Kitchen islands are a great way to add more counter space to your kitchen while also providing additional seating and entertaining areas. Kitchen islands can serve many different purposes while also being stylish and functional. If you’re in the process of choosing a design for your kitchen island, here are a few things to consider!
Kitchen Island Function
Before you even begin to pick out materials for your island, put a good amount of thought into what you want your kitchen island to accomplish. The desired function of your island will greatly influence its design. Do you do a lot of cooking and need a lot of counter space? Design your island to accomplish this by having a large plain surface available on your kitchen island.
Do you want an extra sink to use in addition to the one you have installed? Design your island with a sink built in for extra sink space. Do you want an extra stovetop or sink? Plan where you would want to put appliances on the new island. Always be sure about what you want to the project to accomplish before going ahead with the work to keep your work flow consistent and smooth.
Floor Space
A kitchen island can be a great addition, but it can also be a hindrance if you don’t have much floor space in your kitchen. It is recommended to keep 36 to 48 inches of open floor between the sides of the island and the rest of the kitchen to ensure there is ample room to get around. When designing your initial look and dimensions of your kitchen island, be sure to keep this in mind, and try to visualize how much space the island will be taking up.
Be sure to leave enough room for you to move around without bumping into anything. You may want to plan for even more space between the island and counters if you generally have multiple people in the kitchen at once. That way there is plenty of room for people to get around without running into each other. It also helps having extra space around areas where appliance doors will run into when they are open. Take note of where ovens and refrigerators will be so you leave enough space for the doors to fully open and to leave some space to get around if desired.
Multiple Levels
When you picture your typical kitchen island, the first image that comes to mind is of a flat surface in the middle of your kitchen. However, a now popular style is having a multi-tiered island with surfaces at different levels. You may be asking: why? Well, having multiple tiers of levels on a kitchen island can serve some useful functions.
Multiple tiers can be used for multiple purposes at the same time. For example, if you have children and they enjoy doing homework in the kitchen, having a multi-tiered island would be ideal. You can have the shorter tier available for homework for them while the higher tier can be your dedicated cooking area. This allows you to help your child with their schoolwork while you cook dinner for you family.
Overall Shape
Most islands are a rectangular shape, but it isn’t the only shape to choose. Islands can also be shaped like a circle, oval, or be somewhat irregular. T and L shapes are also a good choice if you can’t fit a full rectangular island in your kitchen. They provide plenty of working counter space while being space efficient and leaving room on the edges to get around.
Material choices also influence the shape of your island as some counter materials can be more readily shaped into more organic forms. Glass for examples can be cut into all kinds of strange organic shapes that can feature curves and waves. Stones are less easily cut into organic shapes.
Location
Although most islands are installed in the very center of a kitchen, the middle isn’t the only place an island can be installed. Placement of a kitchen island is especially important when you have a large kitchen. If you want your island to help with food preparation, it’s recommended to place your island close to your appliances so you can easily reach everything even if it means it won’t be in the center.
A kitchen island that you want to use for help with cleanup would be best located near the dishwasher and sink. However, if you value aesthetics over function, you can choose to place it wherever you feel it will look best.
Height
The best height of your island depends on a few different factors including the surrounding counter height as well as the height of you and your family. The height of the island is especially important if you plan on doing a lot of meal preparation using its counter space. You want to be able to comfortably use the space without feeling you’re bending over too much or feeling like the counter is too tall.
You also want the height to be equal to that of the surrounding counter tops if you want everything to match in your kitchen. Your island’s height will also determine the types of seating you can use. If your island is the same height throughout, you’ll probably want traditional chairs. If you have a higher tier, bar stools or higher chairs will be a good choice.
Storage
One of the best things about having a kitchen island is the extra storage space. You can choose to have cabinets, drawers, or open shelves depending on your tastes. A recent trend of installing a tall drawer for the placement of a hidden trash can is also a great option if you don’t want your trash in plain sight.
Open shelving is also a popular choice if you want to be able to easily see where things are without having to open a bunch of cabinets while searching. Open shelves also allow you to display your favorite dining ware. Take some time to think about what kind of storage option you’d like to have available in your island as you can mix and match things to best suit your needs.
Power Outlets
An island requires at least one power outlet. However, you don’t have to stop at the bare minimum! Having multiple power outlets available on your island will allow you to charge devices at a central location. You can plug in multiple appliances on your island while cooking and baking if you have multiple outlets. Having extra outlets is always better than having too few!
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