Why not create a cozy seating area with a banquette and small table? I think the island will provide more than enough counter space to prepare meals.

On another note, remember to include storage space in the base of the island with doors that open to the kitchen side. It will provide much needed hidden storage so you can eliminate the pantry.

I would also move your fridge to the right closer to the stove and install the sink in the island so you can interact with people while preparing meals and washing dishes.

Peacock Banquette · More Info

One small thing. Odd numbers generally look better. The pendants look a little crowded and busy for a small space. Consider installing three rather than four.

Why not place the fridge all the way to the left so that your countertop is continuous? Or place a 15" tall cabinet pantry, then the fridge and then use the leftover space as counter top?

No sense in dividing the counter top area in two. Might look like this and I have reduced the pendants to 3 instead of four.

designchuck - we'd love to put the sink on the island but the contractor says it's not possible. The island does have a number of cabinets. It's basically 4 wide cabinets with a counter on top. There will be bar stools in front.

flopsycat - Thanks! We will switch to 3

Beverly - We were thinking fridge all the way to the left makes it too far from the rest of the kitchen. Also, the wall where the fridge is now actually goes back about 5" more than the wall behind the sink. With the 24" Ikea cabinets there is no way for us to line up the counter (that we can think of) without taking out that extra 5" of space which would eat into (no pun intended) some of our dining space.

Actually, on second thought, putting the fridge at the end maybe does look good. It's not too far from the sink and stove?

or with joining the two glass cabinets into one line: