The island can be large enough so that you can have cabinets on either side which picks up most if not all of the storage. What is more problematic is the location of the appliances. From the drawing it is hard to tell which appliances are along the wall. In any event your design should incorporate the kitchen, lounge and dining area.

From first glance you would def. need to speak to a structural engineer or at least a knowledgable contractor to make sure that wall you would like to take down is not a load bearing wall. If you can get over that hurdle than storage space can always be created in your kitchen!

Are your windows staying or can you get rid of them?

@ jschimpf - stove is the black square where I'm hoping to have the island, fridge is grey square just further to the left

@ Corvidae Architecture & Design - thanks will def chat to a structural engineer to get that stuff cleared

@stevemortondesign I'm open to getting rid of windows...whats your idea?

Your island should be fine with engineer's approval, as others have stated. You have other areas where you could add storage. On the living room wall that backs up to BR 3, you could turn that entire wall into a storage wall with full height built-ins. Bedroom 3 looks overly large and could have a closet built along the wall opposite the window.

After finding out if that wall can be removed or opened...you could add cabinets to the area behind where the door to the kitchen opens. Add a pantry wall to where the eating area is now and move that table over to the lounge area. You may have to rotate the living room area 90 degrees for this to work but then you could fit in a longated island like the one in your pic. These are just ideas by looking at your pics and not doing the design....but keep in mind you want a minimum of 36"-42" of space around an island....more if it is a main traffic area!

Great idea Carolyn - thanks!

Kitchen Planners - thanks for the ideas

Can you reduce the size of the family bath to a powder room? Part of the bath, that large part of the hall and the interior kitchen door you don't need would allow for a reconfiguration so you could get some more room in the kitchen and maybe a pantry to help with the storage. Some of the bath plumbing might be tapped into on behalff of the kitchen - like water for an icemaker in a big armoire fridge could go in an expanded corner where the door is now. With that extra footage you can scootch the kitchen that direction. Do open shelves in front of the windows for some really awesome display of glass, pretty dinnerware and some decor so there is no need for window treatments..I think you can figure out which walls are load bearing when you know the direction your rafters go. Someone on the site should be able to tell you how to check it yourself.

Thanks for all the advice...here is a picture of after renovations

One little before and during pic