I've just got my undercounter MW in mine. If I could have figured another place for the MW to go, I would have loved a prep sink in my island, but couldn't afford the space for both sink and MW. I think I'd use my island more if it had the prep sink in it. Since it doesn't I do practically all of my prep on the counter between my sink and range. I do use my island for baking, particularly when I am working with my kids... the can sit up on the stools - I have an outlet conveniently located for the mixer.

The island I ended up with works well for me - probably if cost were not a factor it would have been configured differently but at this point I am perfectly satisfied with what I have.

By the way, the open shelving below my MW is going away. It doesn't do enough for me. I am having Crownpoint build me a draw for this space.

and the other side:

I have a prep sink, but no appliances.

Here is a photo. It's not quite finished, so I'll also include the drawing of what it's supposed to look like finished.

We didn't put any appliances in the island. I love my huge bank of drawers on the work side of the island.

Work side of island:

{{!gwi}}

Seating side:

{{!gwi}}

Anita

Here's my island and it houses the dishwasher, sink with disposal, and the pullout trash can. There is seating on this end and the opposite side. The opposite side also has cabinets with pullout drawers where I store stuff we don't use too often. Love it!

{{!gwi}}

Here is my kitchen island. I have a microwave drawer and a prep sink in it.

I have a microwave and a trash pull out in mine.

Here's my island--the only appliance I have is an induction cooktop.

Island with plugmold:

The only thing besides my drawers is my trash pullout.

I'm a little embarrassed to show my island which is so long it's more of a skinny continent, but here's a drawing. No finished pics to share yet because it's currently being worked on by some lovely elves at the North Pole. (okok, not elves, some lovely craftspeople though).

No appliances, no sink, just lots of space including the baking center (lowered section for rolling out dough), cookbookcase, and drawers on other side.

You guys have some great islands...I like the plug mold and the pull-out drawer idea on the chair/overhang side.

How many seats do ya'll think I'll be able to fit with my island size of 90" x 66", 1 long side and short side overhang for stools. I was hoping for 4 long side and then 2 on short side.

No pictures. My current island has a cooktop on top. I do like that set up, but in my new kitchen, I want a "pro-style" rangetop, so I need a hood. So, in the island, I will have a prep sink with disposal and instant hot and a second dishwasher as well as some drawers.

you should account for about 24" per stool so you are just a teensy bit shy of that on your long side, so when shopping for stools, I would suggest that you choose something with a narrower footprint. The 66" side seems fine and you can move the two seats down away from the 90 end, so that everyone has knee/leg room.

I was told to allow 2 feet of space for each stool, so you'd have room for 3 or 4 stools on the long side if you don't have big corner posts and plenty of room for 2 stools on the shorter side.

At that width will you be able to able to wipe down the island without walking around it?

Hoping to use it soon - targeting completion of kitchen by Xmas. The seating side has storage under it. One side has open storage on one side. The other side has a file cabinet built into it. Sink side has a DW, recycle storage, and general storage. Its roughly 8.5 feet long and 54 inches wide. We are thinking 3 barstools

I NEVER get enough of looking at everyones islands!
They are all so awesome for ideas and detail.

On another note,

salmon slayer...how much space is between your cabinets and hood please?
This is a decision I am working on right now, thanks a lot.
vic

Vic, (unless I change my mind in the next week and move the framing) we will have 30" to the bottom of the hood. Our counters are 37 - 38" from the floor (a little taller than normal). On the sides, we will have about 1" when the stone is applied to the framing. My wife is 5'7" and I am 6'3" She fits fine under it. I do not envision any problems with the height. I am installing "stones" from "Metastone" After some (many) delays, I finally got an email today I can pick up the material on Thursday. We will finalize backspash after seeing the finished hood.

erikanh...it has crossed my mind..and I've been thinking the same thing, but I want to have enough room for a couple of stools on the sides.

I'm sure it will be great. I'm definitely not one to begrudge anyone a big island! ;)

I don't think you'll be able to do four stools on the long side. I have an island with seating on two adjacent sides and you have to account for the overlap at the corner. I think you could go with three stools on the long side and not have a conflict. When I use placemats, the short side takes up about a foot of space from the long side that would leave you with about 78", which is comfy for three.