Kitchen Islands – Design Tips and Tricks that Can Give Your Entire Home an Upgrade
You can give your entire house a makeover just by making some changes to one room… your kitchen. Since the kitchen is the heart of any home, the whole house goes the way of the kitchen. If the kitchen looks nice, so does the rest of the house. But if the kitchen looks outdated, so does the rest of the house.
If you’re looking for a way to add sophistication to your kitchen, an island is the perfect way to do it. In fact, the right kitchen island designs can give your kitchen a contemporary look that can turn into a big selling point, if you ever decide to put the house on the market.
Once you add a kitchen island, it becomes the focal point of the entire room. But good kitchen island ideas aren’t just about looking good.
They Also Provide Some Important Functional Aspects, Like:
- Adding valuable storage space, which leaves your counters less cluttered
- Increasing versatility, because it can be accessed from all sides
- Providing a barrier between the kitchen and living room, without having to build a wall
- Creating a “Triangle Design”, in which the sink, stove, and refrigerator are positioned in such a way that it makes a triangle. Triangle designs have become increasingly popular in recent years, and they are seen as the pinnacle of a modern kitchen
Just How Important Are Kitchen Islands?
According to a recent study by the National Association of Home Builders, 80% of home buyers say that a kitchen island is an absolute must.
But Where Do You Begin?
After all, kitchen islands come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and finishes. You can design a kitchen island that has granite countertops and pilasters. Or, you can design a kitchen island that’s all glass and stainless steel. Or, you can go with a kitchen island design that uses the finest cherry wood. The possibilities are endless!
But just getting any ‘ol kitchen island isn’t enough. Without the right kitchen island design, all of your hard work will be in vain.
So, How Do You Design the Perfect Kitchen Island For Your Home?
You Need To Take a Variety of Factors Into Account:
1. How Big Is Your Kitchen?
Trying to cram a kitchen island into a space that’s too small will make your kitchen look cluttered and unappealing – no matter how great the countertops or features are. And, you will need to make room for the kitchen appliances and features that are already there. After all, the best kitchen island design in the world is useless if you don’t have enough room to open up your dishwasher!
Usually, your kitchen needs to be at least 8’ deep and 12’ long to accommodate an island.
2. What Will The Kitchen Island Be Used For?
Do you want your island to hold a cooktop? Used just for extra storage? Used as a kitchen table? Designing a kitchen island can’t be done in a vacuum; the purpose of your kitchen island will play a huge role in its design. For example, if you’re putting appliances in it, you will not be able to rely on it for much storage. After all, a sink needs room underneath for pipes, and a cooktop needs room underneath for a downdraft fan.
And, if you want to use the island for cooking, you will need to make sure that you pick a countertop that can withstand hot pots and pans.
3. What’s The Best Shape For Comfort?
Kitchen islands can be designed in a square shape, a curved shape, a rectangular shape, an oval shape, or even an L-shape. The shape you choose depends on what you’re using the island for. For example, if your island is going to be used as a kitchen table, or as a boundary between the people cooking and the people just hanging out, you will need softly-contoured edges that are comfortable to lean on.
4. What Kind of Lighting Will You Need?
Since there is so much action going on at a kitchen island, your design plans need to include the proper lighting. Ambient lighting just won’t cut it if you’re stirring, chopping, or eating. And, remember, with a kitchen island, you don’t have cabinets overhead that can hide task lights.
Most of the time, recessed lighting works just fine over a kitchen island – unless your ceilings are incredibly high. The higher your ceilings are, the trickier it is to light an island. If your ceiling is very high, consider getting pendant lights that hang down and provide you with a direct beam of light.
5. How Tall Should Your Kitchen Island Be?
Again, this is a decision that needs to be made based on what you’re using the island for. Some kitchen islands are based on a dual-height plan that can hide things like dirty dishes from the view of the rest of the house.
If you plan on sitting at the kitchen island, there are 3 heights you will need to consider:
- 28”-30” for standard chairs
- 36” for low stools
- 42”-48” for bar stools
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