5 Things You Need To Consider Before Adding That Kitchen Island
Sizing, Spacing, Storage, and More
If you've got ample floor space in your kitchen, it's not a bad idea to consider adding a kitchen island. They can add 25% or more counter and cabinet space, give you more electrical outlets, and often more sink options.
Kitchens can be designed ahead of time to be incorporated into the space. Or, they can be added "after the fact." Space, electrical access, and sometimes plumbing, are the main considerations.
Islands do not have to be this big: they can be sized up or down according to the size of the kitchen. Experiment by placing a table in the space for 2-3 days, and see how it feels. However, if you are planning to have any kind of appliances (stove, oven, or a sink), bigger is definitely better.
Most people covet islands for the instant kitchen counter space they allow. But what kind of cabinet and drawer space do they give you?
Storage Space In Kitchen Islands
One aspect of kitchen islands that many homeowners forget is that it is possible to add a considerable amount of drawer and cabinet space under the counters.
The island in this photo has cabinets and drawers along its entire length on one side. The other side has about half of the storage space because that is where the stove is located, as we will later see.
It is wise to max out your storage space when planning your kitchen island.
Plumbing And Electrifying Your Kitchen Island
Another great aspect of kitchen islands is that they typically give you two additional electrical outlets. In fact, this is not an option - this is a requirement based on the electrical code. So, your contractor will definitely plan for the minimum required number of receptacles.
What about a sink? Many more homes are being built with sinks in the islands. Sometimes, the sink is in addition to the main sink located on peripheral countertops.
Less often, the island sink is the only sink.
While sinks in islands are still not very popular, stoves are quite often located on islands.
Cooks like having the stove on the kitchen island because it allows for increased working room. Also, centralized stoves make for a more social atmosphere, especially when bar chairs are added to the island.
A flat stove built into the island (or any other place) is called a cooktop. However, stove-oven combinations can also be built into kitchen islands.
Electrical or gas lines must be brought up from the floor, through the crawlspace (or through the concrete slab, depending on your home).
Ever burned something while cooking? Then you know that if you have a stove, you need an exhaust.
With an island, you do not have the usual option of an exhaust hood against the wall (with the vapors drawn straight out a hole in the wall). Kitchen islands are removed from walls. So what's the solution?
Two solutions, really. Up or down. Higher-end stove installations in islands hang a hood over the stove, with the smoke being drawn straight up a tube and out of the house.
Other arrangements might use a downdraft cooktop. A grate in the stove next to the burners sucks the smoke straight down, and then out of the house through the crawlspace.
Up or down: which is better? The above-the-stove hood does a better job, since smoke and steam rise. However, the downdraft element is usually less expensive.
If you've got ample floor space in your kitchen, it's not a bad idea to consider adding a kitchen island. They can add 25% or more counter and cabinet space, give you more electrical outlets, and often more sink options.
Kitchens can be designed ahead of time to be incorporated into the space. Or, they can be added "after the fact." Space, electrical access, and sometimes plumbing, are the main considerations.
How To Correctly Size Your Island
Your island should be no more than 10% of the total square footage of your kitchen. Any more than that, and the island will overwhelm the kitchen and make it difficult to maneuver. For example, the kitchen shown in the accompanying image is 10 feet by 13 feet (130 square feet). Its island is 4 feet by 7 feet (28 square feet). So, about 10% of the kitchen is used for the island.Islands do not have to be this big: they can be sized up or down according to the size of the kitchen. Experiment by placing a table in the space for 2-3 days, and see how it feels. However, if you are planning to have any kind of appliances (stove, oven, or a sink), bigger is definitely better.
Most people covet islands for the instant kitchen counter space they allow. But what kind of cabinet and drawer space do they give you?
Storage Space In Kitchen Islands
One aspect of kitchen islands that many homeowners forget is that it is possible to add a considerable amount of drawer and cabinet space under the counters.
The island in this photo has cabinets and drawers along its entire length on one side. The other side has about half of the storage space because that is where the stove is located, as we will later see.
It is wise to max out your storage space when planning your kitchen island.
Plumbing And Electrifying Your Kitchen Island
Another great aspect of kitchen islands is that they typically give you two additional electrical outlets. In fact, this is not an option - this is a requirement based on the electrical code. So, your contractor will definitely plan for the minimum required number of receptacles.
What about a sink? Many more homes are being built with sinks in the islands. Sometimes, the sink is in addition to the main sink located on peripheral countertops.
Less often, the island sink is the only sink.
While sinks in islands are still not very popular, stoves are quite often located on islands.
Cooks like having the stove on the kitchen island because it allows for increased working room. Also, centralized stoves make for a more social atmosphere, especially when bar chairs are added to the island.
A flat stove built into the island (or any other place) is called a cooktop. However, stove-oven combinations can also be built into kitchen islands.
Electrical or gas lines must be brought up from the floor, through the crawlspace (or through the concrete slab, depending on your home).
Ever burned something while cooking? Then you know that if you have a stove, you need an exhaust.
With an island, you do not have the usual option of an exhaust hood against the wall (with the vapors drawn straight out a hole in the wall). Kitchen islands are removed from walls. So what's the solution?
Two solutions, really. Up or down. Higher-end stove installations in islands hang a hood over the stove, with the smoke being drawn straight up a tube and out of the house.
Other arrangements might use a downdraft cooktop. A grate in the stove next to the burners sucks the smoke straight down, and then out of the house through the crawlspace.
Up or down: which is better? The above-the-stove hood does a better job, since smoke and steam rise. However, the downdraft element is usually less expensive.
Source...