It would be helpful to see the overall area, what rooms are where in relation to the kitchen. Also, is there a bench under that window because the window is lower than counter height? With all that seating at the island, no one will use the bench.

The pantry is accessed way more than ovens and fridge/freezer seem in a bad spot.

Tell us more about you and your family, it makes a difference!

Bless your heart Jazzygirl. Get some measurements together for us and we'll go at it. Please give us the opportunity to tweak it for you. We are going to need to redo the plan. Unless, there is a really compelling reason for that cooking surface to be in an island, it's a goner.

We are fairly new empty nesters with five grown children. Grandchildren are just starting to join the family, too! We entertain a lot and I enjoy cooking and baking - which generally means the kitchen & adjacent living room are where everyone gathers - and everyone can be a LOT of people - LOL!

The entry to our home is on the lower level - directly below the window by the sink - so a dumbwaiter was a must for me. The location of the dumbwaiter had to work on both levels, so that had a lot to do with the layout we decided on. Add to that the large number of windows we have and the fact that we wanted it open to the living room ... it's a lot of limitations to work around!

The entire area to the right of the kitchen is living room. I don't have a plan that shows the whole area other than the electrical plan, so please excuse the clutter (again this plan is slightly behind current):

There is a small pull-out pantry to the left of the freezer, so there is a little more room between the freezer and the countertop than is shown on this plan - but honestly when I'm cooking I'm not digging in the freezer for things. And moving to the left end of the sink for someone to get into the freezer doesn't seem like the end of the world to me.

When I take things out of the freezer, fridge, or oven I was thinking I can easily turn and put them on the massive island. The fridge is also convenient to the sink-which is huge for me since I cook with mostly fresh ingredients.

In the north end of the island - on the stool side - that is a long pull-out for more pantry storage. It will pull out towards the dumbwaiter.

The baking cart was an earlier idea that I was hoping to find a place for, but it just isn't fitting anywhere that makes sense.

I understand there are those who don't like their cooktop in an island, but I have friends who love theirs set up that way. I never said this forum was my ONLY source of inspiration - just a great one ;)

There is a bench under the window because we love to watch the birds and that side of the house looks out to where most of the birds hang out (there is small creek there and birdfeeders, so lots of wildlife gather there.) We currently sit in front of that window with coffee in the morning watching critters, so wanted to be sure we could still do that. Yes - the window being low contributed to the bench, too; all the windows in that area are low except the one by the sink.

Is that information helpful in understanding how we'll use the space and why we've chosen the layout we did - and therefore what might make it work better?

Welcome to Kitchens! I've thought dumbwaiters were neat, since I
first saw one at Monticello. I was looking up pics for another thread,
and found a few that remind me of your appliance wall:

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I like your plan! The bench is a great idea. The island cooktop works with the way you have the seating set up...and a nice vent overhead.

All the windows and big living room look wonderful. The dumbwaiter is a very good idea...and would the baking cart work if it was at the end of the island?

With grandchildren on the way, I would be nervous about having that cooktop in the island. Are you open to switching the cooktop to the perimeter wall and moving the sink to the island?

Also, is the island one long, flat countertop? If you really want that cooktop in the island, perhaps you could raise just the part of the countertop that's behind the cooktop, to keep the little ones away from the heat and splatters.

Kim and I were on the same wavelength:

The DW in your plan is in the prep space to the left of the sink. This plan gets it out of the prep space, and once you've moved on to cooking, will permit a helper to load dirty dishes and prep utensils. You have a choice of prepping while facing your family at the island, or in front of the window by the cooktop.

Also venting will be easier against a wall, than on an island, because the wall helps contain steam and grease.

Here's what it would look like with only the sink and DW switched. The sink would be off center, but the faucet can be installed over the drain, more centered on the window. I moved the cooktop down to put a wider drawer on the corner of the island for dish storage. You can't open the DW and the freezer at the same time, but you probably don't need to access them at the same time very often.

ETA, good discussion thread on the paper towel holder/drawer.

So now the island is the only place to sit and eat? Are you sure that is what you want? I picture toddlers toppling off of stools and high chairs in the way!

You just need a bunch of these clip-on high chairs for your island, and you're good to go with the toddlers: metoo-portable-high-chair

What about a narrower island and making the area where the window is an eat in area?

Also you said you are empty nesters. Some things to consider and I say this from experience with my parents.

You don't give your age group, but as you age, you have to think in terms of it becoming more difficult. The dumbwaiter is an excellent idea.

Have you also considered planning for an elevator if you ever were to need it? For now you could build a closet that could be converted in the future. This would allow you to stay in the house if the time ever came where stairs became difficult.

I would have never expected my Mother to ever not be able to climb stairs but at the age of 72, she developed Parkinson's disease. Even after she continued to go to the gym 5x a week until some other health issues sidelined her for a few months. After that she was never the same and became unable to do stairs.

I'm thinking of your solid wall too and turning around to take hot casseroles out or a large turkey out of the oven to place it on the counter behind you. Again, it's easy now but can become more difficult as you age. That's why in my new build I'm purposely making sure I have a landing area next to my fridge and my ovens. Additionally one of the biggest causes of the elderly falling is making that pivot around.

I think putting the sink on the island is a much better idea for numerous reasons. If you kept the cooktop on the island what were your plans for a vent? Do you really want to block the view with a hood above the cooktop? (If you think vent's are not needed or a downdraft is good enough, please go read on the appliance forum.)

Are the windows along the wall where you now have the sink set in stone or can they be reconfigured?

What is to the left of the window seat?

Wow - such great input - thank you all! You're making me think of things in ways I hadn't, which makes me panic this close to start date, but I know is a good thing in the long run. I'm 47 (DH is 56) and we hope to age-in-place as long as we can :) We have considered an elevator and given the layout (and the expense) dismissed the idea; we are making sure the plans can accommodate adding a stair-lift down the road instead.

We're very resistant to changing windows - unless it's adding more of them ;) Our home is built up into a ridge on the edge between woods and prairie and the land is abounding with wildlife. The views are a big part of why we chose this house. I wanted to add a big triangular window above the appliance wall, but structurally we cannot :(

I have loved appliance walls for many years so that was a feature I really wanted in this kitchen. I'm thinking maybe either the pull out, (or my baking cart-love this idea!) pulling out of the north end of the island would make a good landing spot when I am working out in the kitchen if as I age find it difficult to pivot. Yes, it would block the walkway if I pull it all the way out, but is an option.

The island is all one level. We purposely went with a large island with a table-like end to get away from a dining table. We've talked about moving the island a little further towards the living room to allow space for a very narrow table to be pulled in front of the bench seating for little ones that are too big for high chairs but too small to get up & down from the island themselves. Thoughts on this?

I HAVE struggled with putting a big vent hanging down from the ceiling over the rangetop - but I know it must have a vent. The point that really hit home (thank you mama goose!) was asking where I wanted to face while prepping; the answer is my family & friends! My architect will hate me.

So - if we move the rangetop to the only wall space outside of the appliance wall I loose my one and only upper cupboard :( It would force me to totally embrace the euro-kitchens I've drooled over - lol!

While I like the idea of the dishwasher being out of the prep area so others can help but stay out of the way ... I'd like to keep the dishes stored near the eating area at the end of the island. Does the dishwasher work if placed in the wall opposite the sink?

Left of the window seat is a bar area with a wine fridge, a beverage fridge, a Grohe Blue tap and barware storage. The drawers under the window seat will be for overflow beverage storage:

The style I'm going for is modern with a mid-century undertone (hence the shape of the shelves over the bar.)

Cabinets will be walnut. Counters will be thick, honed marble. Yes, I know, this choice is VERY controversial! We've lived with honed marble in our current bar area for over a year now and abused the dickens out of it on purpose - and still love it.

Not controversial to me. It sounds positively wonderful!

A chair lift will work as long as neither of you are in a wheelchair or are very unsteady on your feet. Are you sure there's no place to put a closet that could be converted? You might need to again think outside the box to find a place.

If you have a fixed window, you can have a window behind your cooktop. Are you planning on doing gas or induction? (BTW I highly recommend induction.)

Or you could do like I'm doing behind my prep sink. I'm putting a window where the backsplash would go. Like you, I love the idea of lots of windows especially with your views.

Another thinking outside the box is instead of an island that seats all those people, what about a table that rolls out from under the island? So when you need it, all you do is roll it out, but when you don't it's out of sight. (just don't do as they do and put the cooktop in the island! LOL)

Or one that slides out from the end?

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Thanks, cpartist! Having argued with a several slab warehouses already that I DO want honed marble, I'm a bit defensive about it ;)

We do have a spot that would work for adding an elevator if need be down the road, so we have a back-up to the back-up plan. You're right, it's something to keep in mind.

I'm set on a gas rangetop. I know induction are all the rage right now, but the couple of times I used one it just didn't do it for me. I'm moving from an electric range now that I despise and cannot wait for my gas rangetop :D

The pull-out table is a neat idea! I'm not sold on it in my kitchen, but will ponder if a variation of it would improve functionality for us or not.

The opening to the dumbwaiter can either be at counter height or below counter height - it cannot switch. We went with counter height so that loading and unloading are at a comfortable height.

The dumbwaiter is actually behind the refrigerator door when the refrigerator is open, so that would only serve as a landing area for the oven, not the fridge. With an appliance wall I don't see how landing zones in the same plane is possible. The more I think about it the more I like lavender lass's idea of putting the baking cart in the north end of the island. I could pull it out and position it as a landing zone when I need it - as long as the wheels lock!

I've been working on rearranging the kitchen - putting the sink in the island and the rangetop on a perimeter wall. I'd love to hear input on this layout :)

Your house sounds amazing. Do you have an architect's as-built drawing of the current floor plan so we can see what you're starting with?

You're only 47? Good grief - my son is 46 and retirement and "aging in place" are no where on his radar screen. Now me? At 72, I'd kill for a dumb waiter. I have a laundry basket full of clean clothes in the basement that needs to get yo the 2nd flr. I wanted a dumb waiter when we remodeled over 31 yrs ago. Apparently local code means they must be fireproofed like snow elevator and the cost was outrageous. Too late now to do this.

Do what you like now and worry about the other in another 25 years.

Thank you, benjesbride! I don't have a copy of the as-built plans from the architect - but I do have a badly-scanned copy of the original blueprints. It is changing quite a bit :)

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LOL anglophilia! My mother and her 2nd husband built their house with aging in place in mind as she was in her late 50s and he-10 years older. It has stood her in good stead going on 25+ years, she is now 83 and still living there on her own. The main floor and walk-out basement both have wood stoves and they put in a dumbwaiter for wood-transport. I thought the raised toilet seats were amusing in my early 20's, but now in my late 40's I have changed my tune :)