c there doesn't appear to be much space to work with to the right of the sink.

Thanks for your response. I would like to add that I am not planning to make any changes to the existing plan except only bring the counter from behind to extend and merge into the island to form a sharp U (more like ":_:"). The cooktop stays where you see it in the picture. Everything stays as is except that right now the counter and island are completely detached, later they would be connected.

I will be happy to use the tool you specified above once I have the measurements. For now, I'd appreciate your updated feedback based on the above. Thanks!

BTW...you're probably not receiving emails of follow-up postings, even though you checked the box requesting them. This is b/c you don't have the email option turned on in your profile. See the "Read Me" thread for more information. Scroll down to the post with the subject "Getting Emails Sent To You...3-step Process".

Here is a link that might be useful: New To Kitchens? Posting Pics? Read Me!