I had 3 suggestions:

1. No "t" island

2. Downsize the range. It seems like too big of a piece of equipment for the space. Of course, it is a statement piece of equipment.... I get it;) On the other hand, you are going to spend a lot of money and time making this kitchen function and look better to suit your preferences. And the range is the biggest space hog you have, right where you need the counter space. Adding another prep space in the middle of the kitchen just jams up your kitchen. Even with the t island you were only getting a couple of feet of counter space, but isolated on the tip of the island. Go from 60" to 48" or 36" or induction.... You gain more contiguous counter space.

2. Create 2 zones. Make the arched island the clean up sink, dw, secondary prep space. You can open the cutout space a bit, widen and square-off the arched opening and remove the closed upper cabs, but keep a framed opening with the short backsplash to help hide any mess. You could tuck a mw in that location if the work flow works for your family. The frig is right there. That could be a great serving, clean up, snack prep location.

This gives you two separate zones and makes use of that island, connecting it and the kitchen to the living/dining beyond.

I think that last plan is on the right track. I think you could still keep your walk-in pantry and move the fridge to the end of the wall where the stove was. Set all your aisle and workspace clearances and then tie the island into the post and make it whatever shape you want.

You should think about putting a small sink in the island or on the stove side so at least you can dump hot liquids from the stove.

Have you got quotes on removing the post? What is the difference $ wise? I really don't think that if you ho through with it half-a** you will ever be happy. You will constantly look at that darn post.

See how this looks

Now compare that to this-HUGE difference

Sometimes posts can be moved a bit. Maybe lengthen the island in the design posted at 11:19 and then move the post to incorporate it into the design of the island? Not too long ago someone posted a redone kitchen -- it was a bit modern I think - and thanked to great people here for helping with the design. I can't find it.

that pic at 11:50 by Blue with the cased out post does look bad... The one posted under it at 11:51 with the wood design does look better.

That's what I was hoping you would think. I don't want to see you spend a bunch of money to only go 3/4 of the way and never truly love your design. I'm sure every person here is not trying to be harsh just trying to get the best design for you :)

I appreciate the feedback. We dont want to make the wrong decision. Keep the comments coming....
For the steel beam, we can check this week but from comments from a contractor, a 40' beam with the associated construction costs will be cost prohibited. If the span was 10' then no big deal.

Citadel, refer to your 11:19 plan. You have the wall with the stove extended to where the beam is. Discuss with your contractor just removing the portion of the old beam to the left of that little x you have drawn on the wall and installing the new beam all the way to the outer wall in the breakfast nook. I'm guessing that would be about 18-20'. That would be a lot cheaper and plus the work would only be occurring in your existing construction zone. Piece of cake if it can be done.

This post was edited by rmtdoug on Sat, Jun 7, 14 at 16:01

that beam runs the length of the front of the home- from side to side. Not from front to back.
The floor joists for the second floor run front to back and attach onto that beam.
The blue post are what holds the beam up.
The beam is in the ceiling and joist hangers attach the 2nd floor floor joist to it.

the green shapes are the floor joists that attach to the beam.

the beam rests on a support post in the exterior wall of the home (the top side of the pic- you cant see the exterior wall but it is another 18' past the end of the breakfast nook) and runs the length of the front of the home. It is supported at the island by a large post (framed out with drywall) and also behind the pantry by another large post framed out in drywall.
If I remove that post at the island the beam would need to span 40 feet (from the outside wall to the post in the pantry).

This post was edited by citadelcadet on Sat, Jun 7, 14 at 15:58

If I cant get rid of the support post near is island.... (Assuming it is cost prohibitive ie. more than $10k-$15k).... I am not sure an island that runs vertically will work.
The post that would remain would only be 32-36" from the island.

That was my fear. I could not see evidence in the photos that the beam ran that way. Complicated framing, your house. Yeah, you do have a problem.

Like the photos of posts in a kitchen, make the post a feature and run with it.

Don't get rid of the walk-in pantry and try moving the fridge to where the stove is now. Then try different shape islands. You have octagon shapes in that part of your house. Try some angles on your island. Maybe something will click for you.

Here is another idea.
I would add a post to the other side of the island to frame it out better kind of like the brown island in the post at 11:51.

I would still be light on counterspace though.
I could sell the 60" range and get a 48" range. That would get me 12" additional on the side of the range. The painful part is that the 60" range cost about $14k and if I sell it I would get $7k I estimate. Than I would pay $7k for a 48" setup.... netting 12" of extra counterspace....

Also is the distance to the island from the range too far now...
Thoughts?

Much better! What if you had some sort of covering made for the burners that you weren't using at the time, then that way you would keep the range but still have landing space for items? Something along these lines except with your same pretty countertop material? I agree it seems like a lot of work for 12" of countertop.

As it stands now how much space is between the range and current arched island cabinets? Can you sketch the kitchen as it is? That might be easier then looking at kds new sketch.

You've recently moved to this house, I think. What size/type stove did you have before? How did you feel about it? What was lacking? What have you thought about this stove so far?

Going from 60" to 48" would only net you 12", but going to 36" would net you 24". There are many on here that tout the benefits of induction, maybe you could tuck a small induction hob somewhere? And maybe an additional oven?

I like the two post idea.

I saw a pic of someone with a post that was boxed in and I can't recall where. I think it was in conjunction with showing one of the mixer lifts. Maybe someone here will remember.

This post was edited by cal_quail on Sat, Jun 7, 14 at 17:07

The island in the drawing above with the 2 posts is in the same location as the current island. The previous owners had a small movable island in the open area to provide a spot to set things down.
The KD was trying to solve for the issue by making a T shaped island

This post was edited by citadelcadet on Sat, Jun 7, 14 at 18:59

I'll try again w this question/suggestion.

Can you put a clean-up sink and dw on the island? With the frig nearby you could add a Mw under counter there too. This can maybe create a separate clean-up zone and secondary prep/snack zone.

Then you can maybe shift the prep sink down toward the island a bit. Now you have a dedicated prep sink and prep counter. There are different sink w cutting board set ups. This could also expand useable prep space.

Did you buy the range? Or was it there already? I assumed (always dangerous) that it was in the house.

Hi Jennifer

Sorry I missed you comment earlier.
Are you suggesting to gain counterspace where the current sink is (under the windows by moving the main sink and dishwasher into the island?
That is interesting... I need to draw that out.
Do you think that will help with the lack of countertop space?

something like this?....

I forgot to answer your question.
The range was already in the home

I am only sorry I can't draw something for you!

Yes, exactly. Separate prep/cooking from clean up.

Sometimes we lack counter space because other stuff/activity/people are in our way. So dedicate that "L" area by the range for prep and cooking. Then the island is clean up, and if it works for you add an under cabinet mw for a secondary prep zone there.

The range is awesome. But it is huge! If you want to keep the range then maximize creative ways to expand the counter in your footprint: prep sink w cutting board cover, there are pullout cutting boards that pull out from a top cabinet drawer, find a way to utilize part of the range top as a work surface....

Just add back a prep sink at the end of the "L" and see what you think.

Now you have a sink near the frig on the island: drinks, snacks, salad, and sandwich making all happening away from cooking. Clean up is away from the range and closer to the dining area.

What is that aisle size between the end of the "L" and the island? What about the aisle from island to frig? Which side the dw would go on depends on measurements and dish/glass storage....

You can post specific questions about prep sinks and sink systems, pull out counter etc. I've seen lots of creative ways to add useable space on GW. (Of course I can't remember where and when!)

is prep area where the windows are better than prep area on the island? Asking as I kind of liked the sink in front of the windows.
It seems the prep space on the island is usabel by more people at the same time.
The distance from the island to range is 10'.
I think the distance from the L to the side of the island is 37"-39".
Island edge to the fridge is ~40".

And last thoughts for now:

If the range is not right for you and the space, then sell it. Get a new range. And be really thankful that the old range was worth so much that it offset the cost of the new range. You are getting rid of lovely and expensive cabinets because they don't work for you. Same thing w the range.

But if you love the range don't apologize for keeping it!

Definitely not a fan of the t-shaped island. The lack of symmetry with just one post would really bug me; I like the suggested two post island.

Are you "wed" to the stove? I would sell it and put in either a single wall oven and microwave or double wall ovens with an induction cooktop in the counter...love my induction top!

Hard to tell how much space you have, but have you considered swapping the kitchen with breakfast area? Our last house had a great kitchen in a similar space as your breakfast area. Very few uppers, but we had a large walk-in pantry.

How wide is it from sink to fridge? If you have 10' from range to island you could leave 4' aisles and have a 2' work island with prep sink at one end but it depends on how wide the kitchen is to determine if it would truly work.

Is the reason you don't like the temp island because it was moveable?

If you did an actual permanent island and made it beautiful, would it bother you still?

Lots of kitchens have two islands- one working, one for sitting.

Ok these last thoughts then I have to clean up my own kitchen;)

I would keep a sink under the windows. Right now the dw is on the island side of your sink. You won't need to keep 24" on that side of your prep sink. Ideally, I would not center the sink under the windows. I would have it under the 3d window toward the island (furthest from the corner). I would have a small drawer stack to the right of the sink so I could maximize my uninterrupted counter space from the left of that prep sink to the range. That would be my cooking and baking prep zone. I like to have a sink near my range because we eat lots of pasta and I dont like to cross the kitchen to dump hot water in the sink. And I if I had to carry things from that island 10' away to my range, I would drop, spill, curse. If you keep a sink under the windows the frig would be across from that prep sink creating a cooking triangle: frig, sink, counter, range/oven. And people won't cross your path going to the frig or dw.

Then if you had a clean up sink on the island you could also use that space for prep work. But I wouldn't want to have to rely on that as my only sink. As I said, that sink is a bit far, 10' away, from my range. And people will cross that sink to range path to get to the frig. That's a sore spot for me. Did that make sense?

I second jennifer's suggestion of a clean-up area on the island, and only a prep sink near the range. (Yes, under the windows).

Also, consider making some (or most) of the lower cabinets deeper than standard. That would give you more counterspace from front-to-back. I think it'd be especially useful on the island and on the run in front of the windows.

I was also thinking of suggesting deeper counters. Your kitchen is just wide and deep enough that it's borderline too far from side to side. 28" or even 30" counters would make a huge difference in counter space on the window side of your kitchen and you can still use 24" bases for your cabinets.

Is this what you are suggesting?

here is another option mentioned previously.
We could add a small island in the middle.

One more design with the base of the T shortened

This post was edited by citadelcadet on Sun, Jun 8, 14 at 2:03

How big is the island that is currently in the space? The moveable one.

The first picture you posted is the general design I suggested.

Then, as suggested by elizard and rmtdoug, you build it with deeper counters on that "L". You can do this in 2 ways: 1) with deeper custom cabs and then deeper countertops over Or 2) use standard cabs pulled out from the wall a couple of inches and then lay a deeper counter over.

Are the layouts you posted today June 8th to scale? The area between the DW and the island looks really tight.

the layouts arent to scale. I just drew them up.

In the designed posted at 0:52, where would pot and pan storage go?

You will have cabinet storage along the L. You could have a draw stack, sink base, a corner super susan, or more drawers, a vertical cab for trays. You show cabinet storage along the frig wall, across the aisle from the range....

But, without more exact measurements it's difficult to give specific storage and cabinet suggestions. And the cabinet storage also depends on your appliances and cooking supplies. What are your preferences? What do you have and how do you like to cook? ....

I would like to have the pots and pans drawer as close to the range as possible.
We are also not ones to keep a perfectly clean countertop. As we have a dish drying rack typically on the counter along with the toaster, coffee maker, expresso machine.
I was concerned that if we put the main sink and dishwasher in the island that it would look cluttered. We were trying to keep the island as clutter free as possible hence the desire to have the sink by the windows.
What are your thoughts on the pics from 1:44 and 2:02?

Here is an idea on the support columns for the main island

The more I think about this, the more I'm convinced you need to get rid of that stove. It's the elephant in the room. I doubt you paid 14k more for the house because of that stove and the 7k you would get for it would go a long way towards a more sensible design.

I tried to look through the thread but could not find a post where you really said how you feel about the range. If you are not totally in love with it,and it is not a must have in your kitchen, then sell it. No matter what you get for it, it is cash toward your kitchen.

I agree with the last two posts about getting rid of the range. It is oversized for your space.... But, only you can make that trade off.

It's possible you have room for a pots and pans drawer near the range. You seem to have a whole wall of full depth cabinets by the frig. Again, it's difficult to suggest more without the overall exact dimensions of the space.

For me, the big island would not be usable kitchen space without a sink. And I would do my best to make every inch useable kitchen space. Clutter and mess happen in most kitchens. We all just have different expectations.

IMHO if you want to keep all of the "mess" (dish rack, coffee pot etc) by the sink under the window you will continue to have limited usable counter space, by the range, even if you downsize the range. And that's where you would want the counter space most. The big island is great real estate to take advantage of. I would go for functional and then get creative so the form was beautiful.

The layout you posted at :52 ... yes, that is what I was suggesting. The walkway between the island and the end of the window run looks tight, though. So maybe the deeper counters won't work for you. Or, maybe you could do an angled end or something.

If you include a second, smaller island where the old owners had their moveable island... that could be great pots/pans storage for you. Hard to tell for sure w/o scale-- don't want to make too much barrier btwn the window sink and the fridge.

The layout you posted at :52 ... yes, that is what I was suggesting. The walkway between the island and the end of the window run looks tight, though. So maybe the deeper counters won't work for you. Or, maybe you could do an angled end or something.

If you include a second, smaller island where the old owners had their moveable island... that could be great pots/pans storage for you. Hard to tell for sure w/o scale-- don't want to make too much barrier btwn the window sink and the fridge.