I actually like the peninsula but no corner sink. Have you explored putting the sink in the peninsula and squaring off the corner? This would give you better storage with a lazy Susan in the corner and a pull out trash by the sink.

We can definitely move the sink. We’re on a a tall crawl space so it wouldn’t be too hard and we’re switching to a gas stove so we have to do plumbing anyway. Good thought about the trash.

Plan 3 . You can place sink in rt angle corner scenario. The cart is a small storage area : only landing ? Correct ? Even 21 in deep is useful . So it’s frIidge w side panels then dishwasher then sink then range and hood on shorter inside wall ? id do that one : range and hood with tile backsplash maybe Giass doored cabs flanking hood etc .... this can be played up and you’ve had to compromise with no island seating .

Option 1 if only for the needed counter space.

As these are drawn out, I would go with option 2. I think you would like having the sink right across from the stove like that. But looking at option 1....if you have the ability to put some stools at the L shaped counter, couldn't you just scrap that dining area and add in a big pantry for storage? Or is that your formal dining area and I'm just misunderstanding.

The pencil is what I have now. Everything g is drawn to scale. 1 box on the graph paper equals 1 foot. The “island” can be max 24 inches wide including overhang. That leaves 36” on either side, which is the bare minimum required. The “dining” is my eat- in-kitchen/breakfast room — we also have a formal dining area. I can’t move those doors but I could make them a single door.

Also, the doors swing open now but my plan is to make that a slider if I go with the peninsula option, with the opening on the side toward the family room.

I would go for option with the peninsula, though possibly not bother with seating. I don't think an island would work.

Ok, if I move the sink to the peninsula, then the dishwasher has to move and that means the stove has to move to the wall with the refrigerator. The corner windows would have to stay. Does this work?

Option 2. A helper can be unloading the DW without entering your prep triangle, and the fridge is convenient to the DR and FR.

Option 2, definitely! There isn't room for Options 1 & 3.

I like the original option 1. Nice to have dining in the kitchen for quick meals. We often eat in the kitchen and only use the dining room for large gatherings.

Good point about the dishwasher when it is open being out of the work triangle. I can actually see how the peninsula option could be dangerous (someone walking with a pan full of boiling water to the sink with the dishwasher open). On the other hand, option 2 means anyone walking into and out of the garage is walking through the work triangle. Ugh.

"On the other hand, option 2 means anyone walking into and out of the garage is walking through the work triangle. Ugh"

No, it doesn't. The prime work area is b/w the sink and range. Someone walking into the Kitchen from the garage will not wander into the work area, they'll bypass it.

While there may be an issue when the DW door is open, I don't think it will be a big issue.

Of the three primary work zones (Prep, Cooking, Cleanup), if one has to be in a busier location, pick the Cleanup Zone for that location. The Cooking Zone & Prep Zone should be the most protected (with the #1 protected zone being the Cooking Zone).

Option 2...tweaked & work zones

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Option 1...

• Unless you switch the swing on the garage door, you won't have room for a standard-depth refrigerator, even a counter-depth will be an issue. You'll have to get a built-in. Or, switch the swing on the garage door.
• You have virtually no counterspace b/w the range and sink -- the most important workspace in the Kitchen since you only have one sink (and you don't have room for a second).
• You won't have room for dish storage in the Cleanup Zone (where the DW is). Instead, you'll have to store your dishes in the middle of the Prep Zone, which means someone unloading the DW or setting the table will get in the way of someone trying to prep/cook.
• Finally, you don't have enough room for the table + peninsula seating + door. You need at least 54" between the table and peninsula since the seating will be back-to-back and you need the space for people to pass b/w them to get to the door.
• Working it up to show you the issues, I realized you don't have room for a "standard" 36" wide refrigerator on that wall! Refrigerators are standardizing on 36" width, so deliberately designing in a narrower refrigerator is not the best idea for future replacement.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Option 3...

• You don't have enough aisle space b/w the island and perimeter
• You now have the range and Cooking Zone in the worst possible location -- right in the middle of traffic using the garage door
• Again, you have virtually no counterspace b/w the range and sink -- the most important workspace in the Kitchen since you only have one sink
• If you make the work aisle b/w the island and perimeter even the bare minimum width (42"), you now won't have enough room b/w the bathroom wall and the island. For a walkway, you need 36".
• No room for pantry storage.

Even if the island was 24" deep, that's only 3" less than what I show (it's 27" above) -- those 3" won't help. You need more like 15" to get a 36" wide walkway.

Buehl, thank you so much for this amazing analysis. It's not the news I was hoping for, of course, as I'm on the island train and wish I could make it fit! But if it doesn't then it doesn't. Although I could see doing some kind of a work table (see photo). One thing about the peninsula plan is that if the table goes into the family room a bit, that is fine (the room is large and there is some dead space toward the kitchen). We are removing those small walls bordering the family room/eating area to make the wall flush (so the table can be pushed toward the family room a bit) and I'm changing the doors to sliders. I think that will help with crowding. Not sure how much this matters, but the smaller rectangle that you've drawn next to the larger rectangle will also be cabinetry -- either uppers and lowers or a floor to ceiling pantry.

"Not sure how much this matters, but the smaller rectangle that you've drawn next to the larger rectangle will also be cabinetry -- either uppers and lowers or a floor to ceiling pantry."

Do you mean the stairs? Oh! Those are not additional stairs (on a 90-degree angle to the main stairs)!