Keep it as is. also be aware that most floorplans are drawn to the cabinet edge, not the counter edge, so you likely have 1-3 inches less than 48" now as it is.

My island is 4’x7’ and I think it’s PLENTY big even with the prep sink in it. I wasn’t clear from your plans what all you’re using your island for. Mine has the prep sink, microwave under the cabinet, some drawers, and a trash compactor on the working side. Then on the other side generous room for two stools (3 is cramped) and more drawers. My kitchen is a hardworking kitchen, I cook most meals and all five of our kids (aged 17-21) still live at home for at least until next fall... so everyone in our family of seven is adult sized (that makes a difference, LOL!) The space between my island edge and the main kitchen sink countertop is 44” (if you count the towel bar and how far it juts out that I have on the end of my island. I don’t have a photo shown of it, but it’s where I hang tee towels) The space between my island and the outmost edge of the handles on my side by side fridge are 41” but from my island to the front of my range are 44” so the space to the fridge is the smallest pinch point anywhere in my kitchen. I have not felt like any of those distances cause any issues with people maneuvering around my kitchen unless both the dishwasher and the fridge are both open at the same time I guess, then a person might be stuck inside the inside of the “L” shape until something closes... I don’t recall it ever happening though. Without a prep sink though I’d be fine with a 4’x6’ island... but I guess it depends on if you want people to sit at the island. Anyways, hope those measurements help you out!

I would prefer a larger island but I also like the wider aisle on the refrigerator side as it looks like that might be your entrance aisle and you don't want to create a bottleneck there. If you pushed your refrigerator wall back a foot you would still have a very generous pantry. Before I decided on my 42" aisles I visited IKEA and a few cabinet showrooms and measured the aisle distance to make sure that it would be comfortable. If you are not planning on a prep sink consider moving the DW to the left of the sink so that the it won't be in your path between the sink and range.

thanks all.

great kitchen skmom

I am planning on a prep sink. Sorry forgot to add that. It will be towards fridge end [leaving space for drop zone]. I am also thinking of swapping fridge and ovens so dining table and bar stools will have easy access to 'oh i forgot ketchup etc'

I am also moving the dishwasher to the left per recommendations here also.

Thanks.

I like the refrigerator where it is because it opens mostly into open space and it will make a nice triangle with your prep sink and cooktop. I am constantly in and out of the refrigerator when I am cooking but only occasionally checking on things in the oven.

Skmom, that’s one gorgeous island! Is the wood walnut?

Buehl. Great explanations. Thanks so much.

Sounds like I need to steal from the pantry because I don't want to regret the island.

Pantry:

My goal is to to put my 2nd fridge so don't have to have in garage anymore [for frozen fruit [smoothies], meat, veggies and beverages, etc.] and also to house microwave blender slow cooker instant pot maybe mixer etc...and have a plug back there to use microwave and blender often [not necessarily other items i can take them into kitchen as needed]...my friend who is a designer suggested i put a coffee bar in there [making window high enough that it would go there]...and then obviously food...lol...i will keep microwave and coffee maker plugged in...

i'm not really sure how i will organize it yet and if all of the above will work...i can do a smaller fridge but prefer more than a small beverage one if i can.

so should i make sure the architect plans for true 48" aisle after I do at least 69" island ?

.

I came to say the same thing as darbuka. SKmom that island has me drooling!

Darbuka, yes, it’s solid walnut. I finished it with no stain, just original Waterlox. My hubby designed and built all of the cabinetry including the island waterfall countertop. Thanks for the compliments, I’m very proud of the work he did! :)

" so should i make sure the architect plans for true 48" aisle after I do at least 69" island ? "

Yes, that's what I recommend.

.

Regarding the second refrigerator and MW in your pantry. Make sure you have very, very good ventilation. Food should be stored in a cool, dry, dark location -- two of which a MW and refrigerator provide the opposite! Refrigerators & MWs put out a lot of heat and MWs put out a lot of moisture, so be sure you have excellent ventilation in that pantry. (Even Coffeemakers can put out a lot of heat if on all day -- if you have a K or Pod machine, probably not as much, but you will have standing water in the reservoirs.) Oh, and windows let in light -- do you plan to have blackout curtains in there to keep it dark when not in use? If you're in a warm climate area, having a Pantry on the outside wall can also lead to a hot pantry (I discovered that the hard way -- my pantry is on an outside wall and I have to leave the door open in the summer b/c it gets too warm for food storage. I will never put a Pantry on an outside wall again!)

Personally, I'd rather not work in the Pantry b/c you have to take food, ingredients, and dishes/tools from the Kitchen to the Pantry, do whatever you need to do, then cart it plus the now dirty dishes back into the Kitchen. It seems like a lot of extra and unnecessary trips.

If you put the Coffee/Tea Center and Snack Center in the Pantry, you will need to make sure it's always neat since guests will have to go into your Pantry to get to the Coffeemaker, MW, etc. In my opinion, Pantries really should be food and similar storage only, but YMMV.

Think about function -- work flow, traffic, etc.

In your Kitchen, I'd put in a MW drawer either b/w the refrigerator and ovens or to the right of the cooktop on the end. That space b/w the refrigerator and ovens makes a nice Snack Center location.

thanks for the feedback. will mull over. i just have always wanted a big walk-in pantry. I hate having second fridge in garage for extra items and thought would be nice to be in pantry so that is a must. I also currently have microwave in pantry but it's right next to the fridge and just a big closet style so convenient. it's just for heating items but i see your point...it will be farther now...

I thought the coffee station in there might be odd...i think I can put it between fridge and ovens maybe ? it's just a keurig...i can put k-cups and mugs either above or below in draowers or cabinets.

she was just thinking of a cute coffee station [being a designer lol].

I just realized something...your island is wide enough! I thought the layout said 5', but now that I zoomed into it, I see that it does say 6', not the 5' I thought it said. (I thought your layout differed from your statement...I was wrong, it just looked that way on my monitor!)

So, no need to reduce the pantry by that much, just enough to guarantee 48" counter edge-to-counter edge b/w the cleanup sink & island and b/w the cooktop wall & island as well as b/w the refrigerator handles & island.

At 6' = 72", you can have:

1.5" counter overhang

+ 12" cabinet (cutting boards?)

+ 18" prep sink

+ 21" cabinet

+ 18" trash pullout (in Prep Zone, near Cooking & Cleanup Zones)

+ 1.5" counter overhang

==========================

72"

This gives you 39" b/w the prep sink base and the other end of the island. FYI...add 3 more inches and you can have 42" -- I'd do that, btw.

Put the prep sink on the "bottom" of the island (refrigerator end) facing the cooktop. This offsets it from the cooktop and puts it near the refrigerator where you will be getting food from as well as on the end if someone needs water for MWing. (Most food that is MW'd comes from the refrigerator and needs to have water added to it. Another reason to keep the MW in the Kitchen.)

I'd have the builder add a ceiling ventilation fan to the pantry like you would have in a bathroom.

Yes, create a Snack/Coffee Center b/w the ovens and refrigerator. If the prep sink on the island is on the refrigerator end, then water will be conveniently located for filling the K machine's reservoir. With a MW drawer, only the K machine will be on the counter, not a MW. Store paraphernalia in the cabinets above and in a cabinet or pullout next to the MW drawer. (There will be room for another deep drawer below the MW drawer for storage as well. That's where I keep things that I use with the MW...e.g., popcorn bowls, bacon dish, etc.)

A "large room" ceiling exhaust fan would probably work, but it would have to run 24/7, so make sure it's high quality and quiet.

I'd make sure you have at least one warm air return (maybe two?) and one A/C vent in the Pantry and keep the door open as much as possible to increase ventilation.

Is the Pantry near the garage entrance for ease of bringing in groceries and putting them away? You don't want to have to trudge through the entire house with heavy grocery bags.

it's to the left when you walk into the kitchen and island is to the right so i'll dump on island and then can put in fridge or pantry fairly easily i think.

here's the full main level...we are still working on it...i think we are going to flip and do a 3 car side load or keep this footprint and do a slightly angled courtyard...i'm struggling deciding on anything. lol.

I'll just tell architect to make sure i have 48" edge to edge from all places mentioned.

is 12" enough of a drop zone from fridge to prep sink? and also from garage to unload groceries? thinking i probably want more there....thoughts??

thanks.

In addition to what Buehl points out regarding a fridge and MW in the pantry (lots of heat and moisture than need to be dealt with), look at the layout of your pantry to accommodate those. Look at door swings and clearances to pull bins out.

Your pantry ceiling height is shown as 10ft+. Be sure you allow for stepladder storage in that pantry - you won't be able to reach the upper shelves without it. I have 9' ceilings in mine and need a 2-step folding stepladder to reach the upper shelf at all and to safely deal with the middle one since I'm only 5'3".

2 other observations overall - yes to doing a 3 car vs the separate third car garage since it would allow you to have natural light in the laundry room.

Not sure what the climate is where you are building, but a lot of your plumbing is on outside walls. Something to watch during construction to make sure the pipes are biased to the interior walls and that adequate insulation is placed between them and the outside walls, especially if this is not 2x6 construction.

Lastly, what do the stairs lead to? Just wondering because they are located closer to the master suite than the rest of the home.

thanks michelle..i'm 5'2" so totally agree.

stairs lead up to 2 additional bedrooms and down to basement [unfinished for now].

i've been toying with moving them to where the office is shown. i am trying to shrink the floorplan a bit so I'm thinking of switching the stairs chopping 4' off the great room and then just having an office where the bedroom 2 suite is located, so losing the walk in closet and bathroom on that side sigh. wish i had a money tree...

i have noticed that about outside pipes. we are in indiana. we had the coldest winter ever this past year and all but 1 of our bathrooms and our laundry are all on outside walls currently so i think we'll be ok. it will be 2x6 i believe.

"is 12" enough of a drop zone from fridge to prep sink? and also from garage to unload groceries? thinking i probably want more there....thoughts??"

12" is probably enough for staging food. I wouldn't make it any wider, though, until you have at least 42" on the other side of the prep sink.

Normally, I'd suggest at least 18" on the side opposite the workspace, with 24" of there is room. However, you don't have room for more than 12" b/c your Kitchen isn't big enough as-is. Once you accomplish the 48-inch aisles by taking space from the pantry, if needed, every additional inch you take can go to lengthening the island.

BTW...when I suggested the island layout, it was to make it the most useful:

• No conflict with the cooktop
• No conflict with the secondary Prep Zone b/w the cooktop and cleanup sink
• Places the trash pullout where it can be easily reached from the primary Prep Zone in the island, the secondary Prep Zone along the perimeter, and the Cooking Zone -- all without anyone getting in the way of someone else
• Prep sink available for use from not just the island Prep zone, but also from the Snack/Coffee Center.

I would definitely consider alternative locations for the stairway. Think about all the traffic going right past what otherwise is a nice, private master suite.

Buehl question, is the snack/coffee center where the fridge and ovens are?

All, thanks for the help. so appreciate.

I did a mock up...good?

Pantry:

I'm thinking a smaller fridge with top freezer...

The 12" shelving when you first walk in will be groceries: canned goods cereals etc.

the 18" will be bins of food items water bottles, wine bottles, and extra appliances [slow cooker, air fryer, etc.] I designed another 12" but now I'm already thinking the shelving next to second fridge might need to be a bit wider if fits because might make more sense for microwave toaster blender there [easier to access from doorway]....but not sure about clearance..

Yes, good.

For the extra refrigerator, you will probably have to pull it away from the side wall by 9" to 12" so the doors can be opened fully. For ease of access and landing space, you'll want the hinge side to be against the wall.

About the island...if you're short, I recommend no deeper than 42". You need to be able to comfortably reach the center of the island for cleaning (i.e., no straining to reach the center)

• If you plan to have seating...1.5" counter overhang in the front + 24"D cabinets + 1" decorative door/end panel on the back of the cabinets + 15" clear leg/knee overhang space = 41.5" (rounded to 42")
• If no seating...1.5" counter overhang in the front + 24"D cabinets + 15"D cabinets facing the back + 1.5" counter overhang on the back of the island = 42"