Here are the kitchen dimensions and a mock up

This is a situation where a picture is worth 1000 words! Could you post the layout and measurements?

Just did! Can you see?

Also important, I do have a 9 foot wall behind the island on the other side.

But a 4 foot opening to the formal dining on the left side near the pantry. Also to the right it is all open to the casual dining nook. I drew it on the previous photo

Is the 37” counter edge to counter edge or cabinet to cabinet?

How much space will you have between the island and the 9' wall?

I have 37inches counter to counter.

Space between the island and 9 foot wall is 36 inches with nothing on the wall.

I am thinking it would be best to make the island 35 inches instead of 37 . The island will look narrow but 2 inches of space will do good I think

Here is a better visual. My small ladder is resting on the 9 foot wall

Should have been a peninsula design. That is not at all workable as shown. Put the cabinet order in hold, or you’re going to learn the very expensive definition of plan twice, order once.

Of course it is workable. Lots of people only have 37 inches. Ideal? No. Starting from scratch-worthy? Certainly not.

I can say that we were in a house for 3 years with a lovely kitchen with a similar aisle (sink and cooktop and dishwasher directly across from island) and we had 40 inches. My husband and I are both very, very active cooks, and our son was preschool age at the time. When we designed, we were worried about the 40 inches -- and once finished, we remarked several times how it was tons of space for us to both be active in the kitchen, and didn't feel like a compromise at all.

Conversely, we have moved to a new house where we inherited a kitchen with the same set up (range, sink and dishwasher all flanking the same aisle across from the island) and we only have 32 inches here, and it is intolerable. Like, significantly impacts our desire to even be in the kitchen, and certainly means that the two of us can't be in there at the same time.

37 inches is in the middle - there will be times you wish you had a couple more inches, but most of the time it will be fine.

That doesn't mean i wouldn't try and carve out a bit more space..... First, to the extent you free up more space for the aisles, i would preserve it all to the cooktop side. The other side (with the 9 foot wall) appears to be nothing more than a walkway, right? I'm assuming you aren't planning on having seats along the island on that side, because even with 40 inches i think that would be really tight and make the walkway somewhat awkward? And you'd only have a 10 inch overhang on the island best case, which isn't enough for stools. So assuming it will just be a walkway, then 36" is plenty for two people to stroll through and get to where they are going.

I would probably carve off maybe 4 inches from the island, which i don't think will make a big deal, add it to the cooktop side so you end up with 40-41 inches, and keep 36 inches on the walk through side.

As someone who has had a LOT of kitchens with all kinds of stupid designs over the last twenty years, this is really NOT a big deal and don't let the people on this site freak you out about it.

Hi!! I truly appreciate your lengthy reply especially given that you have had similar experience with a narrow kitchen! I will definitely be making the island smaller to add the 4 inches we need and make it 40 inches walkable space.

In addition to making the island narrow, I can also shave off a foot of length where we have a 12 inch overhand for a stool. I could then push the island forward and that way I clear the area behind my stove. This would make the space more open, however my husband prefers to have even one stool in the back from someone to sit and converse while we cook. Or for a kid to do homework while we work. Any ideas if it’s worth making the island smaller for that reason

Celadon, in retrospect yes it should have been peninsula but no one advised me of this. The cabinets have already arrived. It took 8 weeks for them to deliver. At the point in the game it’s simply too late

I think four feet from counter to oven is plenty, and I agree with your husband to keep a single stool there if you can. I’d make it a backless stool so it’s not big and imposing. But I think it would be nice for one person to be in the kitchen with the cook.

We have a 30 inch island with I believe a 41 inch oven aisle. It works well. No one even notices the island is narrower than standard. Keep the perch on the island if at all possible. I had a knee replacement and I often use it myself, ya never know when a want becomes a need ;^)

I’ve decided to make the island 34inch and the aisle with the oven and sink to 40 inch!

Only two stools at the far end of island which will have a 15 inch overhang and 4.5 feet behind :)

I am working with what I have and I’m optimistic that the results will be great for us! I’ll post photos