Gap between kitchen island and units

[Primotomb]

We will have a decent size kitchen once the kitchen/dining room knock through is complete. Units will be L shaped with a central island. Hob will be on the long run of units, sink and dishwasher on the short run. Island will be storage and seating with maybe a drinks fridge.

I'm playing around with sizes for the island and I know the advice is minimum 1m gap, but that feels a bit tight.

How big is your gap? Is there room for two people to work back to back, to easily unload the dishwasher, etc? Is it the right size or do you wish it was bigger/smaller?

1.1 metes. Works fine

Mine is a similar layout to yours. Gap on both sides is 106cm from cabinet door to door on island (though when measuring of worktop to worktop, because of overhang, it's 102cm). There is plenty of room, my DH is 6 foot 3 and the space has never been an issue

I think between 1m and 1.2m is comfortable.

I requested 1.3 and it’s perfect. Two people, and sometimes a child, can easily pass each other.

Mine is 90 cm and too small. My kitchen is big but the island actually means effectively the “working area” is in fact a small galley kitchen. If I open my dishwasher it’s a squeeze to get by. It looks lovely and everyone says it’s the nicest room in my house but it’s not easy to work in and if I had the money I’d rip out the island and start again.

Ours is too small I'd say go as big as you can without it looking silly.

Thanks all, that's really helpful. I think 1.2m will work

In our last house our gap was 950mm and we though it was fine. Saying that, we probably wouldn't have been able to do the back to back oven/wasing machine manouvre but how often do you need to do that? If it was a choice between a smaller gap (950mm) with an island or no island but much more space, I would go for the narrower space with island any day. Loved my island. My new kitchen in this house will have island with 950mm space, I know it works for us.

Our layout works well with 1m between the island and facing units. It would be a bit too tight for two people to work back to back, but that's not something we do.

I think our 'ayout works well because the island isn't too big to walk round if needed and it's purely prep space with space all round so a second person isn't restricted to standing on a particular side.

We also managed to avoid having a dishwasher or oven opening opposite the island, either of which would be really constricting when opened. The slide and hide ovens might seem like an improvement there but would still be a safety hazard to anyone else working in the space.

It is 1.5 m between our units and peninsular and it's half a step too wide, it's a pain. I'd say 1.2 would be perfect.

That's reassuring @SollaSollew, thanks