I'd consider two islands. Just my 2 cents.

You should be okay at 10 x 5 but that is the max I would go. Our island is 8 x 4, still under construction so obviously havn't used it yet, but it seems plenty big to me and the right size for the space.

Pps7,
I was over here drooling over your master bath yesterday and now the kitchen too!!! Your kitchen is unbelievable, all my favorite things, open shelving, the big bank of cabs on the frig side, the mixed finishes, white and black....but what are the floors?
I'm DYING to see the whole house in one big thread with lots of pics!!!! But no pressure.......
What architectural style is your house? Not to purposely toot my own horn but I think we have similar tastes :)

I just fashioned out a 5' space - I can clean it relatively easily, a bit of a stretch. I'm 5'9", so it might be a bit difficult for those 5'5 and under.

A spin on florantha's comment - I can't picture two islands readily in your space, but what about a standard depth rectangular island with a circular peninsula coming off the island a little into the area between the LR and DR? This might be interesting visually. Do you intend to use the island seating for homework, chatting, or do you expect to eat many meals there? If you think you'll do more than occasional breakfasts and snacks at the island the circular idea might be a good one. The problem with seating for meals at a rectangular island is that it is rather anti-social. Circular islands/tables are far more intimate and social that sitting in a row along the island.

That said, the large island you are thinking of should work, but I wouldn't go an inch over 5'.

That is a beautiful kitchen color! I love the island. I am finishing up a kitchen and looking for pulls. We also have white cabinets and black counter tops.
Do you mind if I ask the color on the walls? What finish on pulls do you have?

Not mine but pretty large ;)

Okay pharaoh, that is definitely going over 5' in width! :)

I checked out firsthouse's island - it is 5x9'.

Sochi - I imagine we will grab breakfast and quick bites at the island. I totally see the kids sitting and talking while meals are being prepped, plus a big homework and laptop area. Any sit down family meals will be at the table. I agree with you on the social aspect of circular or curved islands. I suppose we could do a 4' island with a curve incorporated - that would be nicer from a conversational aspect.

As long as the island is in portion to the room, there shouldn't be a problem with size. I can clean more than half way without walking around, but walk around to clean it all. I'm considered tall at 5'8".

In both directions, it is just over 4 ft x 9 ft. There is almost 48" between range and island. Plenty of room for two.

Here is a link that might be useful: my kitchen

Ours is gianormous, and we love it! It is an "L" shape, with the longest length being 11 ft. and the shorter leg being 8 ft. It is 4 ft. deep all around. I walk around the island to wipe it, but it's no big deal. Although the kitchen is large, it's set up kind of like a galley kitchen in that all the activity happens on the side by the window. This is an old photo, but all the bar stools line up along the short leg of the L. Even with all the space, between all the people in the family, we still manage to clutter it up.

I think mine is 68x88 inches, so 5'8" x 7'4". I have no trouble reaching the middle to clean it, at all. I'm 5'9", but even so, I can reach most of it from one side. I do have to walk around to clean the other side, but that's no big deal.

Here are a few large islands. I find that if you love
the space you won't mind walking arond it to clean it.
~boxerpups

Rony's marble and granite island

Dream White Kitchens

July 21 Kitchen design

Hirsh Fields Files World Press kitchen

Digsdigs

Pompeiidesign group

Forest

Clermont

Fbae 3612b images

Here's my big island. Its shape follows the contours of the kitchen. It has a curved seating area for conversation. It's approximately 14'x 5'.

Wow, monkeyjac, that's an awesome island. I really love your cabinetry and the backsplash. Can you tell me what the cabinets are (cherry? maple?) and were they stained + shaded? What is your backsplash? Sorry for all the questions; I just love your colors!

pps7 - love your kitchen. Can you give us some details? Granite? Paint color? Thanks!

monkeyjac - I love the curved seating area at the island, as you say, so much better for conversation and interaction generally. What a HUGE island!

Want to see an island that is too big to be useful? This is a house I saw at an open house. The island looked to be too big across it to clean the center of it. Click on the pictures of view 3 and 6 and try to envision what it's showing you.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mega island in a modern mansion

Wow! That island is too big, but I'd love that bathroom!

My island will be 9 x 3.5" with taller, shallow cabs on the back part and no seating. It is basically going to function as one wall of a galley type work area. I have a peninsula nearby with counters for when I need to expand my work space, but the peninsula will be for show most of the time (with a glass arch on it once the budget recovers). The kitchen table will be at the other open end of the work space.
I guess my future island does not qualify as big by GW standards, lol.....

In our last house, I needed to walk around to properly clean the other side of my island top. I am 5'5" and it was a stretch, so it would be easier to just scoot around to the other side. I loved my big island and any inconvenience about wiping it off at the end of the day/meal was no big deal for me. Most of the time, my cooking and prep came nowhere near the other side. My kitchen table was on that side of the island, so if anybody had eaten in my kitchen and made a mess, I was headed that way for one or the other anyway!

Thanks Taggie. The cabinets are stained maple, the backsplash is tumbled travertine with ceramic deco inserts.

My island is 9'1 by 3'8, that's granite to granite so cab is a bit smaller. It is a lot to clean especially with these granites that you can't see a thing on. Its so funny I'm wiping and things are flying off because I can't see it on my granite (good that no one else can see it either but bad because sometimes I find it later :) I can reach over to clean the other side but it's easier to just walk around since I have to walk to each end to clean them anyway. I love it for entertaining and work space. I came from a much smaller island in the kitchen before my remodel so I am loving this one.

Just stumbled on this photo on the GW. Photographer perspective makes me feel that it's not obnoxious in size. Wadaya think?

Go to Kitchens/Dining Rooms image #19

Here is a link that might be useful: Go to Kitchens/Dining Rooms image #19

Ours is maybe too large in our long shoebox shaped kitchen.