Just noticed pics posted in reverse order -_- which makes my kitchen pic references confusing... need to count from bottom up... sorry

Well, one thing for sure is that if you add an extra wall of cabinetry, your costs are going up substantially. Do you need the extra storage space of an additional wall of cabinetry?

The space is small to have a U-shaped kitchen with an island in the middle, even if turned according to the red lines. There are NKBA guidelines for space recommendations around seating areas on an island. I don't remember what they are offhand, but I can definitely tell you that it is a lot more than 3 1/2 feet for a seating area with a walkway behind it. That is closer to recommended space for a walkway with no seating. You can do whatever you want since it is your build, but I am afraid your seating area would block access to an additional row of cabinetry as well as prevent passage when anyone is seated there. Your seating would also have to be able to be stowed underneath the island when not in use to create the minimum space necessary to function with a U-shaped kitchen.

I agree the plan looks a bit off balance. Maybe some other posters will have more ideas.

Do you not have any windows for the kitchen area or are they just missing from the plan?

@Inspo Inspo

Thanks, I'll look into island seating guidelines

@BeverlyFLADeziner

Windows haven't been added to plan yet. I'd like as much natural light as possible, so I'm thinking large window by sink and probably windows flanking the stove.

Definitely read the NKBA guidelines;

http://starcraftcustombuilders.com/kitchen.design.rules.htm

Per rule 4, above, I'd

scrap the corner pantry - it blocks you from having an unbroken countertop between the sink and stove, which is where you need it most for prep. Otherwise the L looks good per the mantra "ice, water, stone, fire" ([https://www.houzz.com/discussions/looking-for-layout-help-memorize-this-first-dsvw-vd~2699918[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/looking-for-layout-help-memorize-this-first-dsvw-vd~2699918)). Check the distances to make sure the stove and fridge aren't too far apart, and make sure any island doesn't block the flow in the fridge-sink-stove triangle.

@Lorena G. I just looked up and you would actually barely have room for your idea according to minimum guidelines, but your clearances wouldn't allow wheelchair access. Here is a link to a nice illustrated version of the NKBA recommendations with text copied below: http://ocean.otr.usm.edu/~w135249/pdf/id140/NKBA%20Kitchen%20Planning.pdf

Work Aisle: The width of a work aisle should be at least 42 inches for one cook and at least 48 inches for multiple cooks.

Walkway: The width of a walkway should be at least 36 inches.

Traffic Clearance at Seating: In a seating area where no traffic passes behind a seated diner, allow 32 inches of clearance from the counter/table edge to any wall or other obstruction behind the seating area. If traffic passes behind the seated diner, allow at least 36 inches to edge past or at least 44 inches to walk past.

Seating Clearance: Kitchen seating areas should incorporate at least the following clearances: At 30-inch-high tables/counters, allow a 24-inch-wide by 18-inch-deep knee space for each seated diner. At 36-inch-high counters, allow a 24-inch-wide by 15-inch-deep knee space. At 42-inch-high counters, allow a 24-inch-wide by 12-inch-deep knee space.

The shallow pantry cabinets as shown in Mama's plan could actually be built as a regular closet. My pantry closet is only 15" deep and it is a regular built in closet.

Mama's plan is much more efficient.

Pullout pantries are IMO the most efficient use of space. I often do a wall of pantries and the fridge you get tons of real accessible storage and the conter depth fridge looks almost buitlin without the cost of a builtin one. Corner pantries are a waste of space for sure.IMO you need 24” deep pantry space .When I say pullouts I mean actual pullouts not doors that need to be opened and then the shelves pullout. If this is anew build then get a kitchen designer now not the architect and not a cabinet salesperson or your contractor . This space is large and can be awesome but you need real help.

Not advice related (I think mama_goose's is a great improvement!), just wanted to say how much I like the blues in your inspiration pictures. Good luck with your project - come back and post pictures! =)

@mama goose_gw zn6OH Thanks so much for taking the time to draw out your suggestion! It definitely helps to visualize it, rather than just describing with words. I can clearly see the work triangle, however I can't tell what size island/configuration you're suggesting or what "MW" means...I also had to look up "ROTS", which I'm now assuming means the cabinets where you open doors and then pull out drawers, but I may be wrong -_- sorry, not too familiar with this lingo... I'm going to share this with my husband and the builder for sure to see if costs would increase significantly with these changes. It would be great to get rid of that corner pantry as I've always thought the space seems inconvenient. Thanks again!

@Patricia Colwell Consulting Do you mean pull out pantry like in this photo?

MW = microwave. :)

And yes, Patricia means like those you show. More expensive than just doing a closet though.

@cpartist Ooooo ok thanks!

I don't like those big rollout pantry cabinets. They are heavy and quite difficult for a child to use. I'd much prefer a closet that is either a huge, deep walk-in, or a shallow one where things don't get lost in the back. Corner pantry? UGH! Awful waste of space and just screams "tract house".

Try to find something to divide that long space. You can use small walls with bookcases to define the area between the eating area and your great room. They don't need to be very wide, but add dimension to this long space. You will still have a huge opening and the "sight lines" so valued by those who love open concept.

"Pullout pantries are IMO the most efficient use of space."

For those with unlimited budgets, yes, they may be the most efficient but the cost of each one alone (hardware only) is about $800 plus the cost of the cabinet so likely about $1500 each (total guess on my part) each. A closet would cost FAR less than that . And I agree with Anglophilia that they are heavy. I cannot imagine having to go down a long run of those pulling each and every one out to find out where some child of mine erroneously put the grocery item I need for dinner nor can I imagine having to do that to make my grocery list each week. Being able to walk in and visually see my entire pantry at once would be a non-negotiable for me.

I'm not totally opposed to a corner pantry and whether they scream "tract house" or not is not something I would be too concerned with IF they work in your space. However, I'd put it in the other corner so that your cabinets wrap around.

My plan was a rough layout--sorry, I am so used to the standard abbreviations, I forget everyone else isn't TKO (totally kitchen obsessed ;).

The depth of the island is 42", which accommodates standard 24" deep cabinets, a back panel, 15" seating overhang, and 1-2" front overhang.Since space is tight, if you use a 1/4" back panel, and only 1" front overhang, you can save an inch, or so, and add it to the traffic aisle.

The length of the island will be determined by the length of the shallow pantry cabinets (if you want them to line up), and how far the cabinets on the right side extend into the dining area, as well as how much of the DR space is available for the seating on the short side. On the working side, if you use a drawer MW on the left, an 18" prep sink, an 18" trash pull-out, and an 18-24" drawer base to give you 36-42" of prep space to the right of the sink, that's 6.5' to 7' of cabinetry. Add the 15" seating overhang on the short side, and you'll have a few inches under, or a few inches over, 8'. To accommodate 4 seats on the long side, you'll need 8' (24" per seat), so let's call it 8'.

You'll want 4' between the clean-up zone and the island, and the perimeter base cabinetry will be maybe 25.5" with the counter overhang. So now the DR end of the island is at 14'-14.5' of the available 16'. If that's too long, and you can get by with only 3 island seats, then the overhang can be omitted on the short side. Widths of island base cabinets can be adjusted a few inches to fit the length you choose.

A less expensive alternative to the ROTS pantry beside the fridge, might be a side-loading pantry cabinet, or upper cabinets stacked to look like a tall pantry cabinet. Stacked uppers could also be used on the shallow pantry wall, or as cpartist suggested, have the shallow pantry framed.

See one of my space-saving favorites, GW member cindyandmocha's shallow pantry wall, [in this thread.[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/my-new-finished-kitchen-pic-heavy-dsvw-vd~2686498)

I like the shallow pantry idea, but maybe just enough depth for the mix master and cuisinart.