Do consider swapping the ref and pantry. It'll mean you don't need ref side panels as well as an easier reach to the island for landing space. Its a detail, but the island has seating for 3, not four. You need to allow a minimum of 24" of counter edge per person, but 30" is better for adults. I would deadend the cabinets near the micro into the corner. I would probably make the uppers deeper(15") and might add an appliance garage underneath or shallow shelves to store baking supplies. That run of counter probably isn't going to be one of your main prep areas - good for cooling and roast resting, but not as really active counter. So I'd force it to earn its keep as storage. I don't think I would put up more uppers on that side after turning the corner. I'd also try to have more easily accessible dish storage near the cleanup sink - meaning uppers over the trash and dw. You have a large enough space, so I would have a dead corner 12" square between the cooktop and sink runs. Run cabinets from the sink side to the dead area and then do perhaps open shelves on the range side. I'd end up with almost 42" of wall cabinets to the right of the sink and almost 30" on the cooktop side. Because of the dead corner, I'd be able to reach it all. Also in favor of swapping the dw to the other side of the sink- where it is now, it will cut off access to also all of those uppers and the corner base and the first base cabinet on the cooktop side when its open. Last thing, the 18" pantry is kinda a runt. If there isn't another pantry somewhere else, I'd be trying to make it 30-36" wide.

I really like that you have a place to prep food out of sight from guests, but will you be using that personally or do you plan on having that space for caterers or paid help? Will you use that primarily *before* guests arrive so that your main kitchen is clean? If you are using it yourself while people are over you may feel a bit left out. (but you may get done a lot faster!) I wonder if you would rather make the "food storage" in the pantry area in to a top cabinet and a bottom cabinet allowing you more counter space. I think that if you (or help) were plating food or appetizers the extra counter space would come in handy. And you could still store food in the upper and lower cabinets (besides if you are prepping *before* guests arrive, you could easily get the food you need out of the main kitchen) I definitely see the advantage of having the sink next to the espresso machine. I am not sure I would move the wallovens to the fridge wall. i think you will really like having the long expanse of counter space next to fridge directly behind the sink. Hmm, would you rather have 2 dish washers in the main area, or 2 dishwashers in the pantry where you can stash dirty dishes after a party? If you got rid of a dishwasher you could add more storage in the island or even an extra seat. I wonder if you would rather a speed oven in pantry rather than a microwave, and leave the microwave handy in the main kitchen. I imagine wanting to heat up that cup of coffee or quickly heat up a plate of food and having to walk back to the pantry. Would you be using the microwave a lot prepping for a party? Normally, I dislike hallways because they quickly eat up space. But I do like the way your office is separated a bit, but near from the kitchen and family room. And I like how you don't have to walk *around* the wall to get to the pantry - it needs to be easy and quick to get to. And the fact that it is hidden is a great feature. -Will your guests hang out with you in the kitchen while you cook, or are you a bit more formal? or both? -Would you ever want a separate entrance into the formal dining, if you were to have caterers for example? I did notice that you had 2 doors to the pantry, it may get cramped, but what do you see using the 2nd door for (the one past the elevator)? Beautiful=)!

Prep Zone...This is the zone where food preparation takes place. Food prep can be anything from making a sandwich to preparing a multi-course meal. It includes cleaning/rinsing food, cutting, mixing, processing, etc. For many people, especially those with small kitchens, their Prep Zone is also their Baking Center for rolling out dough, etc. 70% or more of the work and time spent in the kitchen is spent prepping. It's the most often used and longest used zone in your kitchen! So, this zone should be placed in the most desirable place – where you will want to work and will enjoy working. . Cooking Zone...This is the zone where you take the food you've already prepped and apply heat...cooktop, oven, microwave (MW). Only 10% of the work and time spent in the kitchen is spent actually cooking. This is the least used Zone, relatively speaking. Think about it, you usually don't spend the entire time standing in front of your oven or cooktop watching your food cook. Sure, there are some things that do have to be stirred constantly, but most things do not. And even then, you usually still spend more time prepping before you begin cooking. This is the zone that should be the most protected from traffic, especially traffic that's "just passing through". . Cleanup Zone...This is the zone where the dirty dishes are handled! Tasks include clearing the table and counters, loading the dishwasher (DW), wiping down the table and counters, sweeping the floor, etc. Since the DW is in this zone, it also includes unloading the DW, so Dish Storage should be nearby – more on this later. 20% or less of the work and time spent in the kitchen is spent cleaning up – most of which is not spent at the sink (see above). [In the past -- pre automatic DWs -- far more time was spent cleaning up because all dishes were done by hand. Today, the majority of dishes are washed in the DW and, with today's DWs & DW detergents, dishes don't even need to be rinsed! So, the amount of time spent in this zone is far less today! BTW, this is where the paradigm of "the sink must be in front of a window" came from – back when so much time was spent hand washing & drying dishes). Today, it makes more sense to have the Prep Zone in front of window or in the most preferred view/location.] . . OK, now we know what the primary zones are. So, how do we design a kitchen keeping them in mind? . Prep Zone...works best when it contains a water source (sink) and is next to or across an aisle no more than 48" wide or so from the Cooking Zone. Trash & recycle bins should also be in the Prep Zone. More trash and recyclables are generated during prepping and cooking and for much longer work time than cleaning up, so place the trash/recycling in the Prep Zone and near the Cooking Zone. It should have a minimum of 36" of counter space (with at least 42" much, much better) that is next to a sink that is uninterrupted by the Cleanup Zone (dirty dish "storage"). If you have only one sink, then the Prep Zone is on the side of the sink opposite from the DW. (The DW side of the sink is the Cleanup Zone in this scenario.) . Cooking Zone...works best when next to/across from the Prep Zone (see Prep Zone). It's also nice to have a water source as well as trash & recycling nearby. Note that a pot-filler does not count as a water source since pot-fillers do not have a drain, a sink bowl, or access to both hot and cold water. . Cleanup Zone...works best when separated from the Prep & Cooking Zones. This can be on the opposite side of a one-sink kitchen from the Prep Zone or it could be in a completely separate location (the latter usually only works well if you have two sinks). Obviously, it also needs a water source and the DW.

Honestly? I don't like any of the options with the peninsula on the "top". It does not create a well-thought out workflow of Refrigerator --> Prep Sink --> Prep Zone --> Cooking Zone. You're continually crossing through other zones just to make a simple meal. The DW is in the way of the range The "anchored island" creates a much better Kitchen workflow-wise. If the range could go on the top wall, then the peninsula on the top would work better. But I assume you do not want to change the window (to windows flanking the range), so that's out. FYI...I don't like the "detached island" in your original post either -- it's too small to be useful and there is no way 5 seats would fit! Each seat needs 24" x 15" of space (24" linear space & 15" of clear leg/knee overhang space) Two seats cannot share a corner as you cannot share leg/knee space For that design, you'd need an overhang of 15" + 24" + 1" = 40" (1" is for decorative door/end panel on the backs of the cabinets). If you have that much, then you have room for 4 seats (only 2 along the back, not 3) -- except you then need a 54" aisle b/w the island and the sink run of cabinets. While that aisle is not label, I don't think it's 54" (but it might be, I don't know for certain) So, a 4' island can only fit 2 seats. (I think you realize this as your layouts appear to have eliminated those extra seats.) That small island also looks like it was plopped down just to say you have an island -- not a great look. Why am I stating all this since you've (fortunately) backed off from the detached island? I'm hoping your husband can see the analysis and realize that his idea of the detached island, while nice to think about, is not feasible in reality.