The kitchen sink will be a Ticor single bowl undermount 30" x 19" in the island.

I think you'll get a lot of comments about many things. But I can start by saying that the cooking zone and the clean-up zone overlap and that might make you unhappy if you and your DH are working in the kitchen together.

Here is a link that might be useful: layout

Thanks for pointing that out :-). I can move the island towards the LR so I can have 42" aisles on each side of the island.

The drawings are my very lame effort at explaining things. How should I lay out those two areas as my DH and I are usually always working together.

How wide is your aisle? It seems you could use the counterspace you'd gain by putting the oven undercounter and the microwave in the island or in the bottom shelf of an upper over the oven. Here are a few alternative plans, although the pantry is lost. But I hope it spurs more conversation and other ideas for you.

Part of the thing about using graph paper is so you see where the plan might be wrong. In the original plan on the stair wall with the 36" ref and the 30" ovens in, I presume, a 30" cabinet with a 36" corner cabinet = 8.5 feet. If the ref is built-in or even just looks built-in, then it will need around 3-6" more in length to accommodate even minimal side walls or panels, so its really up around 9 feet.

Apologies if that sounds harsh - I don't mean it to be.

Rhome did some nice ones, I'm liking number 2 best.

i didn't see any windows in your drawings but rhome put some in. she's magic! her LOs look good.

Thank you Rhome and bmore for your suggestions and comments. I really do appreciate it! As a matter of fact, I do have graph paper and will sit down to sketch it out properly now.

The 8' wall can be extended up to 9'and the long wall 15'. We have 8" ceilings and cabinets will go to the ceiling. Both DH and I are tall. I don't like undercounter ovens, I like them at waist height or a little lower and the MW over top of that. I really want the main (and only) sink in the island so that I can interact with family and guests.

I made an updated layout on graph paper and tried the same om smartdraw but I'm having trouble making the measurements add up on the computer.

The windows (about 30" wide) I put in would go between the counter and wall cabinets. The corner cabinet and small cabinets beside it would have glass doors.

Now my MIL has got me worried since she said all the design shows say not to pit a fridge or ovens on the end of a counter run...is this true?

Thanks again for all the help.

Here is a link that might be useful: updated layout

You said that 2 of you often work in the kitchen at once...What do you each do? With the sink, dw, and stove so close and in the same aisle, you have potential conflict issues with doors and with people trying to use and stand/walk in the same areas. That's what side-by-side task areas with an open island, or, even better, the 2-sink plans, were trying to avoid. The open island, or island with prep sink would allow prepping/chopping at the island as you visit, rather than cleanup chores and dirty dishes gathering in front of your guests.

Do you get dirty dish pileup, and other things sitting around your sink (soap, dish detergent, sponges and rags, water glasses)? We do, so having the main sink in the island will put those constantly on display to the other room..But maybe you're neater.

I'm not trying to argue the main sink in the island, but trying to point out possible downsides for this particular plan...So you don't say "Why didn't anyone tell me?" If we point them out and you decide they're things you want to live with over other options, then you won't have regrets or 2nd guessing later.

In any of my plans, the oven and micro could be stacked again...I'd just wanted to suggest the counter space, but there is room for them to go back up. If you did them next to the fridge (As in adjusted plans 2 or 3), I'd avoid the corner cave-like counter by bringing the rest of the uppers down to the counter for pantry space.

With windows only under the upper cabs, you're only concerned about lighting on the counter and not more natural light for the room, in general, or the view out?

I think I speak for more than just me when I say we'd still rather see your plan on graph paper, because I can't tell for certain what's going on with your cabinet sizes/configuration or aisle widths.

As long as you get a refrigerator that is hinged on the right side, and you have "landing space" on the countertop just to the left, I think you will be OK.

I am mourning the loss of your windows a bit -- will there be other natural light coming from the room to the right of the island? Can you gain storage by making the island wider and putting cabinets that open onto both the left and the right sides?

Somewhere on here I saw a great photo of the windows that just go between the upper and the lower cabinets, but I have no idea how to find it for you.

Remember that your cabinetmaker can start on the island cabinets, and the surround and top cabinet for the fridge, while you take a few more days to get the layout for the rest finalized. It's surprising how much difference the layout makes in how the kitchen actually functions!

Thank you again Rhome.

I finally have a plan on graph paper. The aisles are 42' wide and I just found out that the 8' wall must remain that length. I can got to a 30" CD fridge as I have a second fridge in the basement. I spoke to DH about a prep sink and he doesn't want one either. We usually work well in the kitchen as he's usually cooking and I prep and clean up and do the baking.

We're putting the windows at countertop level as there is no view (except into the side of my neighbour's house and shed). We are thinking of putting in light tubes but I've never seen them in a kitchen, only bathrooms.

Tanks everyone again for your suggestions. I am seriously looking at all of them and you've all given me much food for thought.

Here is a link that might be useful: layout

The cabinetmaker should be at your house measuring then providing a complete kitchen design viewable in 3D before he starts putting boxes together. Even if it delays the project, get the design right before letting him push you into his schedule. The kitchen is a critical space where nothing should be left to chance...right down to the exact cutout sizes for your various appliances.

Rhome's plans are nice (esp #2 as it's similar to my kitchen ;) I would agree that the MW/WO combo can be located beside the fridge. With those two appliances out to the side, dish storage can go into wall cabinets to the left of the cooktop. Also if you move your DW to the other side of the island, these wall cabinets will be in closer proximity and can also allow the DW door to open without hitting dh's butt while he's frying up his grilled cheese.

Whether you need windows depends on the other sources of light in the space. I have windows and a french door beside my nook which is about 10' away from the kitchen so I didn't feel the need to compromise cabinet space for light. If you have a pantry in another room, perhaps you can then compromise the cabinets otherwise I'd maximize storage and perhaps consider adding a skylight.

Photobucket is hooped so I can't link a drawing of our kitchen. I liked how it turned out. My mother inlaw made some good suggestions ;)

The minute I saw your sketch, I thought, boy rhome is going to be saying something!

Please rethink the dw location as it opens into the back of the chefs legs. The other thing about its position is you need to walk each and every dish about 9 feet to put it away.

You have a nearly perfect situation for a step in pantry where you have the blind corner. That would eliminate the pantry on the cooking wall and allow for two same size windows, with the cooktop moved away from the corner. This may or may not help resolve the dw issue.

Thanks bmore. Actually I want the DW closer to my living room but DH wants it on that side. I can switch that out easily. I really like the idea of a corner pantry. If it's a corner pantry, then the DW can stay where it is, the oven/MW can go by the fridge and the cooktop can move down the wall and I can get wider windows.

More to think about. I put off the cabinet maker so I can think this though more.

Like this, Bmore?

Another thing I saw when messing with this is that you have the trash between you at the sink and the dw...I often have both open at once so that I can drop in napkins, scrape plates, etc. It wouldn't work for me to have the trash in the middle. I would want the dw next to the dishes, then sink, then trash, then 18" drawer bank...Or is that for dishes, and silverware, too?

Yes, but you said it better. The darned thing about the tall tub dws is that their doors take about 28-30" when open. So in a 42" aisle, chef has 12-14".

Not enough for my butt! Plus,I'm subject to sudden fits of turning to grab stuff without paying attention! :)