A barrier island increases the walking and amount of work needed in order to do work in the kitchen. It also violates the NKBA guidelines on several fronts. Ask your ''designer'' about that. In addition, the MW is in the wrong location. And the kitchen is designed as full, overlay, just using inset boxes. Inset kitchens are designed differently. Or should be. And there aren't enough uppers to make the upcharge to inset worth it. Built in fridge? Not counter depth? Because the aisle space is inadequate for even counter depth.

This kitchen would function much better with a peninsula than an island. In full overlay. With fridge side panels designed for a real sized refrigerator.

Personally, I might find it a hindrance to have to walk around that much length, and would consider halving the length (only keeping the cabinets part). Then, I would also consider rounding the cabinets and counters, or at least rounding just the island counter at the edges- so you aren't worrying about bumping into a sharp counter edge while maneuvering around the kitchen.

However- I agree with Sophie that peninsula would be best and nix the island.

37" for the dishwasher door to open is questionable.

My only suggestion is to leave some walking space when the dishwasher is open....37" is WAY too close. When you empty the dishwasher you need easy access to the rest of the dish-ware and cookware storage places. I prefer 42" inches between cabinetry, even if it means a narrower island.
Use blue painters tape on the floor and mark how far a dishwasher door extends when open. Too close for comfort.
In my previous house, I had a 6-foot wall of tall, shallow cabinets for storing all dishes, glassware, and large bowls. The shelves were 12" deep. If the cabinets on the other side were shallow, you gain space. Consider moving the island to the right (away from the dishwasher), leaving 42" clear. You should also have 42" in front of the stove and refrigerator. Symmetry is less important than utility. You may end up with a shorter island which doesn't line up with the range, but you can move around the kitchen much more easily, especially if someone is working with you.

PS. The designer who works for the cabinet company doesn't have to live in your kitchen. He/she sells cabinetry.

I have a similar layout, but for 3 things:

1. my fridge, stove and sink are on 2 walls instead of 3. Having to walk around the island for the fridge would make me batty.
2. the cabinetry I have on the far side of the island is a floor to ceiling 15" deep pantry wall. This allows the aisles on either side of the island to be significantly wider. And since the pantry isn't a main work area, the aisle in front of it is 36" so that the aisle in front of the sink can be wider.
3. my island is 72" long, not 96" and has radiused ends so I don't catch my hips on sharp corners.

All kitchens make compromises unless you have an unlimited budget. Were I you,

• I'd move the fridge over to the end of the run of cabinets that has the sink. That will put it on the periphery of the kitchen where grazers can get to it without interrupting the cook.
• I'd lose the table portion of the island. Normal height tables are easier to sit and anyway, you don't have room for seating with your current layout.
• I'd reduce the depth of your pantry wall so you can move your island over a bit.

Thank you everyone! As much as I appreciate your comments I'm also a bit overwhelmed!! I really was hoping for an island my children could sit at, but I would be unhappy if the dishwasher didn't open fully or if it's not convenient to unload... Same thing with the fridge! We don't have it in budget to hire our own kitchen designer. I'm completely fine with full overlay and forgoing the inset. The cabinet salesperson was pushing the onset and of course inset is pretty, but I realize true inset is expensive. I'm really torn about the island! I had the island made long so that they can sit at the far end vs sitting along the fridge side. What to do?!!

I like and prefer the sense of space around each appliance you have. Refrigerators are big solid walls to me so I like them not crowding where I would spread out to work. I don't find your refrigerator too far from your sink at all.

Jennifer K, I like your ideas! Thank you! I'm thinking everything over.

I don't think walking around is a big deal. You NEED the island with kids. It will become the center of everything. Don't worry about the dishwasher - it's your house do what you want

I like Jennifers suggestions too and think that with them you have ample space for seating at the island.

Regarding the original plan, that could work too (I agree that the dishwasher might drive you insane). Do you know what kind of fridge you will have? Full door? French door? Side by side? counter depth? Those things will influence what gap you need between it and the island.

If you do move the fridge you could afford to have a slightly smaller gap between the shallow pantry wall and the island - and then possibly have a usable cupboard on pantry side of the island (where B28.5 (FHD) are) rather than what looks to be a panel.

Good Luck

What do you guys think of us doing the island cabinets 24" wide and then the countertop will make the total width 26"? That will give us 4" more for floor space. We can put it on either side.

Here are a few of my inspiration pictures for long and narrow islands.

You can make the island smaller....24" wide because a 37" walkway is NOT enough space to open the dishwasher. We just remodeled ours and made it 42". I lived with 36" for 22 years and had bruises on my legs every week from that darned dishwasher.

If you add a peninsula instead of an island, your children will still be able to do work and NOT be under your feet and in the center of the kitchen. You can add the peninsula at the end of the sink counter. Your children can be there and not be in the way. You can put a door on the back of the cabinet in the corner so the kids can store "their stuff" there and access it easily.

Your refrigerator will stick out 36" including handles. Your plan does not take that into account.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE listen to Sophie. She can be hard, but she is always right and is truly looking out for your best.

Microwave drawers are very expensive. Is there a countertop on which it can sit?

A 13' wide kitchen is really not enough room to have an island. I had one for years with a 30" x 60" island and it was too close to the cooktop, ovens, and the dishwasher (36-39"). A 24" wide island is just too small to be useful. Plus, as Sophie says, it's a barrier island, and should have a second sink in it. And you definitely will NOT have enough room for seating at it. A peninsula will give you more flexibility and you will have room for seating.

Looking at your inspiration photo's I think they all show islands that are at least 30" wide (judging by the stoves at the end, sinks within or that there are two stools underneath etc.) But certainly they are all beautiful and no wonder you are enthusiastic about a long narrow island.

I worry that a 24" island would look like you didn't have room for an island, but put one in anyway........

If you are dead against a peninsular layout (and perhaps someone will draw one up for you and post in the comments here), then I think your best option is moving the fridge to the sink wall, then have a 42" gap walkway, a 30" island, another 42" walkway and finally a wall of 18" deep cabinets.

Of course this will mean that the seating area is at the same end of the island as the fridge, but I think your children can sit at the opposite side and the narrow end.

I have 18" deep pantry cabinets and find them a good depth - plenty of storage, but not so deep that items get lost in the back or are unaccessible. When seeking advice from friends about my reno, a common complaint was 24" pantry cabinets - unless you have pull out drawers, which of course reduces useable space.

So very difficult to know what to do for best - really only you can decide/know what you really want and what will work for your family.......... But, that you asked for advice even though you were about ready to order, indicates that you have some doubts.

Before committing, I would certainly have the cabinet supplier draw up an option with a shallow pantry wall and an option with a peninsular.

My island is 24" wide. But it is a work surface, not a table substitute. It works extremely well in my small kitchen, turning a too-wide U into a just right L-shaped galley + pantry. The compromise we had to make is that the aisle between the island and the dishwasher is only 38" wide. And yes, that is tight. But because the island is narrow, walking down the other side isn't a hardship so the lack of clearance for 2 people to pass each other isn't an issue.

Here's the approximate floorplan of my kitchen (we scooted the island 2" over in the final version). I hope this helps:

One way to go might be to take this plan and some of the suggestions (Sophie and Jennifer have both made good suggestions) to another free designer -- for example, most Lowes will do a free design session with you. It means picking from their lines of cabinets, but it's a way to get a sense of what's possible with the shallower pantry or with a peninsula without finding an expensive designer. And sure, they want to sell you cabinets, but they also want you to actually use their plan. Anyway, it's a way to get a Second Opinion without breaking the bank or having a nervous breakdown from reading here. :)