10 Decisions to Make When Planning a Kitchen Island
An island can serve many purposes. Here’s what to consider for one that works best for you
lwkkitchens
May 8, 2019
Houzz UK Contributor. LWK London are a design-led German Kitchen specialist based in London. We supply a very high standard of service based upon the principals of professionalism, honesty, diligence and intimate design knowledge. All of our specialist team of people are extremely committed to this ethos; allied with our extensive range of high quality kitchen products this means we can offer our clients a first rate experience.
Aside from German kitchen furniture we also specialise in Siemens, Neff and Miele appliances; we are currently one of the only Siemens approved IQ700 Design Studios in London.
Houzz UK Contributor. LWK London are a design-led German Kitchen specialist based... More
Given their good looks and practicality, kitchens with islands are sought-after layouts. As with every type of kitchen configuration, however, careful planning is key to achieving an efficient island that will enhance the use of your space.
The starting point is to figure out whether you have room for a kitchen island in the first place. If not, don’t worry — there are plenty of other kitchen layout options. If you do have room, here are some tips to help you design the perfect island for your space.
The starting point is to figure out whether you have room for a kitchen island in the first place. If not, don’t worry — there are plenty of other kitchen layout options. If you do have room, here are some tips to help you design the perfect island for your space.
1. What’s the Best Orientation for a Kitchen Island?
Once your designer has established that an island will fit in your kitchen, he or she should look at its orientation within the space. The orientation depends on a number of factors, including access routes, window locations and, most important, the shape and size of the room.
For example, if your room is rectangular and you want a rectangular island, the island’s long side typically would run parallel to the long wall. You can, of course, position the island’s long side perpendicular to the long wall, but this would considerably restrict the size of the island you could have.
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Once your designer has established that an island will fit in your kitchen, he or she should look at its orientation within the space. The orientation depends on a number of factors, including access routes, window locations and, most important, the shape and size of the room.
For example, if your room is rectangular and you want a rectangular island, the island’s long side typically would run parallel to the long wall. You can, of course, position the island’s long side perpendicular to the long wall, but this would considerably restrict the size of the island you could have.
Find a local kitchen designer on Houzz
2. How Big Should the Island Be?
The size of your island is the next important consideration. Lengths and depths of islands vary, depending on how you plan to use them, but generally they’re a platform for the sink or the stove.
About 80 percent of our clients put a stovetop on the island so that they can face family or guests while cooking. To allow for this, the ideal size of an island is 8 to 10 feet long and 3 to 4 feet wide. The minimum size it should be is 7 by 3 feet — any less and the work surface would be too small.
It’s important to note that for a continuous countertop with no seam, you may need to reduce the size of your intended island according to the size of countertop slabs available.
The standard size for most solid stone slabs is about 10 by 4½ feet, although quartz can be sized about 10½ by 3¾ feet. If your island is bigger than this, you may have to join two pieces together with a visible seam.
Materials such as Corian, pictured, can be joined seamlessly, but that is a more costly option.
Once these two key decisions are made, there are other things to consider.
The size of your island is the next important consideration. Lengths and depths of islands vary, depending on how you plan to use them, but generally they’re a platform for the sink or the stove.
About 80 percent of our clients put a stovetop on the island so that they can face family or guests while cooking. To allow for this, the ideal size of an island is 8 to 10 feet long and 3 to 4 feet wide. The minimum size it should be is 7 by 3 feet — any less and the work surface would be too small.
It’s important to note that for a continuous countertop with no seam, you may need to reduce the size of your intended island according to the size of countertop slabs available.
The standard size for most solid stone slabs is about 10 by 4½ feet, although quartz can be sized about 10½ by 3¾ feet. If your island is bigger than this, you may have to join two pieces together with a visible seam.
Materials such as Corian, pictured, can be joined seamlessly, but that is a more costly option.
Once these two key decisions are made, there are other things to consider.
3. What Should the Countertop Be Like?
Instead of trying to conceal a seam, you could make the island countertop a standout feature by mixing and matching different materials. For instance, you could contrast 10 feet of quartz with a wooden breakfast bar or butcher block at one end of the island.
Another option is to increase the island’s surface area by wrapping a corner with a contrasting material, as pictured. This extends the island outward and creates a lower seating counter.
Similarly, if you wanted to extend the island down the length of a room, you could drop from counter height to table height at the end. Again this could be in a different color or material from the main countertop.
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Instead of trying to conceal a seam, you could make the island countertop a standout feature by mixing and matching different materials. For instance, you could contrast 10 feet of quartz with a wooden breakfast bar or butcher block at one end of the island.
Another option is to increase the island’s surface area by wrapping a corner with a contrasting material, as pictured. This extends the island outward and creates a lower seating counter.
Similarly, if you wanted to extend the island down the length of a room, you could drop from counter height to table height at the end. Again this could be in a different color or material from the main countertop.
Shop for kitchen countertops on Houzz
4. Will the Island House Appliances?
It boils down to personal preference and how you want to use your kitchen, but including appliances in an island often makes for a more sociable setting.
If you choose to include appliances or fixtures, it’s important to communicate that to your builder as early as possible to make sure the necessary electrical or plumbing work will be in place. Doing this retrospectively can prove a lot more expensive or, in some cases, impossible.
For your island, you may opt to include a sink, stovetop, oven, microwave, dishwasher or wine fridge. Pop-up outlets also may be warranted if you want to use small appliances like a blender or juicer.
It boils down to personal preference and how you want to use your kitchen, but including appliances in an island often makes for a more sociable setting.
If you choose to include appliances or fixtures, it’s important to communicate that to your builder as early as possible to make sure the necessary electrical or plumbing work will be in place. Doing this retrospectively can prove a lot more expensive or, in some cases, impossible.
For your island, you may opt to include a sink, stovetop, oven, microwave, dishwasher or wine fridge. Pop-up outlets also may be warranted if you want to use small appliances like a blender or juicer.
5. Do You Want a Sink in the Island?
There’s another reason that the majority of islands we install come with a stovetop instead of a sink, and it’s an aesthetic one. With a sink, it’s too easy to leave unsightly accessories around it — dishes, dishcloths, soap, detergent, tea towels and so on. You don’t want these things spoiling the look of your new kitchen island.
However, if you prefer having a sink in your island, there are a few solutions. Some homeowners install drawers underneath the sink for easy access to washing-up paraphernalia. Not having to bend and strain to pull items out of a cabinet every time encourages them to put the things away after each use.
Other homeowners deliberately split the level of their island so that they have a raised breakfast bar behind their sink, such as the one in the photo. Besides creating added depth and visual interest, this can act as a screen, obscuring the view of the sink area from the other side of the kitchen.
There’s another reason that the majority of islands we install come with a stovetop instead of a sink, and it’s an aesthetic one. With a sink, it’s too easy to leave unsightly accessories around it — dishes, dishcloths, soap, detergent, tea towels and so on. You don’t want these things spoiling the look of your new kitchen island.
However, if you prefer having a sink in your island, there are a few solutions. Some homeowners install drawers underneath the sink for easy access to washing-up paraphernalia. Not having to bend and strain to pull items out of a cabinet every time encourages them to put the things away after each use.
Other homeowners deliberately split the level of their island so that they have a raised breakfast bar behind their sink, such as the one in the photo. Besides creating added depth and visual interest, this can act as a screen, obscuring the view of the sink area from the other side of the kitchen.
6. Do You Want a Range Hood?
When talking about islands, a lot of clients tell us that they would love to include a stovetop but don’t want a range hood hanging from their ceiling.
There are a couple of ways around this. The most popular solution is to use a flush-mount ceiling exhaust fan. Contrary to popular belief, these usually aren’t mounted to the ceiling since they’re about 12 inches deep and a normal ceiling is about 10 inches deep. So we sometimes build an architectural soffit the same size as the island, such as the one in the photo, and recess the fan into it.
Since the soffit can be used to hide electrical wires, it also provides the opportunity for additional layers of light in the room.
When talking about islands, a lot of clients tell us that they would love to include a stovetop but don’t want a range hood hanging from their ceiling.
There are a couple of ways around this. The most popular solution is to use a flush-mount ceiling exhaust fan. Contrary to popular belief, these usually aren’t mounted to the ceiling since they’re about 12 inches deep and a normal ceiling is about 10 inches deep. So we sometimes build an architectural soffit the same size as the island, such as the one in the photo, and recess the fan into it.
Since the soffit can be used to hide electrical wires, it also provides the opportunity for additional layers of light in the room.
7. Would You Prefer a Downdraft Vent?
The other option is to have a downdraft exhaust system, which is flush with the countertop when not in use but pops up at the push of a button.
Besides providing light and venting, this one also acts as a splatter guard, which is particularly helpful should you have people sitting behind the island.
The other option is to have a downdraft exhaust system, which is flush with the countertop when not in use but pops up at the push of a button.
Besides providing light and venting, this one also acts as a splatter guard, which is particularly helpful should you have people sitting behind the island.
8. Do You Want Seating?
Many homeowners wish to include seating at their island since it makes for a sociable setting and provides a practical space for working or dining. Typically, islands are rectangular, with seating at one of the short sides, along the back or a combination of the two.
Ensuring that you have enough space for seating at your island is important. Generally, we allow a width of 19 to 24 inches from the edge of a countertop to the back of a stool, and 12 inches of knee space for an average-size adult. On a 10-foot island, these dimensions would allow for four to six seats, depending on your choice of stools.
Some stools have very small backs and narrow bodies, while others have large wingbacks, which prohibit more than four stools around an island of the same size.
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Many homeowners wish to include seating at their island since it makes for a sociable setting and provides a practical space for working or dining. Typically, islands are rectangular, with seating at one of the short sides, along the back or a combination of the two.
Ensuring that you have enough space for seating at your island is important. Generally, we allow a width of 19 to 24 inches from the edge of a countertop to the back of a stool, and 12 inches of knee space for an average-size adult. On a 10-foot island, these dimensions would allow for four to six seats, depending on your choice of stools.
Some stools have very small backs and narrow bodies, while others have large wingbacks, which prohibit more than four stools around an island of the same size.
Shop for bar stools on Houzz
9. Does the Design Suit the Whole Family?
A lot of the seating we design for islands is intended for children. Where kids are involved, you may want to lower the height of your island’s seating to allow for three or four chairs.
If seating is intended for the end of an island, we generally aim to create a drop-down table of 3 by 3 feet, with four chairs around it. But as an alternative, some people prefer to include their lowered table option along the back length of an island, as pictured. This creates a longer table, but it’s important to plan this option carefully, or it can leave quite a small space for comfortable dining.
A lot of the seating we design for islands is intended for children. Where kids are involved, you may want to lower the height of your island’s seating to allow for three or four chairs.
If seating is intended for the end of an island, we generally aim to create a drop-down table of 3 by 3 feet, with four chairs around it. But as an alternative, some people prefer to include their lowered table option along the back length of an island, as pictured. This creates a longer table, but it’s important to plan this option carefully, or it can leave quite a small space for comfortable dining.
10. Would an Irregular Shape Work Best?
We’ve addressed rectangular kitchen islands a lot here, but islands come in different shapes and sizes. For instance, if the room is big enough (say, 33 by 16 feet), you could create an L-shaped kitchen layout complemented by an L-shaped island.
Other designs include round islands, islands with curves or islands with integrated open shelving, which is functional and decorative.
Space permitting, you could even include two islands facing each other. With a stovetop in one and a sink in the other, this arrangement creates an intense and focused work zone while still allowing others to walk around the perimeter to reach the oven or fridge.
If you’re looking for something a little different and you have the space and the budget, this last idea would certainly make your kitchen stand out.
More on Houzz
How Much Room Do You Need for a Kitchen Island?
Key Measurements to Help You Design Your Kitchen
Browse photos of kitchen islands
Find a kitchen remodeler near you
Shop for kitchen and dining products
We’ve addressed rectangular kitchen islands a lot here, but islands come in different shapes and sizes. For instance, if the room is big enough (say, 33 by 16 feet), you could create an L-shaped kitchen layout complemented by an L-shaped island.
Other designs include round islands, islands with curves or islands with integrated open shelving, which is functional and decorative.
Space permitting, you could even include two islands facing each other. With a stovetop in one and a sink in the other, this arrangement creates an intense and focused work zone while still allowing others to walk around the perimeter to reach the oven or fridge.
If you’re looking for something a little different and you have the space and the budget, this last idea would certainly make your kitchen stand out.
More on Houzz
How Much Room Do You Need for a Kitchen Island?
Key Measurements to Help You Design Your Kitchen
Browse photos of kitchen islands
Find a kitchen remodeler near you
Shop for kitchen and dining products
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I assume you are referring to islands. 1) since they have been around for over 30 years now, I don’t expect they will be outdated in 3-5 years. 2). I don’t know of anyone who has an island with seats that actually uses it for serving meals. Every house I have seen with one also has a breakfast area table and/or a dining room.
Another thing to consider is your living situation. Are you living with a disabled relative or will be caregiving in the next few years? Then you need to alter your island to fit. Especially when there are deliberating disorders like ALS and Huntington’s chorea.
Thought sink not necessary when putting in our kitchen island- bad move- the island is such an asset & so conducive to baking & experimenting with food that we are constantly utilizing it, but find ourselves having to leave & return to the main sink every few seconds...if only I’d known...oh for a little island sink!!!