For your induction cooktop, it seems the different brands have different sizes and layouts of the burners, so it would depend on what size pans you cook with the most. On the Miele, for instance, the burner sizes are different on the 30" and the 36". If your brand will work in the 30" burner sizes, that will let you use just a 30" hood, too, and will give you a little more room top and bottom.

In general the advices on here has been to go no wider than an 18" door, that way the doors don't bash you on the head and don't block traffic when they're open. Your 24" easy reach is going to have smallish doors anyway, so personally I would convert them all to double door. The 21" I would leave as a single door since it's kind of out of the way.

The microwave cabinet would look fine bumped out to 15" deep.
Here is a photo of a bumped out micro cabinet

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[Traditional Kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Philadelphia Interior Designer lisa furey

Personally that is also where I would do the down-to-the-counter upper and use the part under the micro as appliance storage.

I would be tempted to turn the fridge and put a little 15" cabinet beside it for landing space. If you don't turn the fridge you may have to worry about the handle hitting the wall on the bottom. Can you move the fridge so it's on that side wall beside the microwave shelf (is the doorway moveable)? Are you ok without a tall pantry? You could do a tall pantry with a microwave in it either where the fridge is or where the micro is.

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[Traditional Kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Philadelphia Media And Blogs Colleen Steixner

Your cabinet maker needs to provide input on this. If he doesn't provide input into the design aspects as to what is or isn't possible with him, then you need somone who will. Like a KD who you pay for a plan and who will consult with him as to his capabilities to fulfill that plan. It doesn't do any good to plan something out that he won't do. Frankly, I'd search for the combo unit of a cabinet provider and kitchen designer as you'd be better served by that since you have so many unanswered questions that can only be answered by the particular line/maker that you select.

It's recommended, though not absolutely essential, to have a 42" hood with 36" cooktop, even if it's induction. You'd need to look at the installation instructions in the manual to see what size base cab you'll need. I have a 30" induction in a 36" base with 36" hood over it. It really helps to have the extra capture area.

I did take a general layout to my custom cabmaker for the initial estimate. But he accepted changes in my design almost up until he started construction - only about 2 or 3 weeks before installation. I considered it part of the benefit of going custom. He just kept revising the drawing and sending me a new estimate.

The hood size you need is somewhat dependent upon the burner layout. We specifically wanted a big burner in the center, so we could use that for all frying activity. The center burner is a log way from the sides and the front, so it is optimally placed to get the best out of the hood.

So long as you don't want to fry a lot on the outer burners, I think you will be OK with a 36" hood over a 36" cooktop (it's what we plan to do). Dropping to a 30" cooktop could actually put the big burner nearer to the edge of the hood.

Caliente, thanks so much, that makes a lot of sense, I'll look extra carefully at burner sizes/location now.

robotropolis, thanks for the pictures and advice its very helpful. The fridge cannot be moved, the doorway leads to a small mudroom. I will probably have a pantry in the mudroom so I'm Ok not having a tall one. I might turn the fridge 90 degrees, that's how it is now, but I cant fit a cabinet next to it if I want to keep a 36" walkway around the island there.

Anyone else care ease my mind that my prep sink is in a good spot?! Or where to put a wall oven if I separate it from the cooktop?

LWO, Thanks I appreciate your feedback. Im going to a GW highly recommended cabinet shop. I assume they will be perfectly capable of telling me what is or isn't possible when I go meet with them. I was just hoping to have the best idea of what I want when I go, because I'm not sure how much creative advice they give. I was just hoping to get some of the gw members' opinions on any nice features you could envision in my layout as well as point out any red flags if I placed anything in a less than ideal spot. Typical things people ask on this board, no?! As I tend to do, I think I asked too many broad questions in one post. Im still learning ;-/

I can't afford a separate KD. The custom quote was a little less than the kitchen design shops I've been to, but not enough to justify me hiring a separate designer. If this meeting doesn't go well and he is an "I only build it, nothing else" type person, then perhaps I'll head back to the Brookhaven/Medallion dealers around here so I have a KD to work with.

I'm in something like the same boat, but you are ahead of me. We have some "wrinkles" that make me think I'll end up with a custom cabinetmaker, but I want to go see him knowing as much as I can. I have only talked casually to KDs at cabinet shops, back when I was still "kicking tires," so to speak. There were a couple I really liked and one specifically said she'd like the opportunity to bid on the job. I just feel like I'd be taking advantage of them by getting their input and then going to the custom guy I've worked with before. On the other hand, maybe they'd convince me one of their lines would work. I guess if they are willing to take that chance, I should let them. Anyway, I'll be following along to see what you do!