Sorry about the terrible image. I'm trying to upload a better version, but its a pdf file and GW won't let me attach pdfs so I had to scan it instead and that was the best I could do. I need someone more adept at the Apple computer to help me. So frustrated! Anyway what is the minimum distance that you would do between any island and perimeter countertop?

Hi all, Thanks for the suggestions. I really want the kitchen to be the room in which we spend a lot of time. The desk is for the computer/internet use -- which we all access regularly. We have two kids, 11 and 13, and I like to keep an eye on what they're doing online (no separate computers in their bedrooms... at least yet!). Point taken about the dumping ground LWO. I'm trying to keep things organized with lots of new cabinet and drawer space (not shown in my drawings). I'm getting rid of a formal dining room and so definitely want to keep the breakfast seating nook. We sit around the table for as many meals as we can. Jeff/LWO -- great suggestions about the steel beam. Lisa -- thanks for the link and heads-up. Definitely a factor of my drafting software but now this will be something I plan for. I love my current height of the DO's; hadn't thought how this could change with new cabinets. Bmorepanic -- can you please explain what you mean by all the food on the same side of the room? I thought fridge next to breakfast area/DW would be good placement. Pour milk for dinner; clear table and left overs back in fridge. Similar question for you LWO -- why would flow be better with fridge on other side of island? Because of prep sink? Thanks!!!

42" is the recommended aisle width if your kitchen is a multi-worker kitchen. 36" is fine for a one-worker kitchen. You might also be able to get away w/36" if you have a multi-worker kitchen if you don't mind either asking someone to move if you need to get by or sliding past that person. However, since your aisle is just the short distance b/w the end of the "U" and the cabinets across and not a work aisle, you'll be OK...you won't be able to have two people there at once, but no one should be standing around there. To be honest, I know this from experience as we also have only 32" - 33" b/w the end of "U" & the refrigerator across the way (the b/w the handles of the refrigerator & the edge of the "U" countertop). It's definitely a "pinch point", but it works. (Our KD mis-measured + we had to build in the wall 6" so what I thought was going to be a 45" or so aisle ended up being 33" or so!)

This is one of those topics about which people tend to have very strongly held opinions, and the industry "standard" is often invoked as the absolute minimum. You can get caught up in these absolutes, but what seems to matter most is how the aisle space will be used--what is on each side and what will be happening between those items. If it's a main traffic aisle, and you plan to have seating sticking out into it, then the minimum of 48" is probably a good guideline. We have 47" with backless stools, and it works just fine. If we had larger stools, especially with backs, then more would be nice. If the space will be constantly used by more than one person at a time, then the sizes of those people and how much bending over (which translates to butt bumping) will be occurring should be taken into consideration. If you have an appliance door opening into the space, that should also be considered--and the size of the door and the direction of the door swing both matter. If the space is between a prep area and a cooking area, less space can work well. I have 43" between the island where I do almost all my prep and the stove where most of the prepped items end up, and I wish it were about 39". I'd love to be able to just pivot back and forth, but the space requires more of a step than that. Not a huge deal at 43", but it does bother me a bit and provides excellent evidence that I'd be miserable with the recommended 48". Too much space can be just as big of a problem as too little, especially in a heavy work type of kitchen. Small spaces can be uncomfortable and inconvenient or they can be comfortable and efficient.