Just as a kitchen can be the center of a home, a kitchen island can be the focus of a kitchen. You can use it for prepping or even cooking a meal. The island can be somewhere to socialize around or a spot to sit down for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Even smaller kitchens can have an island as part of their design. You just need to make sure that your kitchen island does everything you need it to. But in order to ensure you have the right kitchen island design for you, there are a few things to consider.
Will you have enough space?
We did mention that smaller kitchens could have an island, but there are limits. You will need enough space to move around the island and to all the points of your kitchen without bumping into things. This is important since there may be hot surfaces and sharp knives involved at some point. If you have a small kitchen and you are absolutely set on having a kitchen island, then you may want to look at more portable options, such as a converted trolley or butcher’s block on wheels.
How will you use your kitchen island?
Part of the space question is also, what are you planning to do in this space? This will impact your kitchen island design as well. If you want to prepare food there, you may want to have a sink or stove installed. That would mean having wiring and plumbing installed, and is that a cost you want to have?
Also, as a prep station, you may want to think about the surfaces. If you plan on using your kitchen island for meals, you will want to make sure there is enough room for seating. Also, you might want to consider a dual-height arrangement between workspaces and eating areas.
Think about storage
Some people focus on storage for their kitchen island design. Cabinets and shelves do not need be only along walls. A kitchen island could expand your storage capacity. Consider deep drawers for pots and pans, or even small appliances. Shelves could be ideal for storing spices or aromatics. They can also be used for placing frequently used items like cookbooks or dinnerware. You could even get creative and have vertical slots for baking trays or serving dishes or install shallow glass display cases to show off decorative items.
Should your island move?
As mentioned above, if you have limited space, you may want to consider a movable kitchen island design. But this could work for larger spaces as well. You may want a modular set-up where one section can move to create more room on the island or more space around the kitchen, depending on what you need. There is also the option of having folding sections that you can deploy when you need more space. This could be a good solution if you want a dining area on the island but cannot accommodate space while you are cooking.
How shapely will your kitchen island be?
Whether it moves or it is fixed, your kitchen island can still be shapely. While most people think that kitchen islands must be a long rectangle, they do not have to be. They could be curved to provide a more ergonomic working space, or they could be L- or T-shaped if you want to use the area for dining. That way, it could almost function as a table so diners could sit across from one another. If you are pressed for space, there are also peninsular arrangements, where the island actually juts out from one of the counters or walls.
Materials and lighting make kitchen islands functional
As you set out your kitchen island design, you should think about surfaces. If you plan on preparing meals, or even if you aren’t, you want to have a stylish, yet functional countertop for your kitchen island. Marble looks fantastic and is great for bakers, but it can get expensive. A butcher’s block wood surface also looks good, and quartz is easy to clean and maintain while having that marble-ish aesthetic. Then there is the lighting. Do you want suitable mood lighting for entertaining or bright lights so you can see what you are doing while you cook? Or perhaps the ability to switch between both?
If you have appliances, you will need electricity
Installing a stove was mentioned above, which would require additional wiring. But something else to consider is whether you need outlets installed as well. This is not just for when you want to use your kitchen island for a prep station. You may want to make an occasional smoothie or plug in a laptop if you want to multi-purpose that dining area, as many do with kitchen tables. You would not want to have electrical cords stretching dangerously from the wall across walking paths to the island.
