The sketch from our cabinet maker probably shows the best overview of the layout. We keep a pullout for trash and recycling on the sink end, and the drawer above it is for things like aluminum foil, ziplock bags, and plastic wrap.

The long side facing the oven and cooktop wall has a warming drawer and 2 drawers below that where I keep pots and pans.

The side facing the kitchen table has a stack of drawers for utensils, napkins, and other random kitchen stuff like tape.

The other long side facing the great room has applied panels and a raised counter for seating.

Layout:
{{!gwi}}

Drawers facing kitchen table:
{{!gwi}}

Warming drawer and pots & pans drawers:
{{!gwi}}

We have found this layout to work very well for us. Using the 2 short ends helps keep people out of the aisle between the refrigerator/oven wall and the island when they are setting the table or cleaning up.

HTH!

Béla Lugosi

You are in fine form today, Bmore. ;-)

No bodies in my island, just many around it. Trash/recycle pullout, knives, cutting boards, plastic wrap/foil/etc., tupperware-type containers on one side. Prep sink, bread mixer and bread pans, and a drawer of gadgets (stick blender and accessories, hand mixer, etc) on the other. I am redesigning mine to have more drawers, really, all drawers, except for the cabinet under the sink...but maybe even that, based on Gizmonike's under-prep-sink pullout organizer. We're also going to fill in under more of the overhang, so there is only room for one stool in the center of the end, with a couple more shallow cabs along each side.

Now:

Redesign plan:

I mentioned Gizmonike's prep sink pullout, then forgot to link it. Here it is.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Gizmokike's drawer is very cool, I wish I had one of those. (One of the dangers of still lurking here after my kitchen is done.)

Here is my layout so you can see the island in relation to the rest of the kitchen:
{{!gwi}}

It is three feet deep so there are regular-depth drawers on the side facing the kitchen and 1-foot-deep cabinets on the side facing the sink.

On the drawer-side (facing the refrigerator) the first is a knife drawer on top and pull-out trash and recycling underneath.

Under the sink (along with a water purifier, Never MT, and all the plumbing) I keep my cutting boards. The next two are banks of 3 drawers. In both top drawers I keep utensils.

In the second drawers I keep flour and sugar on the left and other baking supplies on the right. The bottom drawers have measuring cups on the left and mixing bowls on the right.

On the side facing the sink, the first cabinet has an outlet and that is where I keep the toaster and a crockpot. (The picture shows the food processor but I don't keep that in there anymore. It is too heavy and I use it too often to be hauling it up and down.)

The next cabinet has colanders and a stockpot. The next has bread, butter, peanut butter, crackers, honey and syrup. The last cabinet has cereal.

Probably more information than you needed, but HTH!

Sally123. , love your flour and sugar drawer inserts. Also, very nice cereal collection. ;-)

Yes, I'm very proud of that cereal collection. I'm especially pleased that my OCD tendencies show up so well with the labels. I am bothered, however, by the fact that two of the containers lids are the wrong color. Heh heh.

Oh, how embarrassing. I really just wanted to show the variety of things that could be stored in an island, especially in a more shallow cupboard. :-)

No picture, yet, but my small island is very functional: The top is approx. 60"x39". At one end is a trough sink that ends in a bowl, with the bowl away from the prep area, and a Karbon faucet that swivels toward the end of the trough or the bowl.

In it are a board caddy pullout, four drawers (knives, wraps and bag, gadgets, tools), two fridge drawers in the center, then two deep drawers (colanders and strainers, choppers and graters on top, mixing bowls and small cutting boards below) and the sink access around the corner with the fire extinguisher.

The far side of the island has a fold down table height table which seats 2 with plenty of space and four in a tight pinch.

rhome, I love your redesign. Who gets to use the stool? You, I hope!

plllog... "yet"... soon?

ejbrymom, mine is so new I'm not sure things are settled in it yet, but mine is 8.5' x 24" with a 31.5" top, 24" deep drawers/cabinets. From fridge side, 24" bank of 3 drawers, top - all utensils except flatware and knives, middle - plastic storage containers and lids, bottom - baking dishes; 24" prep sink, with instant hot water, tilt-out tray, cutting boards, compost crock, trash bags; trash/recycle pullout (soft-close); 36" bank of 3 drawers, top - baking utensils, flatware, middle - everyday china, bottom - baking goods, appliances, mixing bowls. I have a 6" overhang on the other side with 3 stools for perching (or for kids' meals). On the sides I have Ughmold (not yet installed in this pic) but I'm hoping to replace it with something less unsightly.

Okay, Jsweenc, I give. The colors are really off because it's flash with the light in the room which makes for a really funky outcome, but they might help Ejbrymom. I did clear the top of the island (i.e., started dinner cleanup), and tried to avoid most of the construction detritus.

On the left, here, are the knife and gadget drawers, then the fridge drawers, then the bowl drawers, on the right is the sink access.

This is the table with things that are on their ways to being put away. In the center of the picture you can see a tiny bit of the metal hardware where the folding bracket is. On the right center is the pull out for boards, then the wraps and tools drawers.

That is one cool, highly functional island, plllog, and I am so glad to see it in context (sort of... I mean at least I can see your backsplash). I'm still waiting to see the pantry cabinets. Thank you for the unveiling! Will you be hitting the FKB any time soon? What is lacking?

I'm only about 85% finished. I took creative angles missing the boxes, work boards, and box of grout.

Just occurred to me! Good excuse for the ugly old chairs that dump people on their tushes if they're not careful. Green!! You're seeing the "pretty" side of the chairs. They were abandoned in an building, i.e., free. I've had them almost 20 years, mostly in a workroom. I'll probably relegate them similarly if I run into the perfect chairs, but in the meantime, I can call them a green choice and people won't be asking, "What's up with the ugly chairs?"!!!

Some nice looking and hard working islands here!

Link to our photos with text below. We "redid" the island of our 1985 built home at move-in about a year ago. I'm very happy with how it works and looks....I painted it the color of my Bear cat's eyes....gold/green (Chameleon- Behr Ultra). Description of changes are on photos...have fun with your "redo"!

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitch_n_Kat's Island Redo

Who gets to use the stool? You, I hope!

Nope. :-) I don't sit at the island to do anything and really prefer islands without seating. I originally planned the overhang for a younger helper who would be peeling big batches of apples or doing some other lengthy project. The truth is, neither I or anyone else actually doing a project ever sits to work. I'd get rid of the stool completely, but DH was afraid of not having the option to ever sit at the island, and I've figured out since that it's handy to have a stool right there. I usually grab it to help reach something stored too high up, instead of going to the fridge/pantry area to get one of the step stools. We have the little table in the kitchen for any time I really want to sit in the kitchen. And my desk is just out the doorway past the fridge and freezer set, where I run to check the forum whenever there is 'waiting time' as something cooks. :-)

Well mine isn't nearly as grand as the others but here it is without the granite:

img src="{{!gwi}}

The two large pull-outs have double waste baskets in each and are trash and recyclables. The middle bank of drawers holds trash bags, foils, wraps, the kids lunch bags (small coolers) plastic forks, spoons, knives and napkins.

The two top drawers above the pullouts are actually still empty--I still havent decided what to put in them!

Sally123,

Where did you get the utensil inserts for your drawers? That's just what I'm looking for. My island will be similar to yours except that it will have both the prep sink and the range. Thanks

Sally--where did you get the flour / sugar storage containers for the drawers. I love that idea!

Thanks.