Ah, this is a subject after my own heart. I did just such a remodel - a remodel to create a kitchen for two. I can tell you that it works for two, too! I know this, because when it is just me working by myself, I would say that I'd prefer a slightly shorter run here or there while I NEVER have to say that when it is the two of us working in the kitchen. It works very well for two. Ok, I'd say the layout you currently have is not good for two. Here's what I mean: - Assuming that both of you might be cooking at the same time, a 36" stove would be a smidge better than a 30". If the 30" is a RANGE or rangetop and not a cooktop, that is probably fine but if a cooktop, because most cooktops eat up 6" of the surface with the control knobs, the cooking surface is much reduced (we went from a 30" range to a 30" cooktop and felt the pinch till we got used to it). - Not nearly enough space with the sink and the stove so close to the corner there. Whoever is standing on the right side of the stove (facing the stove) will end up sway-backed because you don't have enough room there. I have EXACTLY the same reservation as rhome about the too narrow island. You'll be dropping stuff from that little thing willy-nilly. As for plating ... well, you would be better served by having the plating NOT happen somewhere so vulnerable (to bumping into) AND so narrow as to guarantee sending your food scattering to the floor when you bump into it! I'd sooner consider a counter over on the wall abutting the Living room. I'm a BIG believer in pantries. And I like the fact you have one and can understand the need for a long narrow one. BUT, here's my suggestion because I'll submit that if you're designing the kitchen for two, you need more counterspace for two. Move the fridge over to the pantry wall. Put in a normal depth pull-out pantry on that wall. I have a 15" pull out pantry! and I can swear to you that ALL my food that isn't refrigerated OR that is not coffee/tea (coz my tea things get their own small cabinet with cups & by the stove) goes into that pantry. It's a pullout so nothing gets lost. Your fridge will also be better situated for access when not cooking. With the fridge and a pull-out pantry (or two) moved over use the currently designated fridge space for counter space. Push your stove over a bit so that it is better situated for the two of you to work at that wall. With the fridge on the pantry wall, you could extend even just the counter out from the DW to the edge of the LR doorway. This can be just 18" if you so desire and it could be just a counter OR it could be a ctr with narrow depth cabs under it, but arranged so that it doesn't interefere with the operating of the DW. One other thing - on the stove wall, or the stove and sink walls think about getting extra deep counters. INVALUABLE space. With the island gone you more than have the room for deep counters.

Okay, after seeing your beautiful inspiration pictures and reading some of the concerns...mostly about the wet bar...I have an idea. If it's not for you, just disregard :) If you opened up the doorway through the wet bar, so it was an easy access from the dining room into the kitchen, like the pantry area, you could easily get to the wine and wet bar, from the kitchen. This would leave you with a doorway between your cooktop and sink...bad idea. So, could you split your fridge/freezer combo and put one on either end of your outside wall, with the sink and dishwasher, in between? This would give you a sink set up similar to your second inspiration picture and how often do you open the freezer, so it shouldn't block the pantry area too much. The wet bar sink's current location, would now have a door in it...so the sink would move to the pantry wall, shortening the pantry a bit, but giving you a much more accessible wet bar. The sink would now be where the back of the pantry used to be, so the cooktop could be centered on the wall that's left betwen the two doors to the dining room, with the steamer still plumbed into the wet bar sink. The opening to the family room (the solid wall part) is where I would put the ovens. I would make the space to the right of the oven a baking/snack area, with a prep sink and even use it as an extension of the bar, for parties. The island would be for prep and seating. I wouldn't necessarily have another sink, but that's up to you. I think a built in garbage area would be a good idea...and make it easy for the kids to toss stuff in, as they get older. The microwave could be part of the oven stack, a drawer in the island, or on a shelf, built in next to the fridge, depending on what you decide you want to use. The island drawer makes sense, but it would be more of a challenge with young children, so higher up might be better. Anyway, if someone could draw this out, I think it would make a lot more sense, but I do not have any floor plan software. It would give you a baking area with prep sink, access to the wet bar, a cooking area with the steamer, a prep island with seating, and a lot more light from windows over the sink...make the fridge/freezer a little less bulky...and make clean up a lot easier, whether it's from the dining room or the breakfast area...and did I mention access to the wet bar! :)

Right off the bat, I see some potential issues, but until I have more information, I can't be sure. The cooktop appears to be in the middle of what will be a busy aisle as people enter from the Mudroom, turn left, and proceed to the rest of the house. The Cooking Zone is too far away from the Prep Zone (which is next to the sink) The DW is in the way of the Prep Zone (the range side of the sink) There isn't enough prep workspace next to the sink The island is not very useful as a Prep Zone b/c there's no water in it and it's not oriented so it faces the cooktop The ovens open directly into the Mudroom door, a safety issue. To put groceries away, you will have to walk through the Mudroom & Kitchen to get to the pantry. Would it be possible to put in a door b/w the Mudroom & Pantry? Are those open shelves flanking the hood? If so, I would reconsider - that's where you will get the most grease/steam/etc. from cooking. No hood is perfect, so there will be some errant grease splattering, steam, etc. They will land on the shelves and their contents - and all will have to be cleaned frequently! I don't know if your aisle widths are sufficient - I need a fully measured layout to check Without more information, I would: Switch the cooktop and sink walls. Add a prep sink to the island Switch the refrigerator and ovens

So, some things I see as issues and questions I have: The island is too small to house both your Prep Zone and Cleanup Zone. You don't have enough prep space in the Prep Zone (on the non-DW side of the sink) and even the Cleanup Zone (the DW side of the sink) needs more space. If at all possible, I would want both the Cleanup and Cooking Zones on the wall. The Prep Zone can be in the island with a prep sink if it's oriented so it faces the range. Can the island be extended? Is there a wall behind the island? Do you have a pantry elsewhere? (Pantry cabinets are arguably the least efficient and most expensive option for storing food.) Can that short wall come down? Can you "merge" the areas to the left & right of that short wall? Where are you flexible - can doorways be changed? Window? What is your family composition now and over the next few years? How do you plan to use your Kitchen? Just cooking? A gathering place? Homework while you're cooking? What we really need is a fully measured layout of the space and a full-floor sketch. The full-floor sketch will show us how the Kitchen relates to the rest of the home and how traffic flows in, around, and through the Kitchen. Here's the layout help link again: http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2767033/how-do-i-ask-for-layout-help-and-what-information-should-i-include