Are you thinking about renovating your current kitchen or building a new one? Consider installing a kitchen island, as these have become an essential part of today’s kitchens. Besides providing you with a supplemental workspace, they also offer you a convenient way to spend time with your guests while you’re preparing a meal.
However, given the wide variety of islands available on the market, it can be hard to determine which model is the right one for your kitchen. In this article, our kitchen designers will guide you through the various choices in kitchen islands and layouts, including dimensions, materials and colors, to help you find the ideal kitchen island to fit in your space and satisfy your needs.
Choosing the right type of island for your kitchen depends on several different factors, including the configuration of the room and the way you intend to use the island. Here are some different kinds of islands you could consider for your kitchen:
Standard kitchen islands: These islands, which are the most popular choice, provide a place to prepare food, while also offering supplemental space for kitchen utensils and small appliances. You can also equip them with a faucet and sink to facilitate cleanup.
Islands with a cooktop: These islands feature a built-in cooktop and an exhaust hood for ventilation. They can also provide supplemental storage space for kitchen utensils, pots and pans.
Buffet islands: These islands offer a place to lay out food and drinks during receptions or dinners among friends. For a more elegant presentation, you can outfit them with a marble or granite countertop. You can also install storage cabinets for dishes and glasses.
Kitchen islands with a bar: This type of island features a high counter and barstools, providing an ideal place to enjoy a drink or a meal. Owners often add a sink and faucet to this type of island, both for serving drinks and for facilitating cleanup.
Multi-purpose islands: These islands are generally larger, as they combine several different functions. You can equip them with a cooktop, a sink, marble or granite countertops and storage space for kitchen utensils and tableware.
Mobile islands: While it’s common to affix a kitchen island to the floor, it’s also possible to opt for an island on wheels so you can easily move it from place to place. As a result, you can vary the way you use it and arrange it in the room, depending on the situation and your needs.
Cooking/eating islands: These center islands serve two purposes in one: they provide a place to prepare meals and a place to eat them. There are two main types of islands for dining. The first type involves an extra tier added to the basic structure at a slightly higher level, possibly including an extension. The second type is a “monolithic” kitchen island, which combines a regular island on one side and a place to consume meals on the other. This type of center island is ideal for optimizing the available space in a small kitchen, while also offering a practical breakfast nook.
Before installing a kitchen island, it’s important to think about how you plan to use it. In fact, the island you choose will depend on your needs and your kitchen habits. Here are a few questions to ask yourself in order to define the use of your island before you install it.
Do you need supplemental storage space?
An island can include additional storage cabinets and drawers where you can keep utensils, pots, pans and provisions.
Do you cook often?
A center island with a simple work surface can provide an additional area for meal preparation. You can also install a cooktop or sink to free up more space in your kitchen.
Do you frequently entertain in your home?
If so, you can use your kitchen island as a buffet where you can lay out food and beverages for your guests. It can also serve as a warm, welcoming place for your guests to gather around the kitchen.
In short, it’s important to reflect on the role you want your kitchen island to play. The five main functions of a kitchen are storage, preparation, cooking, serving and washing, and depending on your needs, your island can serve one or more of these purposes. How you opt to use your island will affect its dimensions and placement, as well as the materials and accessories you choose.
For a functional island, the minimum recommended width is 36 inches and the minimum recommended depth is 24 inches. However, the size of the island may vary according to its use. If you want to add places to sit, you’ll need to estimate the number of people you’d like to seat around the island and allow approximately 30 inches in width for each person.
It’s also important to consider the height of the island in order to make it comfortable to use. The standard height of a kitchen island is 36 inches; however, you’ll need to adapt it according to the purpose it will serve and the people who will be using it regularly.
Ideally, you should also allow between 40 and 42 inches of clearance so people can move around the room easily and so you can open the cabinets and appliances, such as the dishwasher, all the way.
To ensure good ergonomics, we recommend calling on the services of a kitchen designer, who can draw up plans based on your current kitchen. With an optimal plan and layout, even the smallest kitchens can accommodate an island.
To ensure optimal use of your kitchen island, its placement is a key element to consider. It’s important to choose its location according to the purpose it will serve. You must also respect the three key zones of any kitchen: the sink area, the cooking area and the refrigeration area. It’s a matter of rationalizing the placement of these three zones to facilitate movement between them, especially if you cook frequently.
Kitchen islands often serve as a convenient place where your guests can enjoy a cocktail or where you can set up a breakfast bar with barstools. Therefore, it’s important to determine how many places you’ll want to add, allowing at least 30 inches of clearance for each one to ensure maximum comfort.
Before choosing your materials, you must set a budget so that your kitchen designer can create a kitchen island in keeping with your tastes and your pocketbook. There is a vast range of materials on the market, each of which presents certain advantages. The price of an island can vary drastically, depending on its size and the materials used in its construction.
When choosing the cabinets for your island, it’s important to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each material to ensure that it’s best suited to your lifestyle and the atmosphere of your home. The fragility and maintenance requirements of certain materials, such as natural wood, may make them inappropriate for their intended use. For example, if you have a family, you should choose a material that’s durable and easy to maintain. For a modern look, opt for Similacquer kitchen furnishings; however, if you prefer a timeless look, choose opaque lacquer, instead. These materials are also relatively easy to maintain.
Finally, if your budget is tight, melamine, polyester and European laminate will all give you excellent value for your money.
When it comes to the countertop for your island, your choice will depend on how you use the island, as well as its design.
Quartz is unquestionably the most popular material on the market for kitchen island countertops. This affordable antibacterial composite comes in a choice of more than 300 colors. Keep in mind, though, that it is susceptible to stains and does not tolerate heat well. Nevertheless, if necessary, you can re-polish a quartz countertop.
Unlike quartz, which is an amalgamation of stones, granite is a solid slice of natural stone. Dense and highly resistant, granite can withstand heat better than quartz can. On the other hand, this type of work surface requires maintenance approximately every two years.
Dekton work surfaces are the latest trend in the market. Made of several extremely durable materials, they won’t stain or scratch, they can withstand heat, and they offer antibacterial properties. Superior-quality Dekton countertops are a revolution in the world of kitchen and bathroom design. What’s more, this synthetic stone is available in a variety of colors and styles.
You can give free rein to your imagination, whether you decide to match your island to your cabinets or use contrasting materials. Frequently used in open-kitchen plans, an island serves as a transition not only between the kitchen and dining room but also between the kitchen and living room. Therefore, your island should harmonize with these other rooms and the materials used in them.
The colors and finishes for a kitchen island may vary depending on your personal tastes and the style of your kitchen. You have a choice of matte, glossy or textured finishes and a vast selection of colors. Popular options include natural wood, black, white and vivid or pastel colors. For more inspiration, discover the latest kitchen trends.
Do you have big dreams but a small budget? There are many low-cost ways you can make your island stand out. Transform an old piece of furniture, pull an old light fixture out of storage, place a few decorative objects on the shelves and you’re all set! Cuisines Verdun has long been a master in the art of renovating old kitchens and can propose a whole host of different ideas for achieving an up-to-date look without spending a lot of money.
It’s now indispensable to equip kitchen islands with electrical outlets, which will come in handy for charging a smartphone or working on a laptop. An even more sophisticated option that’s perfect for technophiles is a retractable power tower with electric outlets and USB ports.
Another interesting idea is to equip your kitchen island with a built-in wine cellar, a new kitchen classic that’s a necessity for those who frequently entertain. The addition of a small sink or a built-in cutting board can facilitate meal preparation while helping you maximize your available space. If your kitchen island includes an induction cooktop, you can opt for a retractable hood, as it will save space, provide an uncluttered view and make a big impression on all your guests.
Since the island is the centerpiece of the kitchen, adequate lighting is essential. People often choose suspended fixtures to take advantage of direct lighting. Available in a vast range of materials, shapes and styles, suspended lights also serve as a decorative element. Another interesting option is to illuminate the toe kick of the island to create an appealing play of light.
When it comes to decorating, you have multiple options, but it’s primarily a question of your tastes. The lighting and furnishings you choose will lend a unique personal style to your island. You can then supplement the décor of your island by adding a splash of color with plants and flowers or by adorning it with a few decorative kitchen accessories, such as bowls, baskets or plates. You can also add practical elements, including napkin holders, sponge holders and utensil organizers for everyday use. Depending on how much room you have on your island and how you use it, you can add just about any decorative element you wish.
Now that you understand what a large-scale project adding a center island to your kitchen is, you can understand why it’s essential to draft a detailed plan.
When it comes to your kitchen renovation project, you can count on the team at Cuisines Verdun. Our kitchen designers can advise you on the addition or modification of a kitchen island to make the heart of your home more practical and congenial, all while exhibiting a style that’s completely up to date.
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