Kitchen Island Expansion Help

last year

Hi! We have a very narrow island 9' long but only 25" wide. I am looking to swap the quartz for a larger white piece to add interest and be able to sit 5 people on the right side. I would no longer need seating under the end like it is now. I think I need supports... would you just match the leg design on either end? The far end would look okay but this end I think would need to be closed up... Please help!

Comments (5)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
I need to see a to scale floor plan to even make sure you have space for this wide of an island a 9' island can seat 4 not 5 and you need at leaast 60" from the edge of the island to any wall or cabinets that the stools will sit in front of . So we need a plan if you keep legs for support then you will not have room for 4 seats . You can do stainless supports that are invisible for the piece that is larger and that will free up the whole length so in a oinch 4 seats along the side and ne sort of perched at the end. You really only need 12" over hang but if this is going to be where the family eats meals then you should have 15" overhang. So post the to scale plan , use graph paper it makes it easier to do.
PRO
JAN MOYER
last year
last modified: last year
There's a reason the island is only 25 inches. You don't have the clearance for more. Or you perhaps do have some room.

We've no clue. You are showing one picture and no drawing of your kitchen with all the dimensions of walls, doorways , passages, etc.

That truly does not look like a nine foot island in the pic, appears six or seven at best.......is that YOUR kitchen, or an example of the situation?
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Floored You: TileDesigners
last year
Start with a measured layout drawing of the whole space. Most islands exist how they were designed, because of space constraints. Without removing the space constraints, little can be changed, except reduced functionality.
Connecticut Yankeeeee
last year
Can you post other pix of the whole space? I also think that narrow island was put there because of space restrictions. And, no, I don’t feel that 5 people can sit comfortably at a 9’ island.
Buehl
last year
Seats...As others have stated, you do not have room for 5 people with a 9' wide island on the one side. For 5 people, you need at least 10' (120").

You may be able to fit 4 people along that side and one on the short end IF you extend the length of the island several inches. Note that seats cannot share the same leg space, so you need to account for the seating overhangs on both the back and side.

You need the following for island/peninsula seating at counter-height:
- A minimum of 24" (2') of linear space per seat - so a 9' island will only fit 4 people
- A minimum of 15" of clear leg/knee space for the seating overhang after accounting for cabinets & decorative doors/end panels on the back of the cabinets. If anyone in your family is tall (>6') or has long legs, 18" is better.
Note: I would get rid of that seat on the working side of the island. (How do you seat 3 people there? All three people are sharing the same leg space!)

If you add a seat on the end to gain a 5th seat, you will need to extend the island to be:

1.5" counter overhang on far end

+ 96" cabinets for 4 seats (24" x 4) [since probably already have 96" of cabinets]

+ 15" seating overhang

========================

112.5" total length of the island (9'4.5")

Some adjustments to the above will be needed to accommodate what you already have...the bottom line is that you should have 15" of clear leg/knee space for the seating overhang.

For depth of the island, you will need:

1.5" counter overhang in front

+ 24"D cabinets

+ 1" decorative doors/end panels on the back of the cabinets

+ 15" seating overhang

========================

41.5" total depth of the island (3'5.5")

.

Aisles...What are the aisles around the island right now - especially
- Between the back of the island and whatever is behind it?
- Between the end of the island and whatever is to the right of it?
Note: Aisles are measured to/from the items that stick out the farthest into the aisle - counter overhangs, appliance handles, walls, etc. They are not measured to/from cabinets. This comes into play if there's anything behind the island.

Working aisle minimums:
- 42" for an aisle in a one-person Kitchen (home)
- 48" for more than one person
Seating aisle minimums (aisle behind the seats):
- 44" if no traffic behind the seats at all -and- no appliances, counters, cabinets, etc.
- 48" if minimal traffic behind the seats -and- no appliances, counters, cabinets, etc.
- 54" or more if there is traffic and/or appliances, counters, cabinets, etc.
- 60" if there is seating on both sides of the aisle (e.g., island seating and table seating back-to-back)
.

Questions:
1. What is behind the island?
2. Where does the door at the top of the picture lead?
3. Where does the hall the door is in lead?
4. How busy is the aisle behind the island?
5. Is there a table nearby?
.

The answers to the above questions will determine if it's feasible to make the changes you're asking about.

Note that if you just want to add a deeper counter for workspace but not seats, the aisle behind the island won't need to be as wide.

Kitchen Island Expansion Help

Comments (5)

Patricia Colwell Consulting

JAN MOYER

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