I don't think your kitchen has enough counter. Work on all the vertical items which have gobbled up counters. Reversing the double ovens w pantry and instead use a narrow pantry and base drawers so the counter coming out of corner will be greater. I don't like the wine fridge as part of this....I'd restrict that to under counter model...add a second one elsewhere in the residence. this will give back some counter

I don't think 4'6" is too wide for a work aisle, especially in a vacation home where multiple helpers might be in the kitchen.

I think I like the range better. But I hear you on the reasoning for wall ovens. I also agree with the above comment regarding the wine fridge. It takes up a lot of good, valuable space. I’d put it on the bottom half. Maybe in the island and possibly cover it with a cabinet veneer but not totally necessary... the other thing I noticed is the upper cabinets near the vent. They don’t look very functional. If you don’t need them for storage etc.... I’d probably remove the ones by the range and window, do a larger,maybe cabinet veneer vent. And have the backsplash go to the ceiling.

The following isn’t very important. Just a little bit of my own personal weird thing lol ( pantry wall cabinets have always sort of ,I don’t want to say bothered me because they’re not horrible. But designated closets near the kitchen. For extra appliances and food storage just work so much better. Granted you may not have the space. But I wonder. Do you? Can you? Would you?) this is gonna be a fun space to watch come together. Can’t wait! Good luck

I like the range, agree about minimizing the wine fridge for more counter. The island seat across from the fridge will be an annoying pinch point. I also agree about the hood. no cabinets over that. make sure it's larger than the range: 54" or so. I think a chimney hood will look odd with that size and that ceiling height, so consider a cabinet hood insert or full width stainless.

Thanks for all the comments thus far. First, the wine fridge. Well, the house was something I really wanted and wasn't my husband's first choice. He really wants the wine fridge so I'm trying really hard to incorporate it. We saw another same model home where their full height wine fridge was in the corner of the dining room at the front of the house (which leads to the front courtyard which is the main outdoor entertaining area) and I thought it looked really odd there so this current location has been the only other place I've been able to find. I'll broach the topic with him about counter height but feel like it's something I want to incorporate for him.

Pantry. I WISH I had room for a walk in pantry somewhere. I've never had one and there's no room for one in this house. I had to struggle to get one here that's 36" which I feel I really need. I'm interested in your comment @herbflavor, about switching the double oven and the pantry in option #1. That area is visible from the front door so my husband thought it would be more pleasing to see a cabinet (likely not something your eye will go to immediately) at that corner rather than an appliance. In addition, if I swap them, there won't be counter right next to the oven which seems important if one has a problem and needs to put a hot item down right away.

Lol, hadn't even noticed the cabinet above the hood. Absolutely will not be doing that. And I haven't started to look at hoods yet but will note the comments. We plan to have quartzite countertops (have them in our other home and love them) and they will be the back splash that goes to the ceiling. Thanks for the feedback about the 4'6" spacing around the island. We have friends with 3'6" and others with 4'2" and, at some point, will go check them both out and make a final decision. We will have 3 stools that will all sit on the far side of the island. A pet peeve of mine is when two people sit at the island to eat and are side by side (we have that now in our other house). Much better to set adjacent or across from one another. If we choose to eat at the island, I will slide one stool to either the dining room side or to the perimeter side just to have better conversation. Will put it back in place when I'm done. Leaving a stool on the perimeter side or even the dining room side would be a pain and we won't do it.

Interesting comment about the cabinet to the side of range. We have that cabinet now and it's where we keep all of our spices. It works really well. I appreciate the feedback about the range vs the double oven. Would love to hear other comments.

Just spoke with my husband and he's ok with a counter height wine fridge in the island. One issue resolved! Although I don't know that counter that far from the sink and other appliances will really be used. I might just end the kitchen after the fridge and have a more aesthetically pleasing kitchen unless someone has a better use for the space? Hmm, maybe an appliance garage/space (something within a cabinet)?

"My 6'4" husband,...he's very happy with the two lower ovens; I wonder if they'll become tough as we get older"

Short answer, probably. Much as some people will scoff and say just exercise and you'll be fine, the reality is that you don't know what's going to happen. Arthritis? Other issues?

Most people will eventually find it more difficult to take things out of below-counter appliances if they have to lean/bend over to access and/or lift heavy objects from below counter height to the counter. Or, for that matter, even carrying heavy things like pots of water from the sink to the range/cooktop.

And, if you think about it, the taller you are, the farther you have to bend down to get to things from below the counter. My DH is 6'5" and he prefers things higher up for easier access (and he's athletic and in good shape). He loves our MW drawer, btw. In fact, he's specifically requested another when we build our retirement home in a few years.

If you plan on keeping this place "forever" and you plan to use it more than a couple of weeks a year, I would seriously think about planning for accessibility.

• Wider work aisles -- you have that, at least b/w the island and sink wall (does that include the refrigerator handles in option 2?) What about b/w the pantry/wall ovens and island (option 2) -or- the refrigerator and island (option 1)? Plan for at least 48"
• Sink & range along the same counter -- you have that
• Higher ovens -- this is what you should think about
• Possibly -- raised DW. Consider raising the DW 6". This may be less of an issue b/c the DW racks pull out completely in most models and, when loading/unloading, you can work with one small item at a time.

Question: Which measurements are applicable? I'm asking because per the pic with the measurements, there are only 36" between the Den wall and the window. Are you moving the window? Are you moving into the Den? Something else?

Measurements: the architect's drawing in the very first photo are applicable. We are definitely thoughtful about the height of things. A raised dishwasher would be nice but I don't think we can lose that counter space.

The architect's drawing shows approx 36" to the window from the Den wall, but your ideas show at least 6' -- that's where my confusion is. I'm trying to reconcile the architect's drawing with your layouts.

Are you taking 3' from the Den?

@buehl, I am rather embarrassed and apologize to those who have been kind enough to read my post and comment. I uploaded an earlier working version of the architect's plans and didn't realize. Thank you for pointing out my error. Here is the current plan:

The kitchen window starts about 7' from the den wall (2' of counter, 4.5' between the counter and the island and I can't find a dimension for the space between where the island ends and the window begins but I'm guessing about 6").

I love that you were wanting to include the wine fridge for your husband. So thoughtful! As far as the appliance garage, there are tip-up door options (Maybe not that tall), and also pocket door options that could work.

Do you need all of your pantry together? Could you use two thinner tall pantry cabinets, one by the fridge (or wall ovens depend on which design your at with your ovens) and the other over by where the wine storage cabinet is? This frees up some counter where you want it more, and steals some counter from where it’s less important to you?

I have a single wall oven, and I love how with the light on I can glance over and see how things are looking, without having to bend down to peer in. It’s not that the bending is hard (yet), it’s just that you can be at a counter working on something else and just turn your head. So I’ve found it a lot nicer to cook with, especially if I have multiple dishes going at once!