We are in the midst of building and our cabinets just went in. We have two islands. The inner island is the prep island with a sink. The frig, cooktop and ovens are all within a step or two. The outer island is the entertainment/clean-up island. It has the dishwasher, single bowl sink and accesses the drawers where our dishes will go. There are also three seats at the raised bar. The idea for us was to have a zone for me to cook uninterrupted when we have company over, but still be open to anyone getting something to drink or setting the table or just visiting. We originally planned for a U with an island, but turned it into two islands instead for better flow. You can't see from this angle, but there's a command center where I'm standing taking the picture, with a large walk-in pantry right next to it. Source: dejongdreamhouse.blogspot.com via Jen on Pinterest Here's the Parade of Homes kitchen that made us change our minds. (I need to see things to visualize them). There's a hidden walk in pantry behind the dark cabinetry. Source: Uploaded by user via Jen on Pinterest Source: facebook.com via Jen on Pinterest Here is a link that might be useful: kitchen cabinet installation

In many ways, your basic layout is similar to mine, but I think my back wall is longer than yours and I can therefore fit my clean up sink and DW there. Where does the opening below the frig lead to? Can you move the frig north and steal some pantry space? Looks like a really big opening that you might be able to reduce. What is that short wall to the left of the oven/mw? Is the dining room the only eating area? If so, you might want to really consider moving the frig north. It's going to be quite a hike to get items out of the frig and into the DR. If you can make it more of a direct walk past the island it might be better.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both. As fori pointed out, a higher level gives a little protection space behind a cooktop. It can also partially block the view of junk on countertops from an eating table beyond the island. If you love having a bar-height eating space then two levels is how you can get it. Personally, I like a single height. This gives you a larger space to lay things out (other than food) that you might be working on. It's great for cooking making/cooling. It invites munchkins to sit on the other side and talk or do homework while you're working in the kitchen. I just find it to be friendlier. The bottom line is, this is going to be pretty personal to you, taking into account who you share your space with and how you use your kitchen. Not to be mean to the guys (because we really did that the other day in the discussion of a previously disinterested husband who suddenly had left-field opinions), but if you're the one mainly in charge of what goes on in the kitchen, then make the plan suit you.

Well...a couple of thoughts b/f discussing your layout. You have two children, and possibly more. You're telling us what you do NOW. Things will change drastically when the children get older. I assume you will be teaching them all (boys & girls) basic life skills like cooking and cleaning up. There will come a time - sooner than you realize, probably within 4 or 5 years (maybe less) - when there will be multiple cooks at one time as well as cleaning up being done by someone other than the cook. You need to think/plan ahead - don't just plan for today, plan for the future as well! The last thing you want to have to do is another remodel b/c the Kitchen is too difficult to work in with a family. This is more of an empty nester who does not entertain much Kitchen (i.e., no future children). +++++ OK, now the layout critique: Island seating... Be sure you have the minimum of 15" of clear leg/knee space for the seating overhang on both sides. Since your DH is tall and there's a good chance your children will be taller (my DH is 6'5" and my DS is 6'7" - I think he's finally stopped growing!), 15" will probably be too shallow - it is in our house. I wish I had done 18". 15" is too shallow for my DH and DS. I'm 5'10" and my DD is 6' - and it's just barely deep enough for us. I recommend 18" on one of the sides. At the corner, you can only have one seat - two people cannot share the same knee/leg space. So, you will need at least 15" b/w the counter edge and the first seat on one side. You may be OK, the layout is not clear. But keep in mind that each seat needs 24" of linear space as well as the 15" (or 18") of overhang. Since you have a cabinet on one side, you will need to add another 6" or so of linear space for that first seat to have enough room to maneuver into a seat since you can't slide into it from the cabinet side. This means for two seats, you will need at least 6" + 24" + 24" = 54" when there's a cabinet (or leg or wall) next to a seat. It looks like both sides will have that issue. Another 15" or 18" will be needed on whichever side is going to provide the overhang for the corner seat. I would move the DW down so it's the first item on the island. Then the sink, an 18" trash pullout, and whatever will fit. You need more space on the Prep Zone side of the sink (the opposite side from the DW) - preferably at least 42". You also don't want the DW to open into the same general area as the range. Other... The refrigerator cannot be against the wall like that. You need at least a 9" cabinet b/w the wall and refrigerator (if the wall were even deeper, it would have to be a 12" cabinet, but you should be fine with a 9"). Make it a 9" tall pantry or utility cabinet. OTR MW...not the safest location, especially as your children get old enough to use it by themselves and b/c you appear to have a gas range. We've had several people relate how they or a friend/family member have set a sweater or shirt on fire reaching over a gas range to use an OTR MW. Plus, you're removing items from the MW above your shoulders, which means any tilting of the dish as it comes out of the MW will splash on your face instead of your body where you might have clothing on to offer some protection. It's also more difficult to take things out when you have to reach up than reaching/lifting up or out from around waist high. I strongly recommend a MW drawer - it's usable by short and tall people alike b/c the controls are angled up so there's no bending over to use them. Like most appliances these days, they have easy child-locks while your children are too young to use it. Range Hood...get a true range hood if you want it to be effective. OTR MWs ar notoriously poor at venting and often cannot be vented outside. They don't cover the entire cooking surface, so they don't work well if you use the front burners or even the back ones if they're too far off to the side. The capture area should cove the entire width of your cooking surface plus, preferably 6". So, with a 30" range, you should have a 36"W x 24"D range hood that is vented to the outside. Oh, and not only are them more effective, but they're also quieter (unless you go with a cheap builder-grade one)! Appliance garage...you don't have enough room on the range wall for an appliance garage. You need workspace on both sides and you don't have much, if any, on the appliance garage side - especially as that's the side that does not have the DW opening up into the aisle. This is a personal preference, but I would not want my dirty dishes taking center stage on an island. When a Cleanup Zone is on an island, the dirty dishes are front & center and, often in the faces of anyone sitting at the island. It's better than having your Cooking Zone on the island, but if you can arrange it, it would be better to have the island only your Prep Zone with a prep sink, your Cooking Zone along the wall behind the Prep Zone, and the Cleanup Zone elsewhere, also on a wall. If it's not possible, then get a really deep sink! (Although, if it's the only sink you won't be able to stash dirty dishes in it b/c you'll need it for prepping...)