Are you sold on having the range at the island?
I have my range at my peninsula and I never let the kids/anyone sit there. Maybe it's the way I cook, but it's not safe, there's greasy splatters, etc.
I would switch the range w/ the clean-up sink; you can vent out and put the oven under the counter.

I rather have water at the island than a hot stove.

Amanda

I'm not really sold on having the cooktop there but flipping it won't help since the sink wall is an interior wall and I would still need a downdraft there.

I'm not too worried about safety issues since the island will be at least 4 ft deep and I don't have young children. Also, I feel like I spend more time at the stove than the sink, especially when I am entertaining and want to face my guests.

I read in a recent thread that significantly more time is spent prepping, than cooking, so maybe the island should be your prep space if you want to face guests when you work.

I like this unique plan. The proximity of each important element to the others seems good and workable. (sinks close to fridge and stove, and also good access to trash bins, and with multiple prep area options) The island seems plenty deep for the stove. Looks like a great entertaining setup and a good way to have a view out into your other rooms and the windows.

I looked at it thinking there is enough room to prep beside the stove...? But Cheri has a good point. More time and more reasonable conversing atmosphere over prepping instead of hot stove with fan running. If you wanted to do prep on the island, I'd make it rectangular (so it can fit up to the stove counter better), put the prep sink on it, and have the longer workside facing the stove. I'd put the stove on the current fridge wall, moving the fridge to take the place of the pantry next to the dining room.

Now that I try it, I'd also flip the trash and dishwasher, I think...but not sure it's a big deal.

Shoot...I had it drawn, but for some reason it won't upload to Photobucket.

Thanks for the input!

I tried rhomes suggestions, but I'm not sure they would work for me. If I put the cooktop on the wall where I had the refrigerator, I guess I could keep the coffeemaker, toaster & microwave in the bump out space, and a prep sink on that side of the island could be used for the coffee maker. But the bump out wouldn't serve as a beverage area anymore (entertaining) and access to others would be difficult if I am at the stove. The wall with the main sink and refrigerator would have only one small bank of drawers next to the refrigerator, but there would be room for a bank of drawers in the island that would be close to the DW for storing silverware. There would also be room in the island for the undercounter oven.

From an astethic standpoint, I wanted to make the sink wall look as open and nice as possible since it is my largest wall, but the refrigerator will take up at least 40" by the time you add a end filler piece and appliance panel. Then I would want to increase the width of the pantry on the other end to balance the refrigerator (36" at least?). That would leave open space of about 7.5 ft but it would be chopped up by the higher wall cabinets above the sink and the base section would be a jumble of different width cabinets/appliances. Since the kitchen is open to the greatroom, I really don't want it to look like everything is crammed into too small of a space (even if thats the case).

I still think an island cooktop will work well for me. When I entertain, I usually have everything prepped before the guests arrive. Isn't there anyone out there who has that setup and LIKES it???

What kind of downdraft are you having? If you use a telescopic downdraft to the rear of the cooktop, these are about 12" tall and should, in combination with the depth of your island, should create somewhat of a "splatter barrier" between you any anyone sitting at the island.

--This is an aside but I am always kind of surprised that while the "front" of the cooktop is a few inches away from the countertop and that is not perceived as a danger, while unless there is FEET along the "back" of the cooktop, people perceive anything less as dangerous. Sometimes the "back" of the island is not a natural traffic pattern. I grew up in a house with an early island, and because the cooktop was close to the front and the "back" of the island, people cooked standing on the "back" side as well, particularly things like gravy or sauces, where you are just standing and stirring...this left the "front" burners of the island for more active cooking in the zone. Not once is over 40 years has there ever been any kind of accident. *BUT...the stove was treated as a stove from BOTH sides, we were as careful from the "back" as the "front".

As I said, I could like the plan, as is...Just was offering an alternative. Sometimes an alternative isn't as easy to see as that one, but it's nice that you have options and can think them through to decide which will work for you best. Eliminating things is a good part of the process and will make you feel more confident about the plan you've chosen.

Can't wait to see it!

how about the fridge where the prep sink is, the cooktop where the fridge is and put a prep sink on the top left corner area of the island (island running the same as the main sink counter).

--This is an aside but I am always kind of surprised that while the "front" of the cooktop is a few inches away from the countertop and that is not perceived as a danger, while unless there is FEET along the "back" of the cooktop, people perceive anything less as dangerous.

I've wondered the exact same thing, palimpsest! I figured that there must be some scientific rule at work that said that grease only spattered out the sides and back and not towards the front. ;-)

I am having a telescoping downdraft. It could shield those sitting at the island from splatters, but that assumes I will actually use it. I have an old JennAir right now and I almost never use the downdraft, except when doing something really hot/smokey or boiling water for pasta. Of course I might use it more if it didn't make so much noise :).

I still haven't given up on finding a way to do the cooktop (induction) with an oven below it AND a downdraft. I noticed that Electrolux makes a downdraft that is fairly thin and their induction cooktop is deeper than most. Their oven requires 23.5" in cabinet depth. It might work if I push the cooktop back a little. But then I hate pushing the envelope if it will cause me trouble if/when I have to replace any of the appliances.

This is an aside but I am always kind of surprised that while the "front" of the cooktop is a few inches away from the countertop and that is not perceived as a danger, while unless there is FEET along the "back" of the cooktop, people perceive anything less as dangerous.

My guess: The one person cooking is standing, can see what's going on and what potential situations may be arising, and be somewhat prepared for splashes at the front, maybe even wearing an apron...The person or people seated behind, particularly kids or people conversing with each other, won't be watching or as aware of the current activities and possible dangers at the stove on a moment to moment basis, and also might be prone to shoving or dangling schoolwork, the newspaper, or something toward the hot stove. Their faces are more at the level of splatters. I think it's the unexpected nature of their moves combined with stove dangers. As I said, just my guess.

But I don't see any of that as a problem in this plan with a barrier of over 2 ft!

Usually I agree with Rhome, but I am not real keen on the plan.

Assuming that secondary prep area does turn out to be secondary - and I think it will - your main prep area has to share counter space and water with cleanup. You have room to avoid that collision/competition with other layout options.

You explained why the cooktop couldn't go on the wall where the fridge is. How about cleanup between fridge and beverage center and cooktop on the long wall?

Right to left, put the DW next to the fridge, then a large single cleanup sink, then the beverage center turning the corner. The cleanup sink can be the water source for coffee, and the glasses, cups, etc can live there.

Make the cooktop the centerpiece of the long wall. Maybe wall ovens at lower right and pantry unit at the other end to consolidate storage.
You loose the symmetry of tall cabinets both ends, BUT you have more convenience in wall ovens vs UC, AND your guests have a nice view of the rangetop...instead of the sink mess (which instead piles up out of direct sight at the cleanup zone).

Tuck a prep sink in the island and you still have a big dedicated prep space there. Also serving space for plating or whatever (I am impressed your prep is all done before guests arrive.)

I'll admit to bias because I love my dedicated prep island. I pivot to the cooktop, but other than risootto or polenta, I rarely need to stay turned. Eggs, stirfry, sauces and such are over pretty fast.

yes, I still don't like an island stove.

it's different because - as rhome says the person who should be in front of it is standing and cooking - and should be paying attention. the ones sitting up to the counter are talking and not cooking - and not paying attention to what is happening on the stove. those sitting there can often be kids. if the cook isn't paying attention and gets splattered, that is one thing but having a kid or guest get splattered is entirely different.

celticmoon -

I tried your layout but the wall is too short to fit the sink, DW and refrig. I have about 83" from the door leading to the DR to the wall on the left (before the bumpout), so that is where the counter would have to turn. I currently have 8.5" open on the right end of that wall which allows for the light switch and keeps the doorway to the DR from feeling tight (especially if there will be tall cabinets on either other side of the doorway). If I keep that 8.5", allow 40" for the fridge (is that about right for at 36" refrig with the side panel?), 24" for a DW, there is only 12" left before the corner where the counter turns. I don't think I could even get a corner sink in that space.

This is so depressing....

would you consider a range instead of separate cooktop and oven?

what about cooktop/range and clean up sink on the 14' wall? if you stick with an oven, what about to the left of the frig with the prep sink on the island as celticmoon suggested.

If you move all the function to the perimeter, then there is a huge island that serves no purpose other than a gigantic fixed table that you can only sit on one side of.

I saw an island once that had a low glass divider across it. This one is certainly large enough to do something like that whether it was the sink or the stove that ended up on it. I don't particularly like exposed sinks on islands because in most peoples houses they are surrounded by slimy detergent bottles and sponges and dirty dishes and I really don't want to look at that when I eat either. At least a cooktop is clear sometimes or I am looking at the same thing I am eating.

But whether anyone besides the homeowner personally likes a sink or cooktop on an island is beside the point, one or the other has to end up on the island in this kitchen, and its certainly large enough for either one of those. Is there any way to do an island hood?

here's a pic that might give an idea of an oven positioned lower on a wall stack of cabs. just pretend the micro isn't above it - the top edge of the oven is 43" from the floor.

How about oven stack, DW and cleanup at the top? And cheat that 8.5" space at the DR doorway if necessary.

Then fridge and pantry can flank the 14' cooktop wall on the right.

I would so like to see cleanup and prep untangled...

celticmoon-

I would need a trash pullout there too, wouldn't I? I don't think it would all fit on the top wall. But if I move the cooktop to the right wall, I could put the oven in the island and also a prep sink. I will play around with it.

I REALLY want a Silgranit super single. Anyone know what size cabinet it requires? I didn't see it on the specs.
Also, how wide for a trash pullout single and double?

The Silgranit super singles I found online say they require a 36" base cabinet. Most single trash pullouts are 15" many doubles are 18".

I'm late to the conversation but it couldn't be helped, thanks to a two-day migraine. Better today although I have a migraine hang-over. ;-p

numbersjunkie, we currently have an island cooktop so I will give you feedback based on my experience. We have 16" on either side of our 30" cooktop with 13" behind it. We have a 7" pop-up telescoping downdraft. When we started planning a kitchen update, we intended to keep our existing layout. Then I started looking at how our kitchen worked and realized that the 16" to the left of our cooktop is the hardest working counter in my kitchen because it's handiest to wall oven and fridge. I have oodles of counter on the far side of my kitchen but it's too many steps to get from here to there to be useful. So, we're moving our cooktop to the perimeter.

However, looking at your plan above, I don't think you'll run into the same hang-ups we have. You have a nice stretch of counter next to your fridge with a prep sink - that's a nice plus. Plus it looks like your island is larger than ours, another plus.

Your current angled island is a nice look but if you turn it to run parallel to your sink wall, you could eliminate the angled ends on either side of the cooktop, gaining counter space. I have angled corners like yours on the backside of my island and I find them quite unusable for work space. The angled seating area isn't a problem, IMO. In fact, it's a good thing since it eliminates the in-a-row lunch counter feel. You could curve that section for a softer look. Keeping the angle also gives you a wider aisle between table to fridge.

If I counted the squares correctly (big if, migraine hangover) you could end up with an 8' long island, giving you 33" on either side of a 30" cooktop. If you needed to shrink the island to 7', you'd still have 27" on either side. I would love to have that much space on either side of my island cooktop!

Today's downdrafts work much better than our 15+ year old downdraft plus many of them have a taller rise, giving them an additional edge. However, they are not cheap. IIRC, the 14" rise pop-up from Thermador was about $2K, not counting installation. An island hood can be less costly but the required duct work increases costs. Installation could be a cake walk or a PITA. On the plus side, island hoods work better than downdrafts so it's worth considering especially if your style of cooking would benefit from better ventilation. I also think your kitchen space and your island's size balance the portions of an island hood quite well, definitely better than I felt my kitchen and island would.

Back to the whole clearance around cooktop discussion. My style of cooking must be different than others. There are many things I cook that don't require me to stand and attend to them, leaving that space free and clear for anyone to walk past. Since that aisle is the main pathway between oven/pantry/fridge area and sink - the fridge sits almost directly across from the cooktop - it gets a lot of traffic. Even so, we've never had an issue with anything spattering on people as they pass the cooktop despite the mere inch or so of clearance between cooktop and aisle.

I know many here aren't keen on island cooktops - and that's okay, we don't all have to have the same kitchen lay-out (how boring!) - but I think your plan with or without the tweaks I've suggested is a good one for your needs. HTH!