We have a very similar layout and I think your aisles are not big enough. Our space from stove to sink is 51” and from fridge to island is 48”. This allows for people to share the space well. I can’t tell from the pic but I would also highly recommend using drawers not cabinets.

Not nearly large enough. The absolute minimum is 42", and those through traffic paths need 48"-60, depending on if they are high traffic with bookbags or not.

can the window seat be an L shape banquette or a long banquette w a long-ish farmhouse table .....then place all seating there....cut back the island length at far left of sink end ..allowing seating and congregating down at the lower section of this room. No stools at the island. expand the main aisle between sink and stove . Simple solution if this general configuration is what you desire.....make more of that lower seating area and youll have flexibility ....seating at the island will no longer be paramount.

Where do those "openings" lead?

From what I can see, your aisles are narrower than you think they are. It appears they are measured to/from cabinet boxes, not counter or appliances, etc.

Aisles are measured to/from the items sticking out into them the farthest - counter overhangs, appliance handles, etc. They are not measured cabinet-to-cabinet b/c cabinet measurements only include the cabinet box, they do not include doors/drawer fronts, hardware, or the 1.5" overhang of counter in front of the cabinet boxes.

Notes:

1. If that's a range and not a cooktop, it's likely around 27" D, including oven handles. Note that a cooktop with a wall oven mounted underneath should be treated like a range since you still need to account for the oven's door handle. (I do NOT recommend such an installation for usability reasons, but some people do it anyway.)
2. Refrigerators vary in installed depth: around 36" for standard depth, 32" for counter-depth, and 27" for true built-ins. Note that for most refrigerators the doors must extend out past all surrounding items: counters, walls, cabinets, etc.
3. Counters overhang cabinets by 1.5" - both on the island and along the perimeter
4. When all your primary work zones (Prep, Cooking, Cleanup) are in one small aisle in the Kitchen like yours are, you really need at least 48". If there's more than one person working in that aisle with all the primary work zones, then 51" to 54" should be the minimum.

With the above in mind, take your main aisle as an example:

Starting with the 42" (3'6") you show, subtract out:

1.5" for the counter overhang on the island

3" for the range (assuming it's 27" deep)

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You're left with an actual aisle of 37.5". A far cry from at least 48" or even the 42" you think you have.

Similarly, for the refrigerator wall, subtract out the island counter overhang and the depth of the refrigerator (including handles) that's > 24" from the 44" aisle width you show (3'8").

Another tip - don't put the DW b/w the refrigerator and sink or b/w the refrigerator and range.

I'm glad to see that you did not center the sink in the island.

I would switch the items in your island to be, bottom to top (bottom is to the left of the sink):

1"W end panel + 24"W DW + 36"W sink base + 18"W trash pullout + 36"W drawer base

Basically a reverse of what you have right now. (When a DW is on the end of a cabinet run, a panel or wall is needed to support the counter above the DW.)

That will remove the DW from the paths b/w the refrigerator, sink with prep workspace, and range.

The DW will still be in front of a cabinet, not the range, which is good.

You should aim for 42" to 48" (or more!) for your Prep Zone. You appear to have at least 48", so that's good.

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Seating:

Three things to keep in mind regarding seating spacing:

• Linear Space: Each seat needs a minimum of 24" of linear space (some KDs are suggesting that 30" is better)
• Seats cannot overlap each other on a corner (you don't appear to be doing that, but I added it so others reading this will understand)
• Provide the proper minimum overhang:
• >> For counter-height seating, the minimum clear leg/knee overhang is 15"
• >> For bar-height, the minimum is 12" (unless you plan to eat meals there, then aim for an 18"D surface, which could be accomplished by 12" overhang + 6" of cabinetry or a pony wall)
• >> For table-height, the minimum is 18"

With these notes in mind, a counter-height island with seating along the back of the island will need to be at least 41.5" deep:

1.5"D counter overhang in front + 24"D cabinets + 1" decorative door or end panel + 15"D overhang = 41.5"

[Side note: No island should be more than 60" in at least one direction. Any deeper and it will be difficult to access the center for cleaning or access in general. (Most people can only comfortably reach 30", so double that and the max is 60". You will need to walk around the island to clean it, but at least you will be able to reach the entire island.)]

Regarding space behind seats: to walk behind the seats, you should have:

• 36" if there's nothing behind the seats other than a wall and it's not a path through the Kitchen
• 44" for seats with a traffic path behind them but no appliances, workspace, or similar.
• 51" to 54" if there is workspace, appliances, or similar behind the seats.
• 60" if there is seating on both sides of the walkway (e.g., b/w an island and a table).

Thank you for your comments. The dimensions are in fact countertop to countertop (although as you pointed out does not account for range being deeper ~27'). Here is the larger layout of the project. The room on the right is currently a sunroom identical to the left side of the house.

My main concerns are the clearances and wondering if I should make island smaller to account for work areas and traffic areas. However, If making it smaller could it still accommodate a sink.

I would note that the house is brick colonial and which makes all four walls of the kitchen load bearing as that is the original structure.

"Doorways are somewhat non-negotiable."

I am hung up on this statement. There are 2 new doorway openings in the Kitchen, and 1 in the Dining Room. Brick bearing walls can be supported with new openings of any choice size and location.

• What dictates 2'-11" for the main backhouse entry into the Kitchen from the Mudroom, rather than say 3'-0" or 3'-4"?
• For the Kitchen, what exactly are you matching with the new 4'-10" opening? The Kitchen is not symmetrical, and there is no relationship to seeing the other existing 4'-10" doorway on the other side of the Kitchen. And the larger opening is conflicting with the refrigerator cabinets sticking into it just beyond entering. On the other side you can even say the window seat extends unnecessarily into the opening.
• For the Dining, you could say each opening should match, but the Rear Foyer might have a say in that - I see you are closing off the door - is that a space that should be visually open that wide to a formal Dining Room?
• Without knowing all the context, I would be moving toward something like this, with doorway openings and walls aligned in YELLOW:

For the Kitchen layout, because of the sink/DW/trash locations as proposed, the prep space has lesser available counter over the DW and trash is on the other side of sink.

For the Family Room, do you think the Mudroom pocket door will be closed all the time, if ever? And the Powder Room pocket door when not in use? Realistically, I only see pocket doors closed for guests to visually block a not-needed-for-them room, because they are just not as easy to use as swing doors. So when sitting in the Family Room (couch against windows, tv on Kitchen wall), you will see the toilet.

So looking at the Kitchen has got me wondering about these decisions shown on the proposed plan. And it all relates to the Kitchen and it's design, as the Kitchen is the heart of the home. Can you give context to your remodel and addition? Why are you removing the patio and blocking off access from inside? What do you plan to do in the Rear Foyer? Does the Mudroom have to be located there because of the driveway? Assuming the Dining Room was originally the Family Room, should it be converted back for use for the Patio and Sunroom locations with respect to the property? Are there no options to add more windows along the back wall of the Kitchen? What determined the footprint of the addition and how does that roof look?

So this is our plan. You can see our fridge is same side as the garbage pull out and this counter is where we do bulk of our prep. We also have a small pull out to the right of the dishwasher we put aprons in. It also means the dishwasher isn’t on the end. The length of our island is the max size we could get one piece of quartz in as we did not want a seam. I share these things only as considerations for how to use your space a bit more effectively. You want to have prep space near your fridge, you want to avoid a seam in Tue island if you can, and so on.

Sorry forgot to add

It is *very* hard to cram an island into a reno that was never designed to have one. So start over without demanding that elephant in the room.

Also be somewhat opened minded about the doorways.

@3onthetree thanks for the comments. To answer some questions:

- the current layout is small kitchen in back with peninsula seperating a small dining area towards front of the house. In the dining area there is an entryway to the right closed in porch which is becoming the new expanded family room. The idea is to consolidate small kitchen and small dining into one bugger kitchen.

- the 4’10 match is to the front artery but I see your point that does not have to be the sizing

- Rear Foyer: removing side door but adding 6ft french or sliding doors

- Unfortunately, cant move the rear kitchen wall back to flush with rest of house as there are structural patio issues/elevations that would complicate

With that do you have any revisions you would make to the layout?

I missed the slider note. The Kitchen back wall was asking if windows can be added, not cantilevering the wall over the basement. The addition appears to be all new, so not sure what's being demo'd.

But, here's what I'm seeing with the overall plan, oftentimes homeowners dive into the Kitchen details, and miss the larger picture with the house:

- The Family Room is far away from outdoor living, and cordoned off by the Mudroom.

- The Family Room does not really have the feeling of being open to the Kitchen, if that was the goal.

- The Mudroom/Powder is not optimal opening into the Family Room.

- The Dining Room is oversized at 23'-2" long, larger than the Family Room.

- The island, I assume, is to have a Breakfast Area and because everyone wants an island. However, it backs to a wall and not really in the heart of circulation or openness (which correlates to where the term is literally taken from).

So I would be looking at other schemes, if you haven't already. This one seems to allow more opportunities: in the addition's massing to relate proportionally to the existing house; to open rooms up to natural light and the surrounding property; in keeping defined existing adjacencies/sizes with Sunroom next to Living Room and fireplace in Living Room; in keeping the existing backhouse entry location; in offering space for a Butler's Pantry or Pantry; for space for a true Breakfast table; maybe space for an Office Area; depending on setbacks maybe room for an island.

If the wall bhind the stools is now open you can probaly do stools make sure they slide under the counter when not used. Why the DW as far as possible from where yhe dishes are ? I see very little storage so what is going on there .?Walkway in front of the fridge way too small same as n range wall pullout adrawer and no one can pass Back to the drawing board and good sit down with the designer that lack of storage is a big deal to me.

@3onthetree i agree with many of your points. The problem that layout creates is where the family room would be (our current location). Given where openings and fireplace are it provides for a sub-optimal layout for TV and large sectional (at least as far as we have experienced).

You lost me at "wall to wall" carpeting in the new family room. You're traipsing over that from a mudroom.......WHY? and it's the only way in from a garage and the dirtiest "room" to be found on a property?

What is the flooring and how many floors ?

THEN THIS......

"Given where openings and fireplace are it provides for a sub-optimal layout for TV and large sectional (at least as far as we have experienced).

THE MOST unforgiving and zero versatility purchase one can make, unless the only reasonable option for a given space.

As to the kitchen......not in love, : )

FWIW we moved our kitchen in our 100 year house, we had been thinking about an island but our lovely KD talked us out of it explaining that many older homes have smaller scale rooms and don’t take them well - thankfully we ended up with a U shaped kitchen with a modest peninsula and it’s a terrific space to work in

I would say the same about large sectionals - the scale is often at odds with the avail space

The location of thr trash to the left of the sink/behind the cooktop means that everyone will be traipsing into the work zone area. You could add another trash single pullout instead of the 5th island seat.

The window seat is a lovely idea. But likely it will be seldom used. That area could be repurposed with lower cabinetry/counter to include a prep sink, trash, appliances (undercounter beverage fridge, coffee maker, microwave, toaster, etc.), snacks, etc. This helps keep traffic out of the work zone.

How often to people seek the trash can? I can recall maybe one or two times a kid has needed the trash at the same time someone was cooking.

NEVER get hung up on an ugly elephant in a room. Sectionals are truly horrible things. They aren't versatile, and they are big obstacles to room circulation and proper use. You might as well just put in a room full of mattresses. Ick.

You probably wonder why I am re-evaluating the entire concept of your project when you are just asking about a Kitchen. To undertake such a massive remodel of money, time, and effort, that fundamentally changes how you live in this house, doesn't equate in such an underwhelming proposed Kitchen and Family Room. It's cons are a result of the project's bones. When you try to figure out how to fix the layout's cons, instead of bandaids it is just better to fix the bones while you have a chance.

I don't see a problem in the existing Living Room with furniture layout. Two things:

- It is over 23' long, so separate into two seating areas, either a smaller area near the fireplace or at front window;

- Move the Sunroom door to align with that smaller seating area. The Sunroom then makes sense even as it's own independent room, like an Office.

Moving the Sunroom door is much better, IMO, than a concept that just doesn't work for an addition and remodel. Typically, a sectional has to be bought specifically for a room layout (left or right leg, length of legs, integral ottoman or not). If you brought a sectional to this house that doesn't work in the space, I would rather buy a new sectional at $2K than spend $200K-$300K on a remodel/addition that doesn't move the needle.