Ovens--check the specs of your ovens. Each manufacturer has a recommendation for placement. Mine, for instance, should be mounted with the top at 67" off the ground.

Typical aisle clearance is 48". There have been a couple recent threads on aisle width in a galley. But you don't have a typical galley because you have the island. Aisles can be wider or narrower depending on many things, like pathways to other rooms through the kitchen and appliance placement, preference, etc. Do you have a scaled layout you could post? That could help answer the question for your layout in your house.

Thanks Breezy.

Unfortunately, I don't have a scaled layout yet. The current kitchen layout (which I will keep) is oven, cooktop on one side of the wall. From oven/cooktop to other wall which house the fridge & pantry is an aisle of 109" (island is not in the way). Sink & diswasher is on the island. From cooktop to island the aisle is currently 32" (we had to dance round the island to pass). I can reduce the size of the island to 30" and have an aisle of 40" or have an island of 35" with cabinets on both side and aisle of 36". Is 36" sufficient? I don't want to make the same mistake of have a narrow aisle again.

Oven - I have a wolf 30" double oven. I used to have a stack with a micro on top. I did not like the config. The micro was too high. I'm 5'8", if I place the top of the oven 5'8" off the ground, do you think it will be akward to take a roasting pan out from the oven?

I'm reusing all my appliance from the previous remodel 4 years ago. I had a flood and cabinets are destroyed.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks

Without seeing a scaled layout, I'll comment on what I can picture on my head. An aisle over 9' is quite a trek. That's practically a marathon during a busy meal prep. Is there a way to move the island into that aisle a bit to make more room for the aisle on the other side? 36" is still pretty small, but smaller isn't always bad on an aisle between your water source/prep area and the cooktop. But having the DW open in that aisle makes 36" tight. To create the 40" aisle, shrinking the island with the only sink and DW down to 30" wide doesn't seem like a good idea.

Why can't you change the layout? Can't you move the island into that 9' aisle? Again, this is just my view without seeing a layout. ;)

I bought Wolf 30" ovens for the kitchen and I'm 5'8" also. I've never used wall ovens so I'm not sure how it'll feel to take a roasting pan out of the top. I know I'll take that into account deciding which pan to put in which oven. I've never heard about people our height having difficulty with the top oven, only shorter folks. But I don't pay attention to every oven comment. You know, Rhome410 has a 30" Wolf double also and I believe she's our roughly our height. I've never heard her mention the height to be a problem.

All I know is that the Wolf specs call for my oven to be placed at 67" off the ground (I heard from my cab maker this is a typical height) so that's what I'm doing. HTH!

I finally got a pic of the layout but unable to upload onto the photo gallery. Nothing happens when I click on the submit photo button. Internet explorer is also blocking some of the threads here too....

My kitchen is kinda U shape with the island in between. Near the bottom of the U to the right, there is an entry way to the dinning room. From the bottom of the U to the tip of the island is 48", I can get from one side of the U to the other by going round the width of the island - the 9' trek =)

When I remodeled the kitchen 4 yrs ago, I demolish the peninsular (top of the U) and relocate the sink & DW onto an island that runs across the kitchen. The island sits two at the top of the U. SO I'm kinda stuck with this layout since the plumbing & electrical are there. I guess it's 36" or 40" aisle.

Thanks for the recommendation on the oven. I just measured it & 67" will definately work. One worry over! Thanks.

Did you upload your pic to a photosharing site? Are you having trouble there or copying it from that site to a post here?

Why can't you move the electrical and plumbing? Out of budget? Are you sure? It can cost much less than you think, and if it gets you a much better layout in the end it's worth it. I'm not saying a 40" aisle won't work. Many make that work, but it depends on the location of appliances, etc. You've been dealing with less!

Question: does this aisle stop and turn?
Or, does this aisle continue in a straight line.

A turn requires more space or it forces people to stop and let others by.
It's also the place where people hangout and block the flow.
This is important. How much space is enough, in a galley; / two rows of
cabinets running along opposite walls with a long island in between?
It depends on the corners.

Some people are Very Happy with 39". A few people.
That is a straight line aisle.
Some will say that a couple inches more is better.

Many houses have entire corridors that are narrow. Walls are a lot higher than a run of kitchen cabinets. Cabinets are a low barrier, not high.

The aisle stop & turn into wider spaces; another 48" wide aisle at the bottom of the U and into open space (den) at the top of the U.

Wish I can post the pic but unable to upload into any photo share website.

Breezy, you're right 36" with the DW open is very tight. I will go with a 40" aisle on both side of the 31" X 110" island.

Thanks for all your help.