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!

Bump.

If you need to achieve a home generally along these lines, seriously, don't bother trying to customise some form of layout with a drafty or any form of designer. Practically you have little choice but to try and find something suitable with an off the shelf plans, (or version of) available with one of the volume building companies, some of which can be quite helpful with working through this process, but you have to accept a certain "formula". It's the only way to achieve something of this scale for that type of money. For what it's worth, generally you'll find most draftspeople have no idea about designing to budget - it's not what they do. They are a technical drawing service, nothing more nothing less and unfortunately over the years we've been doing what we do, we've had countless of examples of projects come into the office that have resulted from people trying to get a draftsperson to design something to budget thinking it's a cheaper road, only to be bitterly disappointed once the builder has come in and delivered the bad news, and then they're back to square one & we have to pick up the pieces somehow. This is why it's so important to have a robust discussion about budget limits as the first part of any conversation around a building project, to minimise wasting time and money going down path that will prove to be somewhere down the line unrealistic. Good luck! PD

Hi Vicki, I would like to put if my two pennies worth too, please: And go back a step..... The scullery: you have a sink and dishwasher in there? If so why not have the 1 1/2 sink and drainer in there. On the island have just a little sink for rinsing veg, filling kettle, topping up saucepan, rocks for the scotch water supply but with no drainer in the island? Then the major dirties will go straight to the scullery and island sink is for smaller usage. And I would put it not right at the end maybe but towards the dining end to allow the longest usable bench for prep. The design of the scullery does not seem quite right to me. There is a dead corner: yes I know that is one of my pet hates. But also is this going to be a pantry for store of foods and or do you envisage using it with appliances on the benches? If it is either of these do you want to dirties mixed with the food prep and store? Solution: have two benches facing each other. the one backing bedroom(?) use for sink, DW and second 'frige. Separate. The other for appliances on bench and food store above and below. I would incorporate the pantry cupboard into pantry room bringing the door along to the front of the main fridge. Then put the oven tower next in the kitchen: it is in a safer place and close by to mix master (on bench in pantry) for slipping a cake into! The high things are then altogether and the bench will slip down to the day bed being a more relaxed aesthetic. I know I hear it you want the cook top centred to look lovely! Possible you still can do that but as long as there is at least 1200 benching beside it for a USEFUl piece of bench. Yes as someone earlier said you can use an under mount sink and have grooves in stone for drainer but I wonder about the cleanliness of the hidden seal. The stone will chip on the edges of the sink, the outer edges of the island and all benching if the boyz are not careful: a school ruler or wooded spoon handy for clumsiness might be a good disincentive for rushing!! I hope this helps and doesn't thro a turkey among the souffle! Cheers, Margot