At first glance, I like it. The Prep & Cooking Zones are together and the Cleanup Zone is separate. You have a prep sink ideally located on the island for use prepping & cooking as well as hand washing. Additionally, the refrigerator and MW are on the periphery, easily accessed by you in the kitchen and by your family from "outside" the kitchen...without getting in each others way! ? cabinet...how about a Message/Command Center for keys, phone charging (in a drawer?), calendar and/or dry-erase board, etc. If there's room, mail as well. It's ideally situated right next to the entrance from the garage for dropping things off coming in and picking them up going out. You could make it a tall cabinet w/doors that open in so it can be closed when you want an "uncluttered" look. (Sweeby has an "Organization Closet" like that. She's in the Finished Kitchens Blog...a pic of her "Organization Closet" is in her album.) One thing, though. Your aisle widths appear to be "cabinet-to-cabinet". Don't forget that in the vast majority of cases, the countertop overhangs the cabinets by approx 1-1/2". This overhang reduces your aisle widths. So, for each counter run on an aisle, subtract 1-1/2" from the labeled aisle widths. This means the aisle b/w your island and left wall is really 39". Ditto the wall b/w the island and top wall. The aisle b/w the table and island is 40-1/2". The only aisle that concerns me a bit is the aisle b/w the table and island. I think another few inches would be better (I'd like to see at least 48" there.) The other aisles are pretty much "isolated" so there's no through-traffic plus you're a one-cook kitchen (and likely to stay that way), so I think the 39" aisles will be fine. You might even reduce the one b/w the island and cooktop to 36". Those "extra" 3" could be transferred to the other side so you now have a 43-1/2" aisle. Here is a link that might be useful: Sweeby in the FKB

desertsteph - I think I remember that. I guess the thread is long gone. That is a pretty cool idea. pudgybaby - that is going to be beautiful! It looks more like a piece of furniture which is what I am aiming for. What are you going to put in the drawers? willowdecor - your pantry is AMAZING. I love the glass and the cabinets sitting on the countertop. The first time I saw it I thought someone was posting inspiration pics. It took me a minute to figure out that it actually belonged to a real person. LOL! It must be so nice to have your desk area in there as well. Thanks also for the beautiful inspiration pics. I have a 5' wall that runs perpendicular to the planned refrigerator wall. I am using the whole space for my desk but I don't need it all for my laptop. I was trying to figure out how to tie it into the coffee/snack bar cabinets but I couldn't do it. I kind of gave up on that one.

This doesn't have everything you want, but it's looking very functional, with loads of work counter and the crowds of friends and family passing through happily out of your way. I LOVE your storage wall. It looks excellent. I also love your husband's response; mine never bothers to consider appearance when it might interfere with his convenience. My first thought on the fridge top was shallower to keep it more visually open up there, but if things tend to get set up on this handy shelf, then I definitely agree with you and Ci Lantro. But in this kitchen with a wall of storage right there, could old habits change? The most likely place that occurs to me for the MW would be tucked into the bottom of the upper cabinet abutting the side of the fridge, not on the counter. Functionally it's handy to the fridge and off to the side of other work, esthetically somewhat tucked away and not interfering with the nice range and sink walls, and with all the other wall storage serving that counter, I'm guessing you could probably spare that space. Less-used stuff would just go over in the storage wall.

Thanks for all the input so far! Palimpset - same as rhome410, the main reason for the mess is that the clean dishes haven't been put away, or the DW is running...there always seems to be at least 1 or 2 cups left out...I guess I should just wash them by hand and be done, but we don't:) I understand all of the arguments for the flat island, and will be doing some more reading on that, but DH argument is that the kids are only little for so long, then we'll have teenagers eating & hanging out in the kitchen...I'm hoping it'll get used for everyday breakfast/lunch on wknds. Dinner will be at the table! To the left of the fridge right now is a nice sized window, which will eventually be french doors to a deck. We thought about the U, but it does get too cramped cause that window cannot be moved (concrete wall construction - $$$ to move windows!). The room opens to dining area then family room (all one big space). Palimpset - I'm glad to hear you say keep the fridge where it's at - I'm really struggling with that cause it would make for a ton of space around the stove for prep, it also moves the fridge out of the triangle (I know, old concept, but it works for our little kitchen right now!) Anyone have a single level island and hate it/wished they had double? THANKS!