Kitchen islands are must-have features in modern, open-concept kitchen design. They do everything: Extra prep space for you, extra dining space for your family, extra storage space for all of your kitchen needs, and even a prep sink for your kitchen triangle. We’ve even installed dishwashers and undercounter microwave ovens in kitchen islands – freeing up more space in other areas of the kitchen! They can be adorned with beautiful countertops, and add to the overall aesthetic of your kitchen.
We love kitchen islands. Here’s why—and how you can optimize yours:
The Rise of the Kitchen Island in Modern Home Design
The rise of the kitchen island and the rise of open-concept kitchens happened almost simultaneously. Kitchen islands have become the bridge between the dining room and the kitchen, often creating a natural border between the two without separating them.
Open-concept kitchens tend to have less counter space as there are fewer walls. Kitchen islands remedy this by offering cabinets, counter space, and more. Tables can also look unsightly in an open-concept kitchen—having a table in the kitchen and the dining room is no longer as popular as it once was. Kitchen islands double as a kind of table, significantly increasing your prep area.
The Many Roles of a Kitchen Island
A Natural Gathering Space
As the border between the kitchen and the dining room, kitchen islands offer a natural gathering space, where hosts can interact with their guests even as they’re cooking a meal. Today’s kitchen islands are frequently furnished with stools, giving guests and family members the opportunity to sit and chat. The large surface area of modern kitchen islands means they can be easily adorned with jars of snacks and plates, giving guests the chance to enjoy appetizers before the main meal is served at the dining room table.
Defining Kitchen Zones and Workflows
The kitchen triangle is one of the most important concepts in kitchen design; your cooking surface, refrigerator, and sink should form a triangle, and all be about equal distance from one another.
Kitchen islands can dramatically improve the workflow of your kitchen because they offer a sink in a central point, as well as plenty of space for food prep. Take your ingredients out of the fridge, move them to the kitchen island, prep your ingredients, and move them to the cooking area; work in one area never obstructs another, and there’s plenty of room to work.
Maximizing Storage and Counter Space
Kitchen islands typically feature cabinets or shelves beneath their tops in order to provide you with more storage space. The countertops themselves are also typically quite large, providing extra counter space for those working in the kitchen and extra dining space for those relaxing in the dining room.
By maximizing counter space with your kitchen island, you’ll make meal preparation that much easier—especially with the ease of workflow that comes with the well-defined kitchen zones we described earlier.
Optimizing Your Layout With an Island
Size, Placement, and Clearance Guidelines
There are several different designs for kitchen islands; incorporating seating, small appliances, a prep sink, and other features into a custom island is common. The key here is to ensure that your kitchen island is properly sized to incorporate all of the features you want, all without obstructing traffic flow through the kitchen.
Typically, you’ll want about 1.2 metres (4 feet) of open space around each side of your island; this gives you room to prep and move around your kitchen, all while offering diners enough room to sit. We love large kitchen islands; if you can fit a 1.2m x 2.4m (4’ x 8’) island in your kitchen, you’ll have room for food preparation and a casual dining area all in one. We don’t recommend getting a kitchen island that’s any smaller than 61cm x 1.2m (2’ x 4’).
Integrating Islands in Open-Concept Kitchens
Your kitchen layout and the dining and living space adjacent to your kitchen will have a significant impact on how your kitchen island will be integrated into the overall design of your kitchen.
We love using kitchen islands as a natural barrier between these areas; they’re effectively acting as a wall space, a prep area, and a dining table simultaneously. Natural light can flow through each area, adding illumination throughout your home, and keeping your prep space bright. The key here is to remember to leave room on all sides of your kitchen island, which may mean moving furniture in your living and dining area around.
Unlock Better Kitchen Flow With an Island Renovation
At All Canadian Renovations, we love integrating kitchen islands into a kitchen remodel.
Of course, not ALL kitchens have the space for an island – however, we have many unique ways to create beautiful and very functional kitchens, even with space limitations! We have been designing and renovating kitchens for over 20 years – and there is no kitchen space that we can’t improve!
Bring us your kitchen ideas, and we’ll tell you about ours. Together, we’ll design the perfect kitchen for you to enjoy for many years to come!