Gain Space With Clever
Designed Kitchen Islands
by Guy Morris
Kitchen islands are among the most popular
items in kitchen remodeling projects. They offer versatility in style and
function. People often add them as part of an overall refacing project. You
can choose to blend the island with your countertops and cabinetry or choose
a granite island with wood or laminate surfaces.
Kitchen islands are available in a variety of colors, sizes and materials to
suit any home décor. Choose contemporary, country home style or summer
kitchen styles. Look through catalogs and home decorating magazines to see
the options and unique designs available. Make notes of what you like and
features you need in your island.
Adding Kitchen Islands
You can add an island easily, if you have enough room. Look at several
islands and get the exact dimensions of the ones you like best. Measure your
kitchen; you will need to leave between forty two and forty eight inches of
space around the entire island. You want to make sure you can open your
refrigerator, oven and dishwasher easily.
To get the feel for how much space an island will take up, try a little
experiment. Find a piece of furniture in your home that is about the size
and dimensions of your island. Move this furniture into the kitchen and
place it where want the island to be located. Keep it there for about a week
or so to help you decide if you can live with it. If it's too large, look
for a model with smaller dimensions. Experiment with a few different sizes
to find the one that feels right.
There are no rules governing the height. It's a matter of preference and
function. You need to decide what the area will be used for to determine how
high to make the counter. If you will be cooking, preparing food or using a
built in sink, make the height even with your other kitchen cabinets. Choose
a lower height for seating with tables, or a higher counter for stool type
seating.
Utilizing kitchen islands the clever way
Consider how you will use the island. Do you need more storage space? Think
about your lifestyle and what you will You have several choices for cooking,
preparing food, clean up and storage.
+ For storage space, islands can be made to match existing kitchen cabinets
and counter tops. Cabinets, drawers or a combination of both can be used to
maximize storage space.
+ Adding bookshelves to the end creates a great place to display your
cookbook collection. Add a few collectibles to the shelves for a more
personalized look.
+ Wine lovers sometimes choose to add a wine rack in place of shelves.
+ Cooking space can be built into the top of an island, saving space above
the oven. This is a great option for kitchens with a double oven.
+ Consider how you will use the top when choosing counters. A built in
butcher block or cutting surface is great if you spend a lot of time
preparing food. This helps you avoid cuts and nicks on the surface of your
counter.
+ If you like to bake, consider marble. You can prepare and roll out your
dough right on the surface without sticking.
+ An island can be used for seating area. Adjust the height lower for table
type seating or raise it higher for barstools. Allow about two feet of space
per person for comfort.
+ Sinks and appliances, such as dishwashers and trash compactors can be
added to an island in place of cabinets.
+ Have an electrical outlet added to one side. This is great for cooking
with small appliances like electric mixers or blenders.
Portable Islands
A portable island gives you additional countertop area when you need it.
These are a great alternative for smaller kitchens. You can purchase one
unassembled and put it together yourself easily. Portables usually are on
wheels, allowing you to move it out of the way when you need extra space.
You can purchase a moving island with a cabinet for storage space, or get
one that looks like a taller table. A built in cutting board surface gives
you additional space for cutting vegetables and preparing food. The most
common materials used for the top are steel, tile and wood.
Guy Morris is author and designer
of the
http://www.kitchen-cabinets-tips.com internet site. Guy is helping
people finding the best solutions on kitchen islands
(
http://www.kitchen-cabinets-tips.com/kitchen-islands.html ) and designs.
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