By the way, I meant to write that we can fit either a 3'x6' island, or 2.5'x6' island.

Seems OK to me, since as open as the great room is, if people seated at the island were backed up to the edge of the kitchen, it wouldn't be a big deal.

Is it just the 2 of them? Do they host family meals a lot, which might mean multiple workers in the kitchen, so a need for wider aisles, or not too often, so 3 ft aisles will do? Maybe compromise and go to a 39" aisle for the working aisle and a 33" island counter?

the aisles seem a little small, but I'd take them over that breakfast bar jut out thing... I agree with you, I think it is odd looking too. Is there the possibility of eliminating the wall between the great room and kitchen thereby allowing them to go bigger with seating?

Rhome - They are downsizing since we moved out years ago and my sil moved out last year. It will be the two of them plus my brother-in-law, although he may move out soon too. They host family meals probably once a month - usually 7 of us in total. I like your idea of doing a 39" aisle for the working area...and making the island counter 33". I like that alot actually.

Another idea is for us to do two stools at the far end by the breakfast area, so there's plenty of room on either side of the island.

Mamadadapaige - We need to keep that tiny wall between the great room and kitchen for structural purposes, unfortunately.

With a three foot island, the one aisle is slightly less than 36" - like 32-34" and the other is also a bit less than it should be. I think you'd need to do the 30" ish island and would strongly consider only one or two seating positions.

I also think it might be better to embrace its inner lumpiness.

{{!gwi}}

Bmore's plan gives me a new idea...You could build a pantry or something on the wall corner of Bmore's continent (facing the fridge probably...or pretty glass-front storage facing the great room and stairs), making the counter into an L?

I kind of like the "thumb" but then I like things at an angle as it gives something unexpected rather than predictable. The square one is also interesting. Would they be able to reach across to clean it or is the span too wide to reach the middle from either side?

Hmmm...interesting idea of doing the square island. I don't think my mil will buy into it, and she won't like the requirement of reaching over.

I'm going to send to our gc for input. Thanks everyone!!

rhome... you mean like a peninsula coming off a pantry or storage cab?

If we do what Rhome is suggesting, it will get more like a peninsula. That's what we originally decided - to do a peninsula that branches off the cabinetry where the dishwasher is. But they really, really want an island...and I'm pretty sure it can fit, right? I'm starting to have doubts...maybe I shouldn't have been so confident about suggesting it. I don't want them to have a cramped kitchen!

This looks very similar to my layout. I'm having a 2.5 x 5 foot island put in ,it will be a rectangle and not the angled side like the drawing shows. The cabinets go in next week, so I don't know how well this island functions yet. I did make a mockup out of poster board and it seems good. Great for the kids to have meals and snacks at, and just extra landing space. I'll have my trash/recycling pullout in there and another cabinet.

It looks like your MIL's sink and dishwasher are where my range and fridge are going. This was a preliminary drawing, so not exactly what we ended up with for cabinet sizes.

Hate the thumb. My vote would be for rhome's 33" island with 39" aisles. I think it's a little tight, but doable. Just for the heck of it and to contribute to the brainstorming process, what about rounding the edges of one of bmorepanic's squares?

Disclaimer: I am notoriously anti-island.

But I think if you want to try it, a good thing to consider is an attractive piece of furniture that acts like an island, but that isn't attached to the floor.

That way, if it's a disaster, she can always move it somewhere else. There have been some pictured here from time to time.