Our island is 900 depth, 2400 wide, with a sink in the middle (opposite the cooktop), which works well for us. Plenty of prep area either side of the sink (mind you, it's a single undermount sink, about 500mm wide, with no drainboard). If we were going to use the island for actual meals, ours is only deep enough for a person either side of the sink. So, if you're thinking of having the island as a dining area, go to the 1200 depth. Just walk around it to clean it. On the other hand, if the island is going to be for prep, and a place for guests to prop up a glass of wine and chat while you're getting dinner, 900 is fine. Our dishwasher is to the immediate left of the sink, and we have pull out waste bins underneath the sink. We have 1200 mm space from island to the wall side and the range top, and about the same to the other ends. Our fridge, which isn't huge, is in a 900 mm+ cavity which would be big enough for a deeper fridge. It's in relatively the same place your fridge is, and works fine there. Hinges are on the non-kitchen side of the door, so it opens into the kitchen. Cabinets beside it are a bit more in depth, so fridge and cabinets line up nicely. 850 for your fridge seems reasonable to me. I wouldn't put that study where you have it: I think you'll need all of that butler's pantry for butlering type storage. My 5 cents worth based on new house, new experience, absolutely no kids in the equation!

Hi Erin-hem, It maybe too late for changes if you have seen your kitchen designer but I would like to through you a couple of ideas for consideration. In my opinion, the sink area is always the messiest area of the kitchen. Why don't you put that on your new extended outside wall and even include a window for extra light if possible. Put the dishwasher on the left end of that pop out too so it doesn't create an unusable corner on the right side. Then build a 1200mm long wall, 600mm deep into the dining space so you can have a return unit from beside the dishwasher that connects with the island bench. This changes it from a true island bench but gives you the untidy part of the kitchen hidden but not closed off. The wall doesn't need to be full height but needs to be higher than the bench. It can be a joinery item rather than a builders item to match the joinery finishes. Behind the 1200 long wall/screen can be all your tea, coffee etc and your appliances on the bench so usable all the time but not seen from the dining and living area. It also hides the sink from view from the living area. Below bench level in this 1200 section you could actually have drawers for cutlery and crockery that go two way so you can load them from the dishwasher and take them out from the dining room side to lay the table. No need for a pantry with such a long back bench which could have loads of drawers as suggested by someone else. Keep the fridge nearest the stairs so everyone can access it and not come right into the kitchen. If you are a real foodie and love cooking for friends and family, put the hobb on the now free island side. If not, leave it where it is and the 'island bench' is now just a layout and work area and sit at bench. If you have the space, make the gap between the stairs and the bench ample. Say 1300mm wide at least. Cheers, Christine.

Melt in ACT your Mum's pantry sounds fabulous and love the level of detail she has gone to to get it right for HER! As to the Arslan: 1.1 x 2 m sounds very generous. I think one thing that always helps any space is not to have dead corners. Where you have bench and a return of bench that creates a corner you cannot get into. At 1.1 - 600mm = 500mm of walk space just into the ends is a stretch for items you may not use often. Depending on the doors you use you might have access to most of the 2 meters long and that is fantastic. If it is the other way 2m of 400mm shelves all down one side with 700 to shuffle down to the far end, that is just ok if your not too um enjoying of the meals and cakes and biscuits etc...if you get my meaning!! You would have to shuffle out to change your mind! Plan would assist here: I hope I have interpreted your meaning well and the see ideas are useful. Cheers Margot

Hi Ellen We had exactly the same problem with our renovation. An old kitchen was behind a wall. The wall was not structural so it could either be removed entirely for an island bench or as we did, cut down to 1.2m high which provided both a servery shelf plus a visual block to the messy kitchen from the dining area. The existing wall allowed us to include electrics for existing light switches, powerpoint and ceiling fans on the end. We left the sink where it was to save on plumbing but got rid of the cooktop bench at the end which always results in unusable corners. The whole kitchen cabinetry and appliances are from IKEA. To keep the look completely open we put the fridge against the wall opposite and included a new IKEA shelf unit with drawers and baskets for our pantry - miles of extra storage.