Wall oven! You have landing space on the island even if you don't move the toaster.

I vote for wall oven--I think it's more attractive (obviously an opinion). Ovens in pathways aren't ideal--but kids can be taught to pay attention to them.

I've had wall ovens in pathways as long as I've had kids. Turns out, I just don't have the door open that much! The range oven, on the other hand...I DO make the dog get out of the kitchen and check people's positions before I open that.

The storage under a cooktop is so very nice. Easier to get a spoon out of something low than a turkey.

Wall oven. Too easy for kids to touch the range oven and open them when hot. It's also hard on your back with heavy items because you're using back muscles instead of leg muscles to lift.

As you get older, wall is easier. My dad couldn't bend as much to use the range.

Thank you all for the great points. I was starting to think I should compromise and get the range. But you are helping me to justify doing what I wanted to do in the first place :) I hadn't even considered the fact that a range oven is easier for kids to open! And yes, the island can be a landing spot. I often used the island in my old kitchen for just that purpose, even though I had a counter next to the wall oven.

Cooktop & wall oven...the oven isn't really an issue for two reasons:

(1) What Fori said...you don't open an oven door that often [Assumption: there will not be any seating at the island!]

(2) The oven is not in a doorway, so there isn't a danger of someone coming sailing through a doorway and not realizing there's an open oven door and crashing into it. There's plenty of room to see it no matter what direction you're coming from!

Another reason...your pros are much more compelling than your cons for the cooktop/oven!

Actually, your "con" about the MW being outside the main prep/cooking area is really a pro! Refrigerators and MWs should be on the periphery of your kitchen so those using the refrigerator or MW for a snack don't get in the way of those trying to prep & cook. (But, I think you have that in both options.)

Your aisles are a bit narrow....I hope those measurements are at least counter-to-counter and not cabinet-to-cabinet...

Landing zone...I find I use my peninsula that's across from my ovens much more as a landing spot than the counter next to the ovens.

Another vote for wall oven. I'll never go back to a slide in range.

If you need more...there aren't that many slide-in ranges made so your choices will be ever so limited unless you go with the range with the cracks. :)

Two pros for a range though:

1. if you burn things in the oven, the hood vent can help.

2. the ovens tend to be a lot bigger than a wall oven. This is actually not always a good thing--I use my 24" wall oven for everything that fits in it because it preheats faster than my range oven.

But you're sensible. You're getting that wall oven!

Thanks fori!
And thanks Sherri! Ha! My waistline either :D

As for island size....I'm debating whether to end it where the counter on the sink side ends, which would put it at about 28x64 (countertop, not cabinet). I like the balance of having the countertops lined up and it makes it easy to get around the island. Or I could extend it to provide more prep space and storage space.

As far as seams, I think the limit is about 120" and that would be too long I think for being only 28" wide. My old one was 31x91 and it worked but I always thought any longer would be visually less appealing because of the narrowness. (But I don't want it to look too dinky either or what's the point of a built-in island :D)

I "mocked up" a long Island with boxes (still unpacking lol) to see how it will fit with table. (Eventually we plan to build in a bench and have only 2 chairs around the outside, so we are temporarily using chairs from dining room when we need them, in addition to the 2 white chairs we bought for table.) I think it will be fine. Especially since this island is only 36.5" from sinkside countertop.
But it is a long way to go around to get into the main prep area of kitchen (sink etc). OTOH, since the table is too small to fit anything but our plates, having the island nearby would make a good spot for putting serving dishes. Though I expect we'll eat most meals in the dining room...

Any thoughts?

Split the difference between the 2. It will be JUST right. Your top, is just too short to even spend money on. And the lower one, is probably too much. Since kids grow up, and bring home: friends, Spouses,grandchildren....you will like a bit more length than the top version, or I would anyways, but the length of the lower one, might be a bit clumsy to work around. Now, you have an island big enough to roll pie crusts on one end and empty the cookie sheet on the other. LOL It will be a very nice family area.

I think that is a very effective use of the area, will help your range/oven side of the kitchen and the table serving too, if you do a buffet style typically, like if you have 2 large pizzas delivered, the table won't hold them and your family's plates and glasses, but the island is near enough that every one can get on 3 sides and grab what they need, pick up their glasses with ice cubes or milk, and flatware and sit down.Also, give the adults in the 2 chairs a bit more open area to roll back(if you get rollers on 2 chairs) or just push a chair out, and grab the tea pitcher to refill the glasses off the island, mid-meal.. I like it. Very efficient, effective, balanced and pleasant!

I don't know how much baking or cooking you have time to do, or if you have special diet needs for your family that might be a bit more intense, but your wall is so nice, a great wall oven would fit nicely wherever it is easiest and efficient, like do you do alot of pot roasts or long term baking? if you do, you will love the wall oven on that wall your frig is on. IF you wonder what to do, given my experience with the drop in unit not being as quality overall typically as a cook top and wall oven, but the oven is larger than a built in oven,I think, typically. So, if you really wonder, and if you enjoy baking things for the family like a roast and a pie at the same time or pies and cookies that require alot of in and out, you might consider a drop in unit, just for the economics of getting the 2nd oven area, as well as the wall unit oven on your pantry/frig wall cabinet area.... Than you get the effect of that table top cooktop, and the wall oven, and you have the lower oven for less money than a 2nd built in oven would ever be! Find yourself the best quality built in oven you might want, for the wall where the frig is, and than, knowing that a larger oven is typically part of the drop in range unit, get the nicest one you can either afford or tolerate LOL. That to me, IF YOU DON'T need the lower storage below the cooktop, of course, would be heaven. You have the 2nd built in oven, they typically will hold a standard roaster, but not a roaster and a sheet of brown n' serve rolls, or muffins also.....and you have the oven below the drop in range unit if you need it. Than, you can dedicate all the island storage on the dining room side of your island to the oven and stovetop cookware. If you haven't thought of that before, well, that's what you get when you go asking for help. Too many good ideas!? LOL I worked full time, and loved to have company for all the occassions that go with kids growing up, and to have that 2nd oven, just in case I needed it to keep the covered dishes warm that folks brought or to catch the overflow on the days when all 4 of us were feeling like baking projects for bake sales or food competitions with 4 H or the like.. What a nice kitchen you are going to enjoy! no matter how you determine in the end. I don't care for convection ovens too much, unless you want to bake something covered well(not home made pizza. HAHA) but a gas oven and an electric oven, would be nice options too. If you have a gas drop in unit, get an electric oven built in on your pantry wall, maybe??. I have no experience with the units where the cooktop is gas and the attached oven is electric or vice versa..tho I have seen them in stores the past 10 or 15 years? if that long..

I am with Red Silver. I prefer to have BOTH. I do a lot of cooking where I start on the stove and finish in the oven. I don't want to walk multiple steps to get the VERY hot pan in the oven. (This is a typical restaurant style cooking) I also would not want to carry a heavy cast iron dutch oven any more than I have to. So the range oven or an under counter oven is ideal for those situations.

I also have an wall oven for baking type of oven. If you have room for an wall oven, you can have both. This way you have 2 ovens for those large holiday parties.

Thanks to you both!
Actually, it's not a bad idea to consider doing both. I did use my double oven in my last kitchen, though not everyday :) But I do think I will miss it, particularly around the holidays. So, it might not be a bad idea to consider both. I actually think I will have enough storage next to the cooktop that I could probably sacrifice the storage underneath. There aren't as many slide-in/drop-in options though, and I really really really don't want a crumb catcher range. I'm going to have to shop around and see what I can find. Because I do like this idea :)

Yes, you will probably need to shop an appliance store only, or a megastore like Nebraska Furniture Mart, which is in several states... if that is in your area, where they have one of EVERYTHING it seems like, and compare what you find there to an appliance store. I do think you might like having a gas oven and an electric oven if that works out, because in the winter time, the gas helps heat the house, and in the summer the electric, helps keep it cooler in the kitchen! But, that is only if you are already having the gas option available, of course. Once you get the model numbers of what you like, shop online if you have time, to see if you can get a better price, but don't buy if you are unsure if some electric component has been 'warranty serviced' before you own it. When purchasing built in appliances you really want first quality workmanship. And having the same manufacturer is not always a good idea. You may find one review that says this brand is extremely reliable for an oven, but the review on that brand of refrigerator, may be seen as much slower to make the ice, for instance, than other brands, or than you can tolerate.