Bardzil, the appliance garages seem like a nice idea (though I don't personally have any). I've seen appliance garages in pantry areas where they had a slide out shelf since there was no countertop space.

Regarding no counter space at the frig, it appears that your frig is close to the end of your island. I unload my groceries at the island....works great for me. I think if I had counter space next to mine, I would have to keep opening and closing my double door frig. to grab the groceries because they would open in front of the landing space. Not sure if you'll have one or two doors.

Your layout is difficult to read (too small & illegible), but here's a couple of comments

Island seating...you have 5 seats lined up on only one side of the island - like ducks sitting in a row. This arrangement is not very conducive to conversation, it's more like eating at a diner counter with strangers. With this many seats, I would see if there's any way to have a seat or two on at least one of the sides. It may mean a shorter island, but if you have at least 42" of prep space on the non-Cleanup Zone side, you will have enough prep space.

You need landing space for the refrigerator no more than 48" across an aisle.

What would really help is if you could tell us a bit about you and your family and how you plan to use the Kitchen. Please check out the following FAQ threads (they're also in the "Read Me" thread.)

Good luck!

How do I ask for Layout Help and what information should I include?

• http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2767033/how-do-i-ask-for-layout-help-and-what-information

itchen Design FAQ Threads:

FAQ -- Kitchen work zones, what are they?

• http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638270/faq-kitchen-work-zones-what-are-they

FAQ -- Aisle widths, walkways, seating overhangs, work and landing space, and others

• http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638304/faq-aisle-widths-walkways-seating-overhangs-work-landing-space-etc

FAQ -- How do I plan for storage? Types of Storage? What to Store Where?

• http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638376/faq-how-do-i-plan-for-storage

Looking for layout help? Memorize this first.

• http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2699918/looking-for-layout-help-memorize-this-first

Read me thread:

New to Kitchens? Read Me First!

If you chose the option with a counter and only a fridge, no freezer, on that wall, where would you put the freezer? If there is room in the garage for the freezer, that's close so shouldn't be a big problem to go there to get something. However, then I would want a fridge/freezer combo in the house so I wouldn't have to go to the garage for every single thing I keep in the freezer. But there are a lot of things I use daily that I keep in my freezer like my yeast, flax and chia seeds, frozen berries, etc, so going to the garage every time I needed something like that would get old quick. If you aren't in your freezer often for things like that, it might not be a big deal to go to the garage. It kinda depends on what and how you cook.

Or you could go with a full fridge and a small, undercounter freezer or freezer drawers with the big freezer in the garage.

I think one sink in your layout would be fine as long as you do a big sink. Some folks in that situation have done at least 36" sinks with two faucets. That way the sink can easily be shared by one person doing some clean-up and the other doing prep without having to wait to use the faucet. In your situation, I wouldn't go smaller than 36". The Stages 45 sink is one you might check out.

The version that has a counter and just a fridge would require freezer drawers elsewhere in the kitchen and a larger freezer in the garage.

however, what we are thinking now is we'd do a 36" fridge with a bottom mount freezer instead. We'd get a door that opens on the left side (where the counter is). Then on the range wall we would also have 27" fridge drawers (for milk, juice, etc). To supplement, we'd also keep a freezer in the garage. I just wonder if this would be enough fridge capacity.

If we lose the counter next to the fridge, then we do have the island right across from it. Currently the distance is 48". However if we shorten the island and add seating on that side, then the aisle width will exceed 48". We also may have to shorten the island if we can't get a large enough slab for the island. I'm worried it will end up a little more than 48". So should I keep the counter next to the fridge and make do with a little less fridge capacity?

I would do the counter next to the fridge if it were my kitchen so you could have seating wrapping around the island. So I'd go with your first option. I also like how that gives you a snack prep space close by or a coffee bar.

How much fridge space do you need? How big if your family?

We eat mostly fresh foods and my fridge is only 10 cu ft. I do have an undercounter fridge in the laundry room to supplement it but that's mainly for the dog's food. She eats a combination of RAW and home-cooked dog food. We do have an extra fridge in our garage but since DH, fiance, and his daughter moved in and have made an apartment out of our basement, they use that one. The garage is off the basement so it's convenient for them. I do sometimes use the produce drawer in the dog's fridge for spillover veggies. And, once in a blue moon, especially around holidays or if I'm entertaining, I need to alert the kid's that I might need to borrow some space in the garage fridge. But, for the most part, the 10 cu ft. fridge space is plenty for us.

I guess I'm just trying to wrap my head around why you need so much fridge space. Please understand, I'm not criticizing. We all live and eat a bit differently and that's OK. It just seems like so much to me unless you have a huge family.

How much fridge capacity do you have now?

We are a family of 5 - me, husband and 3 boys (ages 7, 5 and 3). We will have 3 teenage boys someday! We are currently making do with a fridge and freezer that are far too small. We bought our house from a widowed 96 year old woman. She had a small apartment size fridge/freezer. I'm not sure of the exact capacity of it but it is not a standard size. Given the size and the fact that it is not good quality and food spoils quickly, we are currently shopping twice a week and eating out more than we'd like. We really want to be able to shop once a week and cook more in our new kitchen.

The 36" integrated subzero has 13.3 cu ft of fridge space and 6.4 cu ft of freezer space. I read somewhere this size is good for a family of 4. I also read somewhere that a family of 5 needs a minimum of 13 cf of fridge space and 10 cf of freezer space. My boys drink a lot of milk and orange juice so i think we might need a little extra fridge space. Therefore, I'd add the 27" fridge drawers near the table. The subzero drawers are 4.6 cu ft. So we'd have 17.9 cu ft of fridge space (although in two separate locations). This seems like it should be adequate.

As for extra freezer space, our garage door is very convenient and I think we could put a freezer in the garage. It does get hot here in the summer (80s and 90s for the most part with a few 100+ degree days). Not sure if i should be concerned about that with a garage freezer.

If i have the counter next to the fridge, is it ok if the distance from the fridge to island gets wider (like 50-60")? Or will that still be inefficient since my main prep space is the island?

Pantry Design Guidelines

Rule 4: Pantry Landing Areas

Recommended:
A pantry should be adjacent to a countertop-height landing area at least 15" wide to facilitate unloading groceries.

Comments

1. A countertop across a work aisle, but not more than 48" from the pantry, can serve as a convenient landing area.
2. If the pantry is a "batwing"
   style cabinet, landing areas to the side of the cabinet can be blocked
   by the open doors. In this case a landing area across the aisle from
   the pantry is preferred.
3. If there is no room for
   exterior landing zones, a pull-out shelf built into the pantry can serve
   as a less convenient landing zone.

Kitchen Design Guidelines

Rule 16: Refrigerator Landing Area
Recommended: Include at least:

1. 15” of landing area on the handle side of the refrigerator, or
2. 15” of landing area on either side of a side-by-side refrigerator, or
3. 15” of landing area which is no more than 48” across from the front of the refrigerator, or
4. 15” of landing area above or adjacent to any undercounter style refrigeration appliance.

Universal Design Guideline: See ADA/ANSI Guidelines.


ADA/ANSI Guidelines: A clear
floor space of 30” x 48” should be positioned for a parallel approach to
the refrigerator/freezer with the center-line of the clear floor space
offset 24” maximum from the center-line of the appliance. (ANSI A 117.1
804.6.6, 1003.12.6.6)

The pantry on our plans is shown as a batwing style cabinet. However, I would think it could be designed with just a single door that opens on the right so it would be easier to load things in from the counter (basically a mirror image of the fridge door?). Is this possible? Would this work better than the batwing style given this layout? The island is slightly further away from the island.

I would get rid of the batwing doors and have a single door that opens with access to the counter without doors blocking.

With three growing boys, I understand your desire for the fridge space.

I don't live where it gets super-hot in the summer. When our thermometer hits 80 degrees, it is usually front page news. Really! With photos of kids jumping through sprinklers or playing in the water at a lake/river or the ocean. I have read here that freezers and fridges in uninsulated garages in hot areas can be a problem but I really don't know much about it. It is something you will want to research before deciding. It seems to me that it just means your power bill would be higher as a fridge or freezer in a hot area would need to run more often. But maybe there's more to it than that?