Kitchen islands are a wonderful addition to your kitchen. They’re that extra space that you can turn into a countertop, a breakfast bar, and even a mini dining table. For kitchen island, quartz and granite countertops are the popular choices. But that’s not the only thing to know. Here are some kitchen island designing rules you need to follow.
The Size Of The Island
You need to understand the right design rule of size when it comes to a kitchen island. This is crucial and you need to know the right and proportionate size of the kitchen island because it will add symmetry to the entire space. Well, as a general rule of thumb, the kitchen island isn’t supposed to be humongous. It should be about 10% of the actual size of the kitchen.
You might think that it’s too small, but it won’t be. This size will be perfect and you will be able to make the island fit into the space perfectly without having some serious space issues.
Remember, if the island is so big that it is causing disruptions in how you walk and operate in the kitchen, then it needs to be smaller and the larger size is turning out to be an omen. So, whatever you do, make sure that you keep the size in mind because it can make or break the island.
It Shouldn’t Cramp The Space
This is another very important rule when it comes to kitchen island and even though it kind of ties in with the previous one, it is still just as important to consider on its own. You should always go for a kitchen island if you have a spacious kitchen to begin with.
If you have a studio apartment with a very quaint and small kitchen, then a kitchen island probably won’t be the best idea. You want to think this through properly, because if you have the space, then kitchen islands are great and if you don’t, then well, you are just cramping up the space and that is not what you want.
Seating – Yes Or No?
Seating with kitchen islands has been very popular and the main reason is that they are so versatile. But still, people can get confused about it and they want to get an expert opinion on things. Well, the rule doesn’t decide whether you should get seating or not, but more like which option has more merits than demerits.
If you’re going to go for a kitchen island with seating, then make sure that the space isn’t compromised at all. This is something that a lot of people forget. If you’re not going for seating on the kitchen island, then you better have an even more useful idea for it, because it shouldn’t just be a slab in the middle of the kitchen.
Space Between Countertops And Island
When you’re thinking about a kitchen island design, you also want to figure out the right spacing between the island and the neighboring countertops. This is something that a lot of people don’t even pay attention to, but if you do, then you’ll see how proportionate everything will look.
The distance between the countertops and the island should be no less than 42 inches. This will give you enough space to walk comfortably between stations and the two things will be far enough from each other to create the illusion of a bigger space.
You can match the kitchen island surface and your countertops or choose different materials or colors for each. The choice is yours. If you need a durable man-made material, choose quartz kitchen countertops Rockville.
Ideal Dimensions Of A Kitchen Island
The overall dimensions of a kitchen island are also an important thing to go over. When it comes to the height of the kitchen island, it should be no more than 42 inches. Usually, you can get away with 36 inches too. As for the depth of the island, it can be anywhere between 24 to 36 inches and it can be more if you decide to install appliances on the island too.
Seams
Kitchen islands, if big enough, may have seams. So, you should either choose a size that doesn’t require two slabs if you want to avoid seams or choose an experienced fabricator for installation with seams.
What Can You Put On The Island?
Lastly, you need to figure out what you can and can’t put on the kitchen island, in order to make it useful but not super cramped. Well, here are some options.
Storage
Firstly, you can use a kitchen island for storage. Who doesn’t need that extra bit of storage? There can never be too much storage and the great thing about kitchen islands is that you can get really creative with the kitchen island designs and the storage in proportion when you do decide on using it for storage. You can go for vertical storage cabinets, sliding cabinets, receding cabinets, the list goes on.
Sink
If you want to keep your countertop in a no-sink zone and want to keep it away from everything else, then why not add it to the kitchen island? A kitchen island can be your designated dishwashing and drying station.
So, you can leave the countertops for work alone and you can take full advantage of the kitchen island and do all of the dish cleaning there. It will be such an organized and clean way of doing your dishes and you will deal with the mess on the island, so there will be zero clutter, which is just amazing.
Dishwasher
Speaking of dishes, if you’re more of a tech-reliant person, then maybe a sink is just too 1900s for you and you want a dishwasher to do all of the dishes for you. Well, a kitchen island is the perfect place for you to install a dishwasher too.
It is a designated place for this appliance and you can wash, clean, and dry dishes with no hassle. It is something convenient and you will make use of the dishwasher and the island a lot, so it’s not a waste of space at all. Amazing, isn’t it?
Handy Appliances
If you love your morning coffee, want to have easy access to the microwave, and just want all of the handy appliances to be in one place, a.k.a. the kitchen island, then this idea is perfect too. You can prop your coffee machine on top of the island.
You can set your microwave on top as well, right by the coffee machine and you can also put smaller but useful appliances like a handy oven, air fryer or even cleaning supplies on top of the kitchen island. It will be organized and it will be easy for you to see and remember where things are and you will just love the use of your kitchen island.
Leave It Bare
Lastly, if you don’t have a lot of stuff and prefer to keep the kitchen island bare and useful for emergencies, then you can do that too. Leaving a kitchen island bare will give it that clean and crisp look and it will just add to the appeal of your minimal kitchen.
So, if you love simple and clean kitchen layouts, then this idea will steal your heart. Besides, the more you add things, the messier it will get, so this idea is perfect.
Conclusion
Whether it’s for extra work space or just for looks, you need to consider these rules when you’re designing a kitchen island. To make you choose a durable and beautiful surface for the kitchen island, consult a granite contractor Potomac.