Why a kitchen island is the perfect solution for your kitchen
Last Updated on June 20, 2023
Kitchen islands or breakfast bars work particularly well in large kitchens, especially where you do not have enough wall space to accommodate the surface preparation area required. However, the room may have the capacity for an extra breakout worktop somewhere in the middle of the floor.
The versatility of kitchen islands make them a popular choice, especially with the recent uptake in working from home, where it can double up as a desk and work area, as well as for food preparation, dining and entertaining.
The extra storage provided by a kitchen island can also be crucial. The extra cupboard space, coupled with additional drawers enable budding chefs to own more crockery and utensils without cluttering the kitchen.
Kitchen islands are also often used decoratively, showcasing a display area with open shelving that is both aesthetically pleasing and easy to access. With access from all sides, kitchen islands are a wonder of practicality in modern kitchens.
Adding a sense of style
They also look good. Having a kitchen island worktop adds instant interest to a standard kitchen set-up and creates a sense of grandeur in the space. There are several choices available when deciding on a kitchen island – do you want it to be a pop of colour and a design statement, or would you prefer it to blend seamlessly with the rest of the kitchen for a calm, coherent and uncluttered feel?
Choosing a material for the kitchen worktop of your island may be trickier than just opting for the style you have already. If you expect your island to be used a lot, you may want to choose a more hard-wearing surface than you currently have for the rest of your kitchen. Or, maybe you just want it to be a focal feature. Perhaps you intend to change all your kitchen worktops to match your new island – we have a great selection of styles and colours to choose from, whatever look and feel you want to create.
Either way, you need to ensure that you still prioritise function over style. Ultimately, a kitchen island will achieve much-needed extra kitchen worktop space – for whatever purpose you require it.
Size and practicalities
When deciding on the size of your kitchen island and where to put it, a distance of at least 1.2m between other worktops and appliances will still allow you to move around your kitchen comfortably, without feeling cramped or the island getting in your way. An island that measures between 1m and 1.4m in depth is about optimal, although that will obviously depend on the space available to you in your kitchen. There is no hard and fast rule about the size of a kitchen island, but we can help advise on what we think would be your most suitable option.
If you plan to include any seating as part of your island set-up, you will need to allocate approximately 60-70cm per person. Some breakfast bar worktops may have an overhang along the entire length, to allow for seating, and others may be designed with a specific niche cut into the design so that cupboards, shelving or drawers can still be utilised on part of that side.
If you want electricity or plumbing to be incorporated into your kitchen island, you need to make sure you bear this in mind in the planning stage and factor it into any decisions you make in terms of placement for your island, and whether it is actually a practical possibility.
Sinks are popular additions to kitchen islands, providing a designated separate area for washing, and freeing up space elsewhere for food preparation and cooking. The same concept goes for installing a built-in hob and overhead extractor fan. Lighting over the island should also be considered. You don’t want to be working in a dark spot, so you may need extra illumination.
Division of space
If you have an open plan kitchen, which leads onto a living or dining area, for example, you may choose to have a kitchen island added to provide a visual distinction of the space. Far less intrusive than building a wall to separate the kitchen off entirely, a kitchen island still allows for circumvention of the space and for social interaction with people in other areas of the room, but also creates a line that splits the two rooms from each other so each has a definitive and designated purpose. It is a small change that can make a big difference to the way a room is perceived.
A moveable kitchen island is also an option so that you can have it in the perfect position for cooking, somewhere else for entertaining and socialising, or move it out of the way completely – if space allows – to open up your room again if you need the floor space.
Final thoughts
Kitchen islands have really come into their own, with open plan spaces favoured in contemporary design, and the kitchen is the heart of the home for more than just cooking nowadays. Having this extra versatile piece of furniture and kitchen worktop area makes modern living much easier all around.
With so many kitchen worktop styles to choose from, we are sure to have something that suits your concept and budget, so take a look at what we can offer and don’t hesitate to get in contact if we can help with advice on what will and won’t work in your kitchen. We recognise that every kitchen is individual and we will do our best to help you make yours the best it can be, whatever your vision.