Do you have a specific plan for the counter space right of the frig? I have had a little space like that before and it only became a junk collector. If not, you can slide the frig towards the end and then have a nice shallow pantry or message center or broom closet and add good counter space left of the frig and more efficient drawers and cabinets.

I think I'd turn the island 90 degrees and make it a peninsula with the range behind it. Having a window next to the peninsula would be nice. It looks like the window would clear the counter.

Here are the two options I'm considering for the hood wall. Thoughts?

As design pro, maximizing storage & function is #1 for my client's kitchens.
The lights flanking the hood are superfluous, in my opinion & wall cabinets would be a much wiser investment (FYI: they should be larger that the ones in the elevations that you posted - 2-doors, not 1 ... these look puny ... like an afterthought).

Rule of thumb with hoods & wall cabinets is this: for a greater 'capture area', specify a hood that is 6" wider than the cook top (30" cooktop + 36" hood above).
Wall cabinets can easily & safely flank a hood that is wider than the cook top plus, you will have point-of-use storage.

I think adding a prep sink along the perimeter would be a huge help. I agree about that cabinet to the right of the fridge.

One more question. Can the entry door be moved over to the right?

I like the bigger hood option you have a few posts above. As far as cabinets on the range wall I would either skip them or add more so it's not just the single cabinet on each side.

On your question about where to put cabinets vs drawers on the stove wall, are there particular things that you need to store in a cabinet the just wouldn't work in a drawer? If not, the consensus here is that drawers are far more useful. With dividers, you can store cake pans, cutting boards, etc. and access them, and everything else, much more efficiently than bending down and digging into a cabinet. And speaking of storage, where are you planning to keep your dishes? It looks like there may not be a spot that's a quick step or two from the dishwasher.

To my eye, I prefer the look of the wall with the lights rather than cabinets, though the desire for storage may outweigh that. And I'm no design expert, but I see the point about trying to get more prep space. I'm visualizing making a batch of cookies in the current layout, and with a mixer, some dirty dishes, a couple of cookie sheets, and some cooling racks, you run out of space fast. I know you've been through 30 iterations, but if it takes 35 to get the most functional space you can, it'll be well worth considering the great ideas of the generous folks here.

Jen, yes - you can have a wider hood with wider wall cabinets, which do not touch the hood.
In fact, a chimney-style hood - such as the one you picture in this elevation - should not directly touch the cabinets flanking it.
Furthermore, if the CFM (industry measurement of hood ventilation known as Cubic Feet per Minute) is adequate, you won't have to worry so much about grease splatter on your wall cabinets.
Since wall cabinets are typically 12" deep, I doubt very much that you will feel "smothered" by them.

Adding wall cabinets flanking the range will provide design continuity as well as providing you with more point-of-use storage.
And let's not forget the under cabinet task lighting that you can add there too!

Is this a one-person Kitchen (and always will be for years to come)? If so, then you might be able to make do with your current design. However, if you have others who will be helping prep and/or be cleaning up while you're prepping/cooking, I think you are going to find that this design is going to become a problem.

I agree with AvatarWalt -- do as many iterations as needed to come up with the most functional design you can, and, personally, I don't think this is it.

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"We were advised to have a landing area to the right of the fridge. And I loathe appliances at the end of a run for some reason."

You don't need landing to the right of the refrigerator -- you have plenty on the island and on the left where it's more important.

Just be aware that in arrangements like you show, the counter to the right will become a "drop zone" for your family and most likely won't be available very often for anything else. The issue is exacerbated by the fact that it's next to your "Entry". (Speaking from personal experience and other people's experiences here on the Forum as well as friends & family!)

So, I recommend either

• Planning for it to be a "drop zone" and make it a Message/Command Center with appropriate organization features

-or-

• Removing it and gaining the advantage that CPArtist's design gives you of a separate Prep Zone. The addition of the prep sink makes a big difference in the functionality of your design - it makes your design work. It's a simple change with a huge impact!

[Caveat: If you're the only person in the home, then it will probably be OK b/c you will be the one living with whatever you do with that space. It's when you add spouses/significant others and children that it becomes a problem!]

Avatarwalt - I do like drawers better, but EVERYTHING else is drawers. We thought perhaps it would be a good idea to have one cabinet for really chunky things. But I think the range looks like better with drawers underneath.

I'm afraid I'm going to have a few pots that are too tall for even a really deep drawer. I'll have to work with the cabinet maker on that.

How about this?

vs.

If you don't need the storage, I really like the look without the cabinets on the hood wall. Regarding the appliance garage - I have one and love it! What is the mechanism for yours? Ours is a scissor hinge and if yours is the same you will not be able to open it if you also have the cabinets on the hood wall

I highly suggest drawers under the cooktop for pots and pans. It's so much easier. I put my deepest pot and it fits. Anything else that doesn't fit gets put in the super Susan. Maybe measure your deepest pot and see. You'd be surprised.

One more point, even if u do cabinets on the hood wall, you really should do a 42" wide hood. For better capture and aesthetics

I created an alternate design for you to consider. It keeps most of the Appliance Garage but does lengthen the island to provide dish storage outside the Prep & Cooking Zones for less conflict. It also includes a prep sink so there won't be a conflict b/w prep space & dirty dish space or prepping & cleaning up tasks.

Note: I'm assuming there are at least two of you in your family (you said "we" in your initial post).

The aisles are wide enough for easy passage while someone is working at the island and/or perimeter. This is especially important in front of the refrigerator -- you don't want to create a bottleneck there if you can avoid it. In addition, the DW is offset from the refrigerator so when the DW is open it doesn't cause even more conflict for space and access to the Prep and Cooking Zones.

The Prep Zone is adjacent to the Cooking Zone with a water source and next to the Appliance Garage. In this layout, there are 39 inches of workspace - a bit more than the minimum recommended.

The Cleanup Zone is in the island with dish storage next to the DW. This also provides easy access to the dish storage from the DR/table space for setting the table without the person setting the table getting in the way of someone prepping and cooking.

There is a shallow pantry cabinet on the other side of the Entry doorway. This is much better storage than a 24" pantry shelves with ROTS (roll out tray shelves).

The 18" cabinets to the right of the refrigerator are a Message/Command Center. A place for keys, mail, etc. By planning for it, you can outfit it with organizational tools to keep any "drop zone" clutter reigned in and, hopefully, under control! :-)

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Zone Map:

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There is a very important question we need to ask that has a bearing on the comments we've been providing:

What is more important to you -- Looks (Form) or Function?

There is no right or wrong answer, just what's right for you and your family.

We're commenting based on function b/c most of us here are Function first, Form second -- it's easy to make a functional Kitchen look nice, but it's virtually impossible to make a nice looking but dysfunctional Kitchen functional without starting over.

Your responses seem to indicate you are a Form first person -- if that's the case, then we should probably all stop commenting on Function since that may not be particularly important to you. As I said b/f, there's nothing wrong with looks being more important than function, we just need to know if that's the case. We all have different priorities and different needs, so whichever is right for you is the right answer!

smm5525 - Yes! I put a 42" hood in there. It was 36" before. Looks better now! Going to measure my biggest pot now. Hopefully I am surprised.

buehl - goodness! This looks great! I am going to study it for a bit and decide if we can handle that big of an island in our space. I attached a picture of the entire "room" that the kitchen is in to give you an idea of how much a bigger island would intrude on other spaces. There is currently 5'4" from the end of our island to the "start" of a likely chair placement. It is a MAJOR walkway.

Form vs. Function. I am going to attach a pic of the current kitchen we have to give perspective on how flexible we are in how we cook :). Yes, that is a utility sink, and our range top is on top of cabinets. We have lived here for a year, and this is the most functional and "nice" looking it's been, LOL!

We aren't huge food prep cooking people, so looks are important. BUT we really tried to follow guidelines and make it as functional as possible given the constraints on our space and desires for which way the island is facing, the size, etc. That likely doesn't help you much....So maybe 50/50 form/function??

I would eliminate the two chair seating in a heartbeat and make a larger island. Is there a reason u need it or is it just space filler?

We like the little seating area - not just space filler. There will be a TV on the wall the chairs face, along with a beverage center. But we do want 5 seats at the island too, and we were giving up on that in our current design.

And the we were trying to give two ways into the kitchen when you come down the hallway, which is why we were leaving 5'+ of space on the end of the island for traffic flow.

The first is there is a light switch that can't move that was OK over a counter, but obviously not behind a fridge.

Why can't it move? It probably would be just a small fee to move it.

As for your second problem, I can't necessarily solve that one. :) That's personal.

buehl - Here is the 3d of the layout you sketched. We can't do a 10.25' island, but I did put drawers next to the dishwasher (which was a concern of ours - where to store the bowls and plates), to make our island 9'.

I have to say regardless I like the "pantry" to the right of the fridge vs the lowers and uppers.

My appliance garage is pretty small now :(. I had that space pretty full with appliances, so I'd have to cut that in half.

I can't decide if we need a prep sink. Seems so fancy ;)

Going to show my husband and see what he thinks.

Question - Does the appliance garage look ridiculous now? Just that corner coming all the way to the counters?

"I can't decide if we need a prep sink. Seems so fancy ;)"

It's not really, it's actually the thing that makes the layout work, assuming you need a Prep Zone. [More on that later at the bottom.] The need for a prep sink is driven by functionality, not Kitchen size or level of "fanciness".

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"Question - Does the appliance garage look ridiculous now? Just that corner coming all the way to the counters?"

Unfortunately, yes, I think maybe it does look a bit "off" b/c of the mass of the refrigerator + tall cabinet. :-(

There may also be a water issue -- splashing the cabinet.

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"There is currently 5'4" from the end of our island to the "start" of a likely chair placement. It is a MAJOR walkway."

Now that I see a layout of the entire area, I understand what you mean about it being a walkway. Could you please post a sketch of the entire floor? It helps us see how the Kitchen relates to the entire floor and how traffic flows in, around, and through the Kitchen. It doesn't have to be to scale - just show us the relationships.

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"I have to say regardless I like the "pantry" to the right of the fridge vs the lowers and uppers."

I originally drew that in until I re-read about the light switch and had to redo my layout! I had actually made it a 24"W x 15"D tall cabinet turned 90 degrees to face the entry. It was a Command Center that had a counter in the middle and storage above/below. It could be open most of the time and closed when needed to hide any clutter - similar to Sweeby's "Organization Closet" (it's discussed in this thread http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2689399/help-floor-plan-blank-slate).

Are you moving the light switch? If you are, then I would eliminate that tall cabinet to the right. I know you don't like having an appliance at the end, but it would allow a bigger appliance garage and it might look better and maybe even give you a bit more space to protect against splashing...

How many people are in your family - adults? children? You said you wanted seating for 5, so does that mean 2 adults & 3 children?

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"We aren't huge food prep cooking people..."

If you don't prep much, does that mean pre-packaged foods that are primarily warmed up on the cooktop or in the oven or MW? If so, let me think about it some more...

Cabinets next to the fridge at the end of a run can open to the side, providing a lot of storage with only 12 - 15" of space.

Unfortunately, that thread appears to have been a victim of Photobucket's new policy of not allowing us to post pictures from our albums - even historical posts back when it was allowed, so it might not be your phone. I'm looking for a picture of Sweeby's Organization Closet and will post it as soon as I find one.

It's probably a base with counter + upper cabinet to the counter so it looks like a tall cabinet .

Here's her description:

• Instead of a desk, we have an 'organization closet' --
• It has a stand-up desk-height counter with a wide shallow drawer underneath in which we keep stamps, stapler, tape, paper clips.
• Electrical outlet on the wall for phone chargers.
• Top shelf for phone books.
• Hooks and space beneath for backpacks.
• Hooks up top for umbrellas and dog-leashes.
• Dry-erase board on one wall, bulletin boards on the other two.
• And best of all -- a DOOR that closes!".

You might not want to go all out like she did with dry erase board, backpack hanging space, etc., but it's something to think about if you keep a tall cabinet there. Or, if there's room near your family entrance, you could put one there!

Can you keep the light switch in its current location, but put on the back side of the wall in the other room? We have a new sideways pantry next to our fridge like AnnKH. It's 24" wide x 12" deep with standard shelves. Its great and very efficient storage. Its our kid snack/cereal pantry cabinet.

Found a picture of Sweeby's Organization Closet on my computer! It's just the interior, though, not the exterior - I'll keep looking.

Here is a shot of the whole house. The left is living area, right is kitchen, sitting, dining, and then far right is mud room. You can see see the major traffic pattern is down the front hallway into the kitchen/sitting/dining area, and the only path into the mudroom.

I think I have the idea of the closet buehl, thank you! Our mudroom will have that type of drop zone, but I do like having a counter inside the cabinet even if for a pantry.

Now that I see the entire floor and see how the Kitchen relates to the rest of the home, you're right - the island really cannot be that long.

OK, we've been playing around with layouts that would include a prep sink. What is (inevitably!) wrong with a prep sink directly to the right of the micro/oven? We could lose the 9" pull out cab to the left of the oven if we had to, to gain some space to the right of the oven for the sink. Currently there is 3' between oven and range.

Also, does it look odd to have the cabinet to the right of the fridge turned? Both from the view of the fridge and from the view of the other side of the room? Looks somewhat unsettling to have those cabinets facing towards the rest of the room and not the island.

The cabinet is 18" wide and 24" deep. Would you put glasses in there? Being that it is rotated away from fridge? Or put those left of fridge?

Oh my goodness, I've been racking my brain trying to recall why your house is so familiar. Aha! The last time I was involved we were trying out a kitchen in the sitting room/dining; large island facing the french doors. Did that get any traction?

Jen, we just put in a sideways tall cabinet next to our fridge like you show and I don't think it looks strange at all. Ours is only 12" deep with standard shelves, no roll-outs. We have single 24" wide doors instead of (2)-12" doors like you show and I'm glad we have the single door. We store snacks and cereal in ours. Personally I like to store drinking glasses close to the dishwasher for unloading.

mtnmom9 could you give a pic? I'd love to see a "real life" sideways cabinet and not just on houzz photos :)
Good idea about the single door - i'm guessing it is easier to open without getting directly in front of the cabinet?

You are right, glasses would be far away. That sideways cabinet might end up being the dishes storage. Then i'd have the entire appliance garage area for a pantry.

Jen I'll work on getting a photo. Our kitchen is still under construction so you will have to use your imagination! What cabinet line are you using? You should ask your cabinet rep if the 18" depth is a standard tall cabinet depth in your cabinet line or if that would be a major upcharge. It seems like the 12" depth size that we have is a standard size in most cabinet lines. We chose the sideways pantry because we were limited on space. With the 18" width that you have, you could do a front-facing cabinet with roll-out trays or a tall pull-out pantry.

Jen, what are the tall skinny cabinets to the left of your ovens? Also, regarding the sideways tall cabinet next to the fridge...I wonder if your original design with base cabinets and an upper cabinet and countertop would give you a natural landing spot for your purse, mail, papers, iPhone charging, etc. Do you have another spot this stuff will go? If you want to store glasses and dishes here maybe that original layout would be more useful for that purpose. In our new layout, I'm hoping to relocate all that daily paper clutter to a nearby butlers pantry area (I do NOT want this stuff on my new island!). We have a similar size kitchen and layout as yours.

caligirl5 - thank you! Looks great! I like it

mtnmom9 - the natural landing spot is what I don't want either, lol! We have a mudroom right there and the stuff will land in there or be thrown away, lol! I think having them rotated might actually be better for glasses and dinnerware.... Keep those people setting the table out of the sink/fridge zone? I never liked the end look of the upper and lower... Just looked unfinished.

The skinny to the left of oven is a pull out pantry for cans and boxed goods. I wanted a buffer between ovens and window so made a 9" pantry. I hate digging for cans in cabinets and figured this was a good solution.

Thanks. It's alder in medium stain. My husband's only request was no white cabinets and I respected that. I actually think the stain color fits our mountain home well.