Depends on the layout of the rest of your kitchen.

My island will have my everyday dishes, everyday silverware, clean up sink and dishwasher. Under the sink I'll probably also add a small trash can as my main trash can will be next to my prep sink.

Knowing how much bread you bake, I'd say proofing oven, but I think you have that covered. I can't recall if your mixer will be kept elsewhere, so mixer lift in a cabinet? Prep items and baking pans are good choices.

Electric and water. A large enough overhang for comfortable sitting and enough support for the stone overhang.

Oh.. lol.. Outlets are required by code, so yes, there will be those :P

I am not adding a sink to the island because it just isn't me. Sure, might be nice for most folks and if it were there, maybe I would use it.. but for ME.. it is the counter space, period, that I want. I am one of those folks that likes to just spread out. I lay everything out that I want to use and have it within reach, then I start.. heh.

A drawer for the silverware, good recommendation. I was thinking of all the mixing spoons and hand mixers and cookie cutters and cutting boards and such.

Thanks for the input. Helps my day go by faster talking about this stuff.. heh

Russ

Ahhh.. the KA blender.. yea, good call. I was debating what I would do with that. Even thought of letting it sit out because I literally would use it so much, it would be a pain to get out all the time.. heh

No idea what a proofing oven is.. but if I add another appliance, my wife might shoot me.. lol

I plan to have the 48" Culinarian, so an oven and a half there, then a wall oven and MW as well.

I did figure all the baking pans and such would pretty much go center and then the broiling pans by the oven.

I also have a wall on the other side of the in-wall oven....figured to install a peg board on that entire thing and hang all my cast iron pans on that. The dutch oven would not go there.. lol.. but all my skillets could.

R

Drawers for napkins, cocktail napkins, paper plates, etc, for those quick snacks at the island. Do you make school lunches? I'd probably be making them there and would want the containers, lunchboxes, and cookies there.

I was thinking we had the same conversation about the extra oven when you first mentioned baking. A proofing oven, or drawer, is used for keeping bread dough at a constant temp for rising, but you can use a warming drawer, or turn the regular oven on for a couple of minutes, then turn it off, and put the bread pans in (my MO). With more than one oven you have it covered, but I have only a range, so my 'fantasy island' contains a proofing oven.

Someone also posted a hint about using the MW for proofing--I think you heat water in it before inserting the bread dough, but when you're baking 6-8 loaves at a time, that won't work.

Maybe we did.. maybe we didn't... maybe I just like you replying .. (lol)... I do not remember the conversation, but you could be right. Today is just one of those days where I have "kitchen" on the brain and today is dragging and I needed to think of something Kitchen-y to discuss to pass the time :P

Thanks, Mama:)

Russ

You're welcome. Oh, and speaking of bread ... have you tried using milk kefir as the liquid in bread dough? I just made a couple of batches this week-end, using a basic Challah recipe.

I put rollout trays in the island for both my KA and my food processor. That way I can just lift it directly on to the counter where I will be working. I also have a charging drawer for electronics, my DH's "stuff" drawer, drawers for trash, utensils and my most used baking ingredients.

Probably already asked and answered....but can you reach the middle of a 5' island? I'm tall and I would have a tough time, but that's me.

I know in gardens, many people can't reach those last few inches in the middle, if the center beds are more than 4' across. Just my two cents :)

Nah, I cannot reach over 5ft of it, so I can reach to the middle from either side easy, but one side is for sitting more than anything else. I just did not want visitors to cut in on my prep space.. lol. As for 5ft, I decided the reason for the width was to encourage my kids to cook with me, even if not helping with what I am working on. We had a 3ft wide island in the last house and it was not wide enough for most things, once you start putting it all together.

R

Mama: I'll have to try that when I can actually BAKE again.. lol.. every time I get the urge atm, my wife rolls her eyes and goes, "they are in storage..." lol

GGggrrrrrr...

Do you have small kids (or ever plan on allowing any in your home)? If so, add a glass door to any "display shelves" so you have the option of baby-proofing it against little hands. :)

Undercounter wine fridge.

Hmmm. This is similar to our size (6 x 7).

Cabinet A opens to the stools on the left/at the top. Used for large, rarely used items (and to stash xmas presents).

Cabinet B has 3 drawers; saran wraps, misc., daily used plates and bowls, tupperware.

Cabinet C has: Knife drawer, nespresso packs, towels and microfibers.

Cabinet D has: inset composter towards rear left; 12" drawer at top. Tip out. Triple trash/recycling pullouts. NeverMT with soap on raised shelf inside. Tap master, hafele foot pedal. It vents into cabinet A :)

Cabinet E: tiled cutting board shelf.

The ONLY thing DH asked for during the remodel was to have the beer/wine/beverage fridge in the island. I couldn't fit it in and get the seating I wished, so it's in the pantry. He's fine with it, and can sneak in from the garage without me always noticing...

Glad to hear you're getting close!