Kitchen Islands - sizes and gaps

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Im doubting my vision (and looking at the real life sizings!)
I planned a large island to contain sink, dish washer, bins, additional storage and an overhang for stool seating. Id left a 1200 gap between the edge of the other units as this was recommended?
Looking at the real life sizes now the extension has been built Im doubting the 1200. Can I get away with 900? Looks like plenty of room and would allow me better proportions on the opposite side of the room.
The other option is to ditch the additional storage behind the dishwasher/etc and just have the 600 units plus the overhang for the seating.
Any advice? experience? (electricians awaiting my decision so they can site the wiring for the lighting above!)

We had a 900 gap in our old house which was fine, but it depends what units you've got in that gap. If you've got a dishwasher or oven in that gap it will need to be more like 1200 so you've got space to open it comfortably (we've just put in a new kitchen and have a 1250 gap now because the eye level oven is on the gap and you definitely need that space to comfortably open it).

We had 900mm but in a thoroughfare, between the island and the fridge. It was really annoying as two people can't pass. I'd say you need the 1200 mm ideally, or as big as you can.

We have an L shaped island with curved units - the gap is 90cm at the top end, but it's not an issue as it widens out where the dishwasher opens and where the sink is next to it. It really depends how much of a thoroughfare the gap is.

It's a nightmare isn't it.
I made a life size model of our island out of timber and newspaper.
3 images.

First shows island with the gaps either side. 1.2m on right 1m on left.

Image 2 shows an 80 cm pinch point between the corner of the breakfast bar and the corner of the jutting out unit on the left.
It's fine, I thought it wouldn't be but it is.

Get 4 large boxes.
Upend them over kitchen chairs.
Position them to create size of island.

Walk round it and move it if necessary.

We planned an island to go centrally in U shaped kitchen.
Size allowed 900 cm gap either side, no wiggle room. Gap at top could be whatever we wanted.
We ended up placing it slightly off centre with 950 gap on high traffic side, 850 on low traffic side with no cupboards opposite.
The 950 side has dishwasher opposite it and we can still get through when door is down.
We have 1200 gap at top of u which is the main working bit of kitchen, wouldn't want less there.

I can pm you pictures if you want

I think it depends on the traffic that needs to circulate. If you think lots of people are going to be passing each other then you'll need more space. I'll measure mine later on if it helps.

I LOVE your windows stayathome

Last image shows fridge open in the 1.2m gap leaving only 40cm.
That again is fine as in reality I always stand to one side of the fridge with it partially open by choice.
Is only fully open to put a shop away.
Wouldn't like to have the dishwasher there though because I always open that fully.
Won't let me upload last image strangely but probably self explanatory.

Thank you @BreakfastAtSquiffanys they are probably best bit of house!

It all depends on the layout, mine is set up so the drawers that store the cultlery etc are opposite the dishwasher so a gap of 1200 is brilliant as it allows you to have both the dishwasher open and the drawers open and stand in the middle and empty it. I'd think 900 would be a bit annoying as I wouldn't be able to get both open.

Should have said, there are no opening drawers or cupboards on narrow gap sides of island. All storage (deep drawers) are on wide gap sides

Thanks everyone, I'm still undecided but there are ways around it I think so will keep playing. We have plenty of room on the other side but Ideally want a dining table in there with benches so it comes down to what is more important - additional storage under the island or a big (wide) dining table?

I've just measured and the gaps around mine are 90, 100 and 110 and all work fine as we can circulate right round the island (job is on island) so if there's an obstruction then you can go the other way.

But we dont have separate food cupboards as we have a large built in larder which is 100 wide so anyone wanting food only goes there or the fridge which is adjacent. I think if food was stored across several cupboards it might be a pain.

Funny autocorrect, hob is on island mind you a job on an island would be great.

We have a 1000 gap between the island and sink/dishwasher. This is enough space for two people to pass etc.

I only have drawers on the island, no cupboard doors. So when the dishwasher is open, the drawer can be opened fully at the same time. Which is handy for emptying the dishwasher.

I guess it may depend if you have drawers or cupboards and if you're likely to need them open at the same time.

Hi there we have a 1m gap between units and island. On the island we have the hob only, and then large drawers for pans etc, and on the other side we have integrated dishwasher. There's plenty of room for both me and my husband to be in the "gap"

My island is 1.2 m wide with dishwasher, sink and bin on one side and storage and seating on the other and I wouldn't advise getting smaller. 1m would be too narrow for me.

I deliberately planned a narrow gap of 1m between the island and hob as I find it works better ergonomically when I am cooking. I love being able to turn round and reach the sink, dishwasher and bin without having to take an extra step. This gives loads of space on the other side of the island which looks great.

Mine is 1200 and I think anything else will make the island look too dominant for the space. Ours it was important to be able to opened cupboards/ cooker/ fridge etc and still have people sitting there.

We have the same set up as you by the sounds of it. Row of units along one wall, then island (with overhang and stools) then gap, then dining table and chairs / benches.

I think your choice of furniture / finishes can make a difference to the overall feeling of space.

We have about 1m between units and island - have large pan drawers in the wall units, and dishwasher at the end of the island - the end nearest the garden so normally people are circulating at the other end where the rest of the house is if you see what I mean).

Our island is 1.2m wide (by about 2.4m long) - 60cm deep units, then 30cm deep cupboards behind those which open up on the dining side which we don't use day to day - they just house all the kind of non-essential gadgets / pots that we have) and then 30cm overhang. My tip would be to get stools that mostly sit under the overhang (so ours are "backless" if you know what I mean) but don't compromise on the width of the island, I love ours and it really makes the kitchen.

Then there's about 1.5m to the dining table, which is 90cm wide (by 2m long - so a big table even though its not particularly wide) - again we chose a table where the chairs / benches could slot underneath (so the frame of the table is in the middle of the table, rather than legs on the perimeter of the table if that makes sense, and we have the Dublin table from Habitat - so it has a glass top and doesn't appear massive / look as if it takes up all the space). Then we have about 1.5m to the back wall (room width is just less than 7m). I think its spacious, no tripping over one another and definitely doesn't look full.

Hi,

I have a 90cm gap and a dishwasher on my island. You have to squeeze past if the dishwasher door is fully open but I wanted to discourage people wandering through my cooking space anyway.

The island is 90cm deep (30cm overhang rather than cupboards) and 2.4m long.

I can send you some photos with the dishwasher open if you like? I would probably have had another 10cm if it had worked but unfortuntely it would have created a real pinch point getting around the top.

I drew mine out on the floor and walked around it to make sure it worked so definitely second trying it out for size and moving it about if you can.

namechange that sounds v similar indeed! Good tips re the stools and table with benches - thanks!