WAY too big. You don’t try to dock the Queen Mary at grandpa’s pond where you go ice skating. The whole entire thing is pretty horrifying ftom a space planning point.

Thanks for your feedback - I've made a couple of edits and uploaded a revised photo

TOO BIG really you asked you got the answer . 40" walkways and giant islands are just bad design

Maybe I'm missing it, but where is your fridge? I see a stove and sink in the island, and a pantry marked, but no fridge marked. Are you planning on full floor up cabinetry instead of more traditional upppers/lowers with counters?

Fridge and freezer are built in to the floor to ceiling presses at the bottom of the photo. Yes, full floor to ceiling cabinetry.

It's an awful design. Truly awful. You need to start over with an actual kitchen designer. Not a cabinet seller saying yes to every cockamamie idea that doesn't work.

Re: only have counter space on the island - I like the floor to ceiling presses and if I have enough counter space on the island then why not.

@Minardi - would you mind elaborating why you feel it doesn't work? From my perspective, when I'm cooking / preparing meals / washing-up, with this design I'll always be facing out into the room not facing a wall.

The kitchen ignores spatial minimum requirements, work flow paths, and clearances. It's a poor design.

I like the floor to ceiling presses and if I have enough counter space on the island then why not.

But do you have enough counter space? After the cooker & sink takes big bites out of the island? For prep space and small counter top appliances. Coffeemaker, toaster, air fryer, water kettle...and how are you dealing with electrical supply to power them?

Ok, so full length cabinets with the hidden fridge thing going on. I'm familiar with that, one of my in-laws houses has that kind of setup. I'm personally not fond of it. Or the big island, or the stove in the island- especially with seating right there too. But if you like it, go for it. The next person to worry about would be the person buying the house after you.

@ci_lantro - concrete floor is being re-layed so plumbing / electricity supply requirements can be facilitated. I don't drink tea / coffee but I feel press space will be sufficient to store the appliances I need and to bring them out as needed.

@Kimberli - The design doesn't ignore minimum requirements - from what I've read anything from 36 - 48 inches is recommended for the space between the island and walls / counters. At the moment the design is in the middle of this range. I'd be interested to know what you mean when you say the design ignores work flow paths.

My concern isn't about how you get power to island but about where/ how you are going to place the receptacles.

@ci_lantro Electrician has set out the power point positions which are included in the cabinet structure.

The most valuable space / most used space is between your sink and stove. It looks like you have 1/2 to 3/4 of a square meter there. That will have to house most prep, all "in flight" cooking activities, and possible plating activities. To me - that's nowhere near enough space to be functional.

You POSSIBLY could use some space to the right of the sink for prep - but it's not natural. And if you have a dishwasher, it would be (should be) on the right making that more "clean up".

The counter space to the left of the stove serves a safety purpose and you will likely never use it for anything helpful.

I do not consider that "enough" for a kitchen of this overall size (or even for one half this size)

Putting both the sink and the stove in the island is also a bad idea. Unless you are making risotto every night and standing over a cooktop for HOURS - focus on using the island for prep, but give youself some perimeter space / counters and put the cooktop / stove there - you don't reall y spend a ton of time at a cooktop / stove.

Also - that seat in the corner of the island will be terribly hard to access and the person is essentially trapped by the occupant of the next seat.

This is poor design. In several different ways.

You seem like you are really invested in this plan and push back on all comments. What advice are you looking for? It’s your kitchen. Objectively no one who has commented would build this kitchen but they aren’t, you are.

It is way below the minimum workspace and counter space needs. It's not functional. You will also have challenges with ventilation. Overhead island ventilation is more expensive, for poorer results. Downdrafts are useless. You are setting up a Looks NOT Cooks kitchen. It would be extremely frustrating to physically prepare food in this.

@ HALLETT & Co. I'm not pushing back, I'm seeking clarification on why someone says it ignores spatial minimum requirements when it's in the mid-range of what seems to be generally recommended. Please don't interpret this to mean I'm pushing back - everyone's opinion is valid as long as it's based on correct data.

@Minardi - the extractor fan is built into the island - it pops up from the front of the hob.

From the front of the hob? You sure you didn't mean the back of the hob? I would imagine a pop up vent in the front of the hob would be between the cook and the burners. That wouldn't be good.

Electrician has set out the power point positions which are included in the cabinet structure.

So, is it outlets on the front & ends with cords snaking across the counter & dangling over and interfering with access to drawers*** & doors or pop-up receptacles in the counter top?

***Be mindful of the latest electrical code regarding receptacles in kitchen islands where you live. There have been changes in the NEC code (2023) here in the US. Front facing receptacles are a safety hazard. Pop up receptacles must be approved for use in a kitchen counter top and are significantly more expensive than 'worktop' pop-up receptacles.

@ci_lantro Not to be smart but I'm not the first person to have appliances built into an island - needless to say, there won't be cables interfering with access to drawers etc. Any popup receptacles on the island countertop won't be for the appliances built into the island.

Electricial work here has to be done by a registered electrician who certifies the work is compliant with the codes applicable here.

@ beesneeds sorry, yes to the back of the hob

"from what I've read anything from 36 - 48 inches is recommended for the space between the island and walls / counters"

My design book states that the minimum corridor width should be 48".

It also suggests allowing 16-18" for each bar stool and 24" between the center lines of each bar stool. So four bar stools would require a total width of 9+24+24+24+9 = 90"

@wdccruise Interesting - in all likelihood I'll use no more than 3 bar stools in any case. I've also read that passage width depends on how many cooks there will be - it'll just be me.

@just_janni Thanks for your feedback - I'm primarily interested in views on whether the kitchen island is too big rather than on kitchen design. I'll give you my perspective why the concerns you raised aren't concerns for me.

• There's in excess of a metre square to the right of the hob. I can also use the space before the four stools for prep.
• In my previous kitchen the space to the left of the hob (no bigger than on this island) was the area I've most frequently used - the hob itself is very large on this island - I'm unlikely to ever use all 4 spaces which leaves room for emergency safety measures.
• It will be just me that is using the kitchen - I'd have thought it more important for the kitchen to be big enough for the person(s) using it than for the room
• When I'm in the kitchen most of my time is spent at the hob or close to it.
• The point you make about the stool applies to any chair at a table that is not at an end. I'll likely have only 3 stools in any case which should leave plenty of space to enter / exit.

Way too big ... it overshadows the dining table and the living room furniture. No, it's out of proportion with the rest of the space.

As for counter space, that's not the be-all, end-all. More is not always better.

The 4th inner stool has a return and is much more boxed in than a center chair. But anywho...

You have made your determination that this is perfect for you. It may be. We can't answer that for you.

Enjoy your new space.

The first thing I look at in kitchen design is where things will be stored. The most efficient kitchens have things stored near their point of use. That means spices, oils, cooking utensils, pots and pans, potholders go near the cooktop; knives, cutting boards, colanders and trash go near the prep sink; dishes and flatware go near the dishwasher; leftover containers, bags and wraps for near the fridge; small appliances that don't live on the counter (toaster, coffee maker, mixer) go near the counter where they are used. Then there are miscellaneous things: baking sheets, cake pans, stock pot, dish towels, and of course food - canned and dry goods.

I imagine a microwave or toaster oven will go somewhere.

I don't know how much room your fridge and freezer will take up on the wall, but it seems to me that you are asking a lot of the wall storage/pantry. I suggest you do a detailed storage plan.

Do you actually need island seating, with a table a couple of steps away? I would think a galley kitchen with no seating on the island would be a lot more efficient - even if you do insist on putting the range on the island.

So - are you really only asking for validation of your choices? You appear to be ignoring and/or arguing about the advice.

The truth is that it's a bad functional layout, period. If function is not important to you, then do what you want. However, if function is important to you, then I strongly suggest opening thinking about what everyone is telling you.

Some Kitchen Design Best Practices/Guidelines...

Prep Zone (sink & prep workspace) and Cooking Zone (cooktop or range):

* There should be a least 36" (42" is much better) of straight workspace for prepping immediately adjacent to the sink

* The prep space should be b/w the sink and cooktop/range with no obstacles b/w them and no turning the corner

-or-

* The prep space should be directly across the aisle from the cooktop/range

Minimum Work Aisles are 42" to 48":

* 42" for a work aisle where only one person and always only one person is working in the Kitchen - that includes prepping, cooking, cleaning up, etc.

* 48" if more than one person works in the Kitchen at the same time; again, prepping, cooking, cleaning up

Minimum Walkways with Seating are 44" to 54":

* 44" behind seats if the walkway is not a path through the Kitchen and there are no cabinets, counters, appliances, or other items behind the seats (other than an empty wall)

* 48" behind seats if a path through the Kitchen and there are no cabinets, counters, appliances, or other items behind the seats (your situation)

* 54" if there are cabinets, counters, appliances, or other items behind the seats

* 54" if all of the previous

Minimums for Seating:

* 24" linear space per seat. So, 3 seats means 72" (6') for counter- & bar-height, 24" to 30" for table-height

* No overlap of seats on corners (two people cannot share the same leg/knee space)

* 15" clear leg/knee overhang space for counter-height seating (12" for bar-height & 18" for table-height)

* If seats are behind a cooktop or range, there should be 24" b/w the back of the range/cooktop and the edge of the seating overhang

* Table-height -- 30" off the finished floor

* Counter-height -- 36" off the finished floor

* Bar-height -- 42" off the finished floor

--------------------------------------------

Note: 1 cm = 2.54"

@Buehl thanks but you've just copied and pasted from some website without factoring in that most of what you've posted is either addressed in the design or not relevant to the design. I'm interested in hearing opinions but that doesn't mean I have to agree with those opinions - you seem aggrieved by this. The reason I posted was to hear opinions on the size of the kitchen island.

@AnnKH thanks for your post. I have 5metres worth of floor to ceiling cabinets which will house cookers, fridge, freezer - that leaves alot of storage space in addition to alot of storage space in the island. I don't think I'll be short of storage compared to my needs.

I don't need seating on the island but it's handy when preparing meals while having my young son in front of me.

Actually, I was summarizing the information in one place as well as included more detailed information to explain the various comments. Definitely getting the impression that you're not really interested in any comments that aren't patting you on the back. Oh well.

I'm almost regretting the work I put into the design below. I'll post it but then I'm bowing out.

WORK ZONES

Lots of good feedback - re: the island size, then depth makes it seem hard to stand on the sink size and serve those seated at the island - which to me is a big part of having seats at the island. If you want the island to be such a workhorse w/appliances, I would simplify the shape and forgo seating

@ Buehl Thanks for your suggestions - food for thought.