Interior design aspects of a kitchen island
If you’re thinking about adding a kitchen island, you’ll want to consider the options for what can be included in this unique design. What you want to keep in mind is how a kitchen island can incorporate features that will impact and improve your kitchen activities.
But because your kitchen island will be a standout focal point, the visual aesthetics must match the usefulness that any island can offer you. Here are aspects to include:
Food prep space
Kitchen islands give ample amounts of space for preparing foods, especially when this space is used as a serving area for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s also an intimate setting to get closer to cooking activities in the kitchen without getting in the way. There is also the advantage of assisting the chef by helping with other tasks such as chopping or mixing selected meal items and dishes.
Cooking area
One great advantage of kitchen design is an island that adds an induction oven countertop. This makes cooking meals for your family interactive and entertaining and helps stimulate conversation and good times. This type of cooking area also allows you to serve meals right away with plenty of space to prepare side dishes. If you’ve arranged your island correctly, you’ll place used dishes into a nearby dishwasher right away.
Added sinks
Another added bonus is to add a small sink onto your kitchen island. This is useful for having access to running water right away or washing off items like fruits and vegetables. It can be water that’s filtered so you can serve people sitting at your island some water. This gives you further intentions to add pour taps for soda, beer, or beverages. And while adding a sink into an island design doesn’t need to very large, it should suit your needs.
Built-in storage
What you’ll love about the space that a kitchen island can offer will amazingly increase your storage space. The cabinets, drawers, and bins that can be built into an island can increase the space you might use for your hanging kitchen cabinets. This is why many people like to add mini fridges underneath an island. It’s also perfect for storing all your pots and pans and cooking utensils. With just the right drawer design, you can have access to them instantly.
Overall size and height
Now, this is the million-dollar question that will determine how big your kitchen island can be. It’s safe to say that the total height will start with a level that is comfortable for you. The minimum is one meter in height but can be slightly taller if you add a bar stool along the serving line edge. The length should go under 4 feet long and no more than 2 feet wide. If you have space in your kitchen, this can make impressive islands.
The basic rule here can support at least 10-12 feet long and up to 6-8 feet wide. This is why some kitchen remodel jobs will maximize what space it can allow. Kitchen islands will become a grand fixture that visually should look inviting and appealing. So it should be the centerpiece that everyone comes to see when they enter your kitchen.
Countertop design
The materials that are used for countertops can be highly decorative and often simulate rich wood and stone surfaces. It’s not unreasonable that some owners will install faux materials that look and feel real. Depending on where you purchase an island countertop, it will have inserts built-in to allow for induction ovens, sink drop-ins, and assorted tap mounts. You might even consider having very thin marble or stone slabs placed over an exterior frame.
The edges can be added to create the illusion that an entire slab appears thicker than it really is. The same can apply to wood veneer that makes a countertop appear more expensive than it actually is. But these kitchen design methods have all been employed for hundreds of years. If you can afford to have the real thing, you might need to contact special companies that deal with thick wood and stone slabs.
Directs dining space
Another aspect that you want to consider is going to directly sit at your kitchen island. This needs to be built into your design and feature a decorative look that matches your kitchen decor additionally. The concept is very simple since you’ll want to create a line of seating that can comfortably seat 4 or 5 people. If you have limited space, you can still seat at least two people on your kitchen island serving side.
The seats that go along the service side should be comfortable and adjusted to the height that your kitchen island is set to. These chairs can be traditional bar stools or bucket seats. As long as they fit into the design of your island, you can also invoke a restaurant-like feeling. Perhaps a brass foot rail or footrest along the lower edge of the island adds further comfort for any service line guest.
Lighting arrangement
The lighting that is best suited for kitchen islands includes a variety of options that light up the surface space. These can include drop-down lights that are also called Pendant lighting. The height needs to be addressed with this type of fixture since the amount of space that each light beam illuminates will only light up selected areas. You’ll want to adjust for the beam angle that these lights are set to.
Another option is installing recessed lighting in the ceiling above your island. These lights can also have adjusted beams of light that are narrowed, giving the surface of your island further illuminated details. These lights are better if they’re attached to a dimmer so you can set a mood while eating. Keep in mind that the areas where cooking is done should not be dimmable when cooking is performed.
What to keep in mind
Just remember that planning your kitchen design, so your island is also going to be a challenge since you want your design to work in your favor. The utility of your island should read like a wish list and conserve enough space like organizer drawers from IKEA. It might be best to draw on inspired ideas from gathering pictures from the internet and making simple sketches. You can work with an interior designer to fully visualize a kitchen island blueprint.