Not unless you only have cabinets on one wall. It's the island or the wall. Now, you could probably have a very successful peninsula, or even double peninsula in that space.

Thanks- by "only cabinets" you mean 12" deep cabinets behind island? That means we have 7 feet to divide up for an aisles. Not sure if that is enough the kitchen leads to our backdoor and will be walked through on a regular basis.

No, no cabinets at all one one wall with an island or no island at all.

Gotcha! Thanks!

Why not post your layout?

I'll try- any suggestions on an easy program to use? I am using pencil and paper currently :)

I don't know for sure - but this looks around 12-14 feet wide

[Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Ann Arbor Design-Build Firms Forward Design Build

Again -- I don't know the size, but looks to be around 17-18 feet

[Rustic Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/rustic-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2111) by Springfield Kitchen & Bath Designers Reico Kitchen & Bath

My kitchen is 12'4" x 26'7" with an island; it has cabinets only on two sides and a 41x104" island down the center, with seating. My aisles are 41 to 42" wide in the narrow directions -- wider at the other end of the island (48:"); there is a door on either end of the wall with no cabinets. Traffic flow is diverted behind the seating area -- it is tighter than you will find suggested on that side. But, there is no door leading outside in the middle of the cabinet wall. I think that would be very disruptive to the work flow, I think. That is the main work area in my modified L and I would not want traffic flow in that area.

I might solicit other ideas by posting a layout; simply take a picture of your graph paper sketch using your phone. Be sure to include the surrounding rooms, including the pathway to the outside and what obstacles are there.

I don't see any way to pull off island seating and have storage on the opposite wall. But you could do a 2' wide island with no seating, 12 inch cabinets on the opposite wall, and still have 40"-ish aisles. Maybe tuck a stool under the ends of the island?

But you'd have to really, REALLLLLY, want an island to make that preferable to some of the possible alternatives.

Graph paper and a sharpie is one of the easiest for you and those trying to read it. Be sure to mark all measurements. I would start a new post with you want overall layout help.

Thanks, all!
I have included our first floor plan. I think that to improve the flow of the first floor we should probably open up the kitchen to the study but would miss the privacy of that room and am not sure what that would actually do for the kitchen anyway! Nevermind the cost....
At the least, we hope to move the bathroom to the current stove area so that we can have a view to the back yard. Our other goal is to create a mud room area by the back door by incorporating hooks and cubbies somehow into the kitchen design. We are also open to opening the kitchen to the dining room and adding wall storage to the dining room interior wall.
Any ideas are sooo appreciated! I find this whole first floor to be a challenging though it has it's good points. We are new to the house and still getting used to how to use the space!

This post was edited by redjulie on Mon, Mar 3, 14 at 17:48

oops! forgot the photo!