I think it looks nice but am confused about the ovens. Is that a micro in the island or a second oven? It may be very different than most, but your big windows make up for it. I think it has a quirky feel but could function nicely as drawn.

I was suprised at how functional the layout looks. I think the zones will work. The design, to me, looks as if it comes from someone who knows how they work in a kitchen. Good job and good luck!

I guess I'd give some thought to moving the prep sink closer to the cook top or placing it on the island. The arguments for by cooking are - use the water and drainage a lot and just as accessible from where ever you'd be prepping from - and not walking at all with heavy pots full of water is ok. It also gives you more room to pile-up on the counter in front of the window - if that's where you'll prep.

So would moving it onto the island. If you have multiple worker bees, near one of the points should make it accessible from two sides. Maybe a round sink?

If the picture shows a drawer micro in the island, it might be a good time for a reminder that the micro is an appliance everyone uses. I'd be tempted to place it where you show the prep sink instead of where it would lead people to stand behind me as I'm cooking.

Great responses so far! Thanks!

Yes, it is a Microwave (oven-style fold down door) in the island.

The windows you see are, unfortunately, not as grand as they look -- there is a 91" ceiling in the kitchen that has a balcony looking down from above, roughly along and over the cooktop cabinets. So, you can't really see the full 2+ story window wall unless you are standing infront of the cooktop and looking up. Strange, but that's the way the house was built and I didn't want to tear out the room above giving up house square footage.

bmorepanic, I like the thoughts around putting the prep sink in the island, and moving the microwave to where the prep sink is now. Here's why I did it this way: The triangle nature of the island may be difficult visually to place a skink in a spot that looks good and is also functional from more than one side since it would have to be moved in toward the center to accomodate the angular cabs underneath. We also plan to use the island for computer work/paperwork so keeping water away is desirable. Beneath the prep sink now are two rev-a-shelf recycle pull-outs (two 15" wide base cabs with the sink centered), we are squeezing the plumbing/drain between -- so this would be more difficult to obtain the same function in the island without placing the sink dead-centered on one of the triangle legs, but even then the depth of the cabs beneath might not fit since they are very angular.

The island sizing was very troublesome in general since all 3 sides are dictated by minimum passage way clearances. We used 3' 6" on the cooktop and fridge sides, and 3' 8" on the seating side with 15" overhang for counter-height stools. All counters are 37" high, 28" deep, with 1" overhang. Countertop will be 3cm quartz (Chroma Crystal White).

I'm still not sure if the island radius on the corners is appropriate. Currently it is depicted at 8" radius, but I may go bigger. Also, I had considered organic shapes... and I am still wondering if that is a way to go. A circle island looked odd within the rectilinear / triangle of the walls, and resulted in too small an island. We did buy a pull-out hose/ bar faucet (Delta Trinsic) for the prep sink, so it would still work for filling cook pots.

Thoughts island shape?

Here's a bit more detail on the design:

The wall with the wall oven is not call cabs. Between the wall oven and the silver-color cabs are 3 horizontal wood-panels only, since there is a chimney behind it. We actually had to remove a 2nd fireplace in the kitchen the make space for the island and seating, so the floor has been expanded and tiled for the passage along the oven wall. The wall oven is actually nestled between cinderblocks behind and we would not have been able to use the space for much else, so it is an efficient space use!

The silver cabinets are metallic tambour doors (aluminum anno finish) from Rehau. The cab to the left of doorway has the upper half as a tambour door, with countertop inside: A closet pantry turned into a super sized appliance garage and workspace for toaster, bread cutting and other tall appliances. They can all be stored and used in there, which I am particularly excited about as I haven't really seen this done before.

Appliances are all stainless.

Wood is all 1/4 sawn walnut, vertically oriented.
I am currently debating bar pulls versus edge pulls, maybe even continuous edge pulls. Thoughts?

Toe kick will probably be aluminum anno also, just to tie in the tambour doors and provide a durable surface.

Sinks are stainless, square under mount (ticor and vigo)

Recessed lighting still needs to be worked out, and is difficult to get placements given the diagonal joists and some duct work. I'm thinking a grid of roughly 20 4" cans, if I get get them all where I need them

It is amazing how many details I have had to work through on this difficult project, and I started on it in last May!

Charliehorse it seems like a very creative and functional solution to a tricky layout.

Regarding island shape, I like the triangle but since you asked, you could consider following the angle of the sink wall at the lower left corner, making it kind of a boomerang shape. Might get you room for an extra stool. (See mockup.)

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On the wall by your oven, would you have a tiny bit of space between the panels and the chimney? I'm asking because maybe you could make part of one panel a pull down door with sturdy hinges so that it would open up to be level and give you some landing space for things coming out of the oven (if people are seated at the island.) Sort of like the picture below, except where the outlet is you'd have your chimney wall and of course it would be a wall panel rather than an cabinet door. You could put some small hooks in there to hang pot holders/oven mitts so they'd be next to the oven too. It would obscure your aisle when open, but you'd only have it open temporarily when you need the landing space or a pot holder, then close it up when not needed. Kind of an off the wall idea and it may not work, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

Yeah, I hear ya. The thing about doing this is that everyone has different shading of priorities that best suit themselves. So these are my "buts" just to make sure you want what you drew.

I didn't realize that door by the prep sink was the back door. I'd want that corner for sitting things going outside down. We cook and eat outside all the time in nicer weather and we need to sit trays down, open door and storm door, then pick them back up and go outside, then close at least one of the two doors. Same thing coming back in - except in our case, that area is just a slide over to clean up.

I think that if I had that space, I'd want the trash in the island, and maybe facing towards the cleanup area so it could be used by both areas. Also, I wouldn't want the only trash where I planned to stand - again, its one of those things with others using it. God help those who would stand there throwing out their beer bottle if I want to pour something in boiling hot water out into a colander.

The best landing spot for a french door is behind you as you stand in front of it. It's not clear to me whether that means the island or the cooktop wall. If its the island, I'd want more room before the sink.

Side note about the ref. A lot of French door refs need space to both sides to be able to open the doors at all. Many of them also need the doors to open more than 90 degrees - even for everyday use of the drawers inside. They can need the doors open wider still for cleaning. Some VERY expensive refs avoid this problem, but a lot don't.

Why am I talking about this? That little piece of wall that sticks out in front of the ref body on its right side. I hate it when a little, bitty piece of wall causes extra thousands of dollars in refrigerator costs.

Other things which could be done are to "pad out" the ref so it was just a little more than flush by using a spacer on the back and a deeper left side panel. If you're going to do that, though, you might consider getting a normal depth refrigerator and using the extra space for beer!

Another thing would be to use a single door ref, hinged on the left side (i.e. the "wrong" way). Its really not so wrong in your kitchen.

I really hope you go forward with the walnut and I'd enjoy seeing pictures.

hicagoans, very cool idea for the shape. A bit star-trek looking, but I like the concept and function. There is no room for a fold down unless we consumed some more space for the walkway. I've been watching every inch on that spot.

bmorepanic, I should have been more clear, the door is actually a 2nd door to the front. There is a patio there, but it is north facing and we generally use the back/south side for eating/entertaining.

The fridge is in place now without clearance issues. It's a Bosch built-in, the hinges are amazing and allow for clearance. But you are right, and we put a 3" gap panel between the wall to prevent any interference issues. You are also right that a landingspot for the fridge is something to consider, I had not been thinking too hard about it, but the island will probably be the best spot.

Thanks!