Your kitchen island is the centrepiece of your kitchen, but this also makes it one of the most complicated areas to design in a house. For homeowners looking to design a kitchen island, there are plenty of factors to consider and loads of planning to go through before you can come up with the perfect kitchen island design.
With no room for error, it helps to take things step-by-step. What also helps is consulting with a professional who can best advise you on how to proceed. We are here to make things a bit easier for you by sharing this short guide, including all the information you need to design the perfect kitchen island. Here is what you should keep in mind when choosing from kitchen island designs.
Think of Your Kitchen Island’s Function
Before you move on to designing your kitchen island, first decide what primary function your island will perform. Some people prefer to have a kitchen island with one side dedicated to dining and one side dedicated to cooking. You can add as many or as few functions as you want to your kitchen island, but it’s best to sort this out beforehand. You can have yours dedicated to seating, storage, and appliances, add a dedicated prepping area and a prep sink; there is plenty you can do.
The reason is that your kitchen island will be sized and designed accordingly. The more appliances and sinks you add to your island, the more space you will need to allocate.
Think of Sizing and Height
Sizing is the next most important aspect. Your kitchen island dimensions shouldn’t block clear passage around your kitchen, and if you are planning on adding seating, you need to provide adequate space for each individual seat. Kitchen islands, on average, are sized around 40″x80″, but you also need to leave sufficient space around them for comfortable walking. Not to forget, you need adequate space between the island and the counter.
But your kitchen island size isn’t all that matters; you also need to consider height. The standard height for most kitchen islands falls around 36″, but this will have to be raised higher if you intend to add dining to your kitchen island, somewhere around 42″.
What Appliances Will You Need?
Next, you need to consider the type and number of appliances you will be adding to your kitchen island. For instance, if you are adding a sink on your island, you may also be adding a dishwasher. If you are using your island as the main prep area, you want to add a trash and recycling area. If your kitchen is spacious, you may want to add a smaller under-counter fridge, so your fridge is at hand while you are working.
Make a complete list of all the appliances you will be adding to your kitchen island; think of placement and how they will be organized. Always prioritize a placement that will make your work in the kitchen easier.
How Much Storage Will You Need?
Storage may not be your priority when it comes to your kitchen island design. This is particularly true for spacious kitchens that already have plenty of cabinets. In this case, your primary focus should instead be on utilizing your kitchen island space for prep, adding kitchen appliances and sinks. On the other hand, if your kitchen is smaller and you find your existing cabinets inadequate, you can benefit by adding dedicated storage spaces to your kitchen island.
Consider Your Kitchen Layout
The next step is to think about how your kitchen island will work with your existing kitchen layout. As a general rule, try to ensure that your kitchen island compliments the opposite counters from each end. Remember, your kitchen island may be a freestanding unit, but it is built to complement your existing kitchen and perform all the functionalities your kitchen cannot perform on its own.
For instance, consider the work triangle, a clear path between the area for your stove, your sink, and your refrigerator. The kitchen work triangle dictates that there should not be any appliances or cabinets intersecting the legs of this triangle, and there should not be any major traffic through this triangle.
Similarly, ergonomics state that a sink (if you only have one) should be located next to or across from the stovetop and fridge. At the same time, your dishwasher should be placed within 900mm from your sink.
Style Your Kitchen Island
Finally, we move on to the most exciting part of your kitchen island design, the styling. This is where your favourites on Pinterest may come in handy for inspiration. Think of the colour and theme of your kitchen island; the colour may be different than the rest of your kitchen space but should complement it in one way or another.
That’s not all; consider the material you will be using for your kitchen islands, particularly for the countertops. Some of the most commonly used materials for kitchen countertops include marble, granite, quartz, ceramic tiles, stainless steel, and wood.
If you are looking for an easy to clean, durable and low maintenance material, quartz might be the one for you. On the other hand, if you want a more luxurious look with chip and scratch resistance, you can opt for a granite kitchen island countertop.
It is recommended to consult a professional designer who can guide you on the best way to style your kitchen island, such as Cava Granite. With 10 years of experience, our experts can guide you on the best material you should be using for your kitchen island countertops.
