Thanks all - it is terrific to get feedback from this community of "TKO" folks. Marcolo - I haven't decided if the island will truly be out of the way on the fridge to sink run or if it wil be a hip bumping annoyance, but I hate to lose too much island capacity. Lirio - good thought on the best path for clearing from the DR MArinesgirl - It will be fun to see your kitchen evolve too! We are completely switching up the appliance locations. Currently: the fridge is where the range will be the cooktop is located on the island and the oven/microwave is where the fridge will be This doesn't work for so many reasons.... family members like to contemplate life while standing in front of the fridge, blocking my path; guests like to stand in front of the oven, and if someone is helping clean up as I am cooking we are bumping into each other and I am banging my ankles on the open dishwasher.... Do I sound ready for a new kitchen? We are also, on the advice of our friend/contractor, recessing the fridge 3" into the wall. Green - The garden window is pre-existing. As this is a N facing window in the PNW the extra light from my garden window is a sanity saver in the winter. Your comment will get me to examine what we have planted on the arbor to be sure that we are getting effective green screening in the summer. Thanks all!

I know remodeling a kitchen is exciting, but there are, unfortunately, many issues here. You've taken a good first step by posting your layout here for critique. Please keep in mind that we're trying to help, so do not take anything we tell you personally. At the end, I'll post links to the Kitchen Design FAQ threads that will help you understand what we are saying. . The aisles are a major issue here - unless you are the only person living in this home and you don't have visitors who help in the kitchen. Until I hear otherwise, I'm going to assume there are at least two of you in your home. . Aisles... You show an island with seating (at least I think that's what you have) with aisles that are too narrow even as single-person work aisles all around. Note: Aisles are measured counter edge-to-counter edge or to/from appliance door/handles, etc. - i.e., they're measured b/w the items that stick out into the aisle the farthest. It appears your aisles are measured cabinet-to-cabinet - so your aisles are 3" narrower than the labels indicate. Counter overhangs are around 1.5", so counting on both sides of the aisle, you have 3" less. Where there's an appliance on an aisle, you need to measure the aisle width from the handle, which, again, is not done on your layout. E.g., the 39" aisle b/w the island and sink wall is only 36" when it's counters, but it's even less in b/w the refrigerator and island unless the refrigerator is a true built-in and not a counter-depth. (Counter-depth refrigerators are actually 31" deep when you include the doors & handles.) The minimum recommended aisles: No seating on the aisle and no traffic: 42" for a one-person, and always a one-person, kitchen. 48" for two or more people working in the aisle No seating on the aisle with traffic 48" for a one-person, and always a one-person, kitchen 54" for two or more people working in the aisle Seating on the aisle and No cabinets, appliances, counters, or traffic (i.e., a dead-end with nothing behind the seats but a wall): 44" Cabinets, appliances, or counters; and no traffic: 54" No cabinets, appliances, counters; and traffic: 54" Cabinets, appliances, counters, and traffic: 60" . Zone locations... Your Prep Zone (if on the island) and Cleanup Zone are on top of each other with a possibly open DW door completely blocking the aisle and a safety hazard. That DW is also a barrier to the Cooking Zone - from both the Prep Zone to the range and from the refrigerator and the range. There's quite a bit of zone-crossing going on here. . Eat-in Kitchen... There isn't enough room in that space on the right for a traditional table and chairs. What might fit, if you remove whatever is on the far right, is a banquette. You will need at least 54" b/w the table and the island - assuming no seats on that end of the island. (If there were seats at both, no less than 60", with 72" much better.) . Now, the elephant in the room - the island... First, the sole reason the aisles are so tight is the island - a peninsula would work better in this kitchen. I know, islands are the current "fad" in kitchens - but when they don't fit in a space, they can create a nightmare - barrier islands, not enough aisle space, too shallow an overhang for comfort, etc. So, which do you have? All of the above. Your island is a barrier to the ovens and, I suspect, the MW. All the aisles around the island are too narrow. To make the island work in your case, you could remove the back wall of cabinets/counters/appliances. Removing them will give more space for sufficient aisles. Is the MW on that back wall? I.e., is the island a barrier to the MW - while not as bad as a barrier for the refrigerator or ovens, it's still an issue. Realistically, unless you use the MW a lot, it probably isn't a major issue, but it's something to think about. Your seating overhang is labeled as 9"...but, if you have a decorative door or finished end panel on the backs of the cabinets, then your overhang is really only 8". Here are the minimum recommendations. Note, they're recommendations for a reason and are crucial items in having seating that really works - regardless of what some may try to convince you otherwise. Counter-height seating (36" off the finished floor): Minimum of 15" of clear knee/leg space Bar-height seating (42" off the finished floor): Minimum of 12" (but more is needed on the surface if you plan to eat snacks or meals at the island - it needs to be deep enough to minimize knocking plates & glasses off the surface and onto the lower surface behind it - a pony wall usually helps here - or additional cabinets) Table-height seating (30" off the finished floor): Minimum of 18" to 19" Skimping on the overhang won't help. Human beings can cram their bodies into small places only to a certain point and only in certain circumstances - and sitting at a counter is not one of those circumstances. What will happen is that people will take the same amount of space in the aisle, but they will be very uncomfortable b/c they will have to lean far forward to reach the counter or they will have to sit sideways and twist - neither of which is comfortable for more than a few short minutes. Note that if the latter is chosen, you will also need more than 24" linear space per seat - you will need more like 30" to 36". Some people will "straddle" the cabinet backs - but again, that's not comfortable for any length of time and also requires additional linear space per seat. So, you will have slouching bodies sticking out into the aisle the same distance as if you had provided sufficient overhang. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Kitchen Design FAQ Threads... Kitchen work zones, what are they? http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638270/faq-kitchen-work-zones-what-are-they Aisle widths, walkways, seating overhangs, work and landing space, and others http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638304/faq-aisle-widths-walkways-seating-overhangs-work-landing-space-etc How do I plan for storage? Types of Storage? What to Store Where? http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638376/faq-how-do-i-plan-for-storage Ice. Water. Stone. Fire (Looking for layout help? Memorize this first) http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2699918/looking-for-layout-help-memorize-this-first In case you want us to help you redesign the space, here is the Layout Help FAQ: Layout Help: How do I ask for Layout Help and what information should I include? http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2767033/how-do-i-ask-for-layout-help-and-what-information-should-i-include

Thanks, luckyblueeye – I think that’s the best solution for the black hole if I were to keep this design. herbflavor - I wish we had that kind of space! Karenseb, we thought about moving the coat closet forward a bit, but it would really close off the stairs, since the wall on the other side of the stairs goes all the way down to the landing. Thanks to everyone for shaking me out of my “island brain.” My original design included a peninsula, similar to what Sophie describes, but I've always wanted an island, so I kept trying to fit one into this space. Here’s the current layout. Note it says "primary entrance" next to the garage. That's because everyone in this area inexplicably has 2 front doors. We're considering closing this off to allow for a better furniture layout in the family room. And here's a quick sketch of what I had for my original plan. I was planning on stacked drawers and an upper with the microwave next to the fridge, but I guess I should try to fit a pull-out pantry cabinet there instead?

One suggestion for Option A is that if you are going to have stools at the island, do you need a breakfast nook? if you don't, you might have the laundry open to the hallway and build in a desk under the window all the way across that wall. It would also be OK to get a wider fridge that is counter depth and extend it even further toward the window. Maybe there would be room for a shallow broom closet on the end of the fridge. As #Sabrina Alfin Interiors noted, swapping the end cabinet with the fridge makes a lot of sense.