Kitchen islands have been increasingly popular for many homeowners, both due to their aesthetic and practical aspects. An island can be effective in adding surface area to the kitchen, as well as for additional storage. It's also a great place to hang out with your guests over a drink.
However, an island is definitely not a plug-and-play thing but rather there are many factors to consider when it comes to planning for a kitchen island. Here we would like to share how to choose the right kitchen island and how to effectively incorporate the kitchen island into your overall kitchen layout.
1. The Basic - Layout
When looking to incorporate an island into your kitchen layout, a lot of planning needs to be done in order to make sure that there is enough space for usage, as well as the available circulation space around it.
Most importantly, is to first determine the traffic around the island, if you would expect many people to utilize the space. After this is done, then you can determine the size of the islands and how to design the storage space accordingly.
2. Maximize convenience
You want every piece of furniture in your home to work right for you. Even for a kitchen island, it has to be easy to use. For example, you gotta design the countertop to stick out a bit so that eating is easy and you don’t have to lean forward as much. Remember that every piece of furniture has to accommodate you, not the other way around.
Another thing to consider is whether you prefer the island to be free-standing or fitted. Most homeowners go for fitted since they use this space on a daily basis for food preparation, and storage. However, a movable island would be valuable for homeowners who need the island to act as a divider between the kitchen and the dining area during the day, and then pushed aside at night to make way for entertainment when there are more guests.
3. Atmosphere is important
The right light would definitely help in terms of creating that atmosphere that you want for the area. Especially the kitchen island, it’s gonna be the focal point of the kitchen area so it’s important to choose the right lighting that enhances the overall space aesthetically.
Pendant lighting is a popular option to bring that elegant addition to the space, and adds the extra layer of interest to the kitchen’s design. Tip is to keep it simple and straightforward, nothing too dramatic since this is where you will spend a lot of time so you would want the light there to be comfortable and simple.
4. What are your needs
Many homeowners would have different needs and in order to incorporate all of these needs, custom-built islands can definitely do the job. It allows you to take complete control over the layout, design and functionality.
This is definitely where you can request that it's built to suit the homeowners. For example, if the homeowners would like to use this space for food preparation, better and more durable material should be used since it's more long lasting. Of course, you can even request for the height of the island to be customised according to the homeowner’s preference so the comfortability aspect is guaranteed.
5. Countertop material
Think about it, the countertop should be easy to use, easy to clean and should match the overall theme of the kitchen. For example, quartz is actually the most popular option to all homeowners due to its variety in colour options and durability.
Of course, if your overall theme is white and wood, then you can always go for a wood countertop. Just have to bear in mind to avoid water on wood surfaces since it would affect the durability of wood.
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