You’ve been in your kitchen for a while now and you know better than anyone else if you have the right set up. Example: you are prepping for a big get together and you are using the tops of your washer and dryer as a staging area. This could be an indicator that a remodel may be needed, but will that give you more counter space? What about a kitchen island?
Kitchen islands can be a great way to add some extra work space and even some storage space to your kitchen. This kind of addition can also add overall value to your home as well as give your kitchen a much needed visual refresh…but is an island right for your kitchen? Will you lose valuable floor and area space? Here are a few tips to consider when contemplating a Kitchen island installation.
- You have limited kitchen space. Adding more cabinets and additional counter top is always a nice thought. Being able to spread out and really get working on a meal project or prepping for a big event is something many kitchen dwellers dream about; but do you really have the space? Many designers recommend that your kitchen should be at minimum, twelve to fourteen feet wide if you are considering adding an island. Kitchen islands tend to be most effective in an L-shaped kitchen. If your kitchen is narrow, U-shaped or square an island may just be in the way.
- I need more counter top space! Every kitchen dweller has shouted this from the rooftops one time or another. Your current kitchen design has interrupted counter top space with small portable and large permanent appliances, sink or even a modified storage space. This division in counter top space can really break a flow if you are working on a big culinary project, not to mention make your kitchen look visually smaller. Since many homeowners tend to leave small appliances out for convenience, an additional counter top like an island may be the solution to that lack of work space.
- Life starts in the kitchen. As any family household knows, the kitchen is often the hub of the house. This is where the day begins with a cup of coffee to prep for the day and ends with snagging the last cookie before heading to bed. Since most kitchen dwellers tend to have an audience during food prep time, an island might be a nice place to add a small breakfast bar on one side, put a few chairs out and even add a small rinsing sink for those quick eat-and-run days. Kids can do their homework while dinner is being prepped; enhancing family time with one another.
Give adding an island as much thought as possible. Take accurate measurements, draw diagrams and think about how adding this feature will enhance your lifestyle. Many home stores and furniture stores offer smaller portable islands which may give you a preview of how this type of addition may work for you. If all goes well, adding a permanent island will be a financial and functional benefit that you can enjoy for years to come!