I'd be hesitant to put a sink on the island. My MIL has that set up, and her kitchen always looks messy because there are always dishes stacked around the sink, even if it's only a few.

Anonymous wrote:Can you draw your layout?

don't know how to do that on here, but it's pretty small and simple:

- 11' x 10'
- the long side facing north has the only window
- the short side facing w is where the sink/DW is currently
- short side facing east is where the stove/oven is, but we'll open it up and that's where the island will be
- doors at SW corner, one on each side - one to back of house, one to basement

hope the above makes sense? tks.

Anonymous wrote:Hood over stove is key!

Bing!

We have an island cooktop with downdraft and hate it.

I suppose if you never do heavy cooking, then it would be fine (and looks nice).
But we would really like an overhead vent -- and to install a island hood is a PITA (and we haven't figured out how to run the venting, as we have a steel beam in the way to the wall).

Hood over stove is key!

Can you draw your layout?

I prefer a stove on the island - or if setup allows just a giant island for prep. It depends on what your space looks like too. I love the model where you have a raised bar behind the stove as a PP mentioned. That keeps hands away!

Depends on where the dishwasher is going to be. Place the sink next to the dishwasher.

Prefer small sink for prep work with main sink off to the side

We have the stove in the island. I like that setup better, but there's pluses and minuses. We have a raised (bar height) seating area, so hands are well away from the stove top. When entertaining, we spend a lot of time over the stove, so it's nice to be facing the crowd instead of having our backs to them. Where ever your sink is, is where your dirty dishes would be. I prefer to have my dirty dishes off to the side. And it's nice to have a window over the sink so you have something nicer to look at than a wall when doing dishes. We use the island for prep - I prefer to chop right next to the stove, where all the work is being done. We have a hood over the stove (downdraft vents don't work as well) and I think it looks nice. But that's another preference thing.

sink...then can use island for prep.

Anonymous wrote:Sink. I would not want a stove on a island with kids around.

Good point. Though that means moving pipes and wires around, yikes!$$$!!!

I prefer large flat island stove and sink on the side

Sink. I would not want a stove on a island with kids around.

Sink. I like a real vent hood over a stove - the ones meant for islands down seem to work very well.

which is more functional in a smallish kitchen-dinning combo space? this for a family that cooks regularly. tks!