8 Practical Tips When Designing Your Kitchen Island

Planning a kitchen renovation soon? Have you thought about installing a kitchen island or perhaps updating your existing one?

A kitchen island is a must-have for many homeowners or buyers. This feature is extremely useful and versatile, it’s safe to say it makes life a lot easier. It lends additional storage space and also offers a place where you can gather with and entertain guests.

However, designing a kitchen island requires a lot more than looking for inspiration online. This process demands careful planning, attention to detail, and flawless execution.

The goal is to create a design that’s both functional and visually pleasing.  To help you out, here are practical kitchen island design tips to take note of.

1. Figure out your needs.

It’s easy to get lost in the wide variety of kitchen design inspirations available online. But before you become engrossed in a particular design, you’ll want to look into your own needs first.

What are you looking for in a kitchen? Which purpose do you want your kitchen to serve? Are you looking to have an additional space where you can do homework with kids, accommodate your guests, or perhaps store more of your kitchen utensils?

Your kitchen island should not be treated as a separate feature. It should work with the rest of your kitchen so always look at the big picture and use your personal needs as your guide.

2. Give it a personal touch.

The best way to create a kitchen island that all your own is to take cues from your personal interests or cooking preferences.

If you love cooking and discovering new recipes via cookbooks, you may want to consider displaying your collections right in your kitchen. A kitchen island can double as a shelf for storing your favorite cooking guides so they’re also easily accessible when you need them.

If you love baking, you may want to consider installing a marble countertop that’s perfect for kneading dough. On the other hand, if you love modern designs, you can look into quartz countertops, a popular choice for modern kitchens.

3. Maximize additional storage opportunities.

One common reason homeowners want a kitchen island is the need for additional storage units. If you want your countertops looking clean and organized, you can use cabinets in your kitchen island to tuck away items.

If you have a large kitchen, you can go for display cabinets so you can also feature your collections or find what you need faster. On the other hand, if you are working on a limited space, you can look into adding fold-away inserts.

4. Make it multi-leveled.

If you are looking at a kitchen island that allows you to do more, you may want to make yours multi-leveled. A multi-leveled island allows you to divide the space according to specific functions you want it to serve.

For instance, if you want an additional hub to serve and eat with your loved ones, you can have a higher tier for that and then add in bar stools. On the lower tier, meanwhile, you can install cooking appliances where you can prepare dishes or drinks.

5. Get creative.

When designing your kitchen island, there are tons of possibilities you can explore. You can look into various shapes depending on the layout of your kitchen or any features you want to incorporate into your island. You need not stick to the conventional designs.

You can also use a different edge profile for your island countertop. Or a totally different countertop material at that. If you are unable to use your dream counter material on other kitchen surfaces, perhaps you can already do so on your island.

6. Pay attention to proportions.

Don’t forget to look into proportions. While it’s exciting to think about features you can add to your kitchen island, you’ll also want to consider space limitations.

You want your island size to complement the overall size of your kitchen. If the space is small, you can’t have too large an island there’s no more room for you to move around comfortably.

7. Watch out for your aisle space.

Never compromise aisle space just so you can have a larger kitchen island. If you expect heavy foot traffic in your kitchen, the more you need ample space.

Pay attention to how close your kitchen island is with the rest of your counters. If you’re having a hard time moving around kitchen, then it defeats the purpose of having an island as additional workspace.

8. Accessorize with the right lighting fixtures.

With the right lighting, you can increase kitchen efficiency. There is ample lighting source during the evening. And your kitchen can look more dramatic or elegant. You can choose between pendant or recessed lighting options.

Again as you navigate through your choices, always consider your personal needs and of course, your budget. Seek advice from professionals too as there could be more lighting fixtures you may have missed out on.

Get Your Kitchen Island Project Started Today

Designed properly, an island can make you fall in love with your kitchen over again or revive your passion for cooking. But don’t compromise function for form. Be practical when planning your kitchen island and take note of the tips we’ve listed above.

Work closely with a reliable surfacing contractor to ensure end results are exactly what you envisioned or even more brilliant.

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