10 Reasons to Love Kitchen Islands

Are you a fan of kitchen islands? Take note of the things you'll need to install one in your home.

Kitchen islands are where all the action takes place. Some feature stove-tops, kitchen sinks or a bar design that allows for an additional work-space or cozy breakfast spot.

Kitchen islands are great additions to any kitchen because they give you an area with 4 extra sides. That helps you optimize your kitchen space. In addition, an island can play a key role in family life as it encourages teamwork and relationships. Islands are a feature that can help make everyone finally sit down and enjoy dinner together.

Before you install a kitchen island, take measurements

An island will need a considerable amount of space, maybe 250 meters at least. But you’ll be able to use it to keep all of your everyday needs on hand.

Remember to keep about 80 cm of free space around  your island to make sure the area is passable. But try to keep the free space less than 110 cm wide as it could be too large.

The three points that every kitchen island should have are a cooking area, a water area and a few centimeters of free counter space for preparing food.

If you have the room, add an extra area for a home office and use medium-height benches for seating the dining area. Aim for a ledge that’s around 35 cm in length to keep your legs comfortable.

10 reasons to love kitchen counters

1. They allow more people to get involved in kitchen activities. While one person cuts vegetables, another can fry something up without bothering the other.
2. Encourages communication and social interaction. Just think of all the conversations that can take place as you’re cooking!
3. Kitchen islands are extremely practical if you leave a corner free for enjoying a quick breakfast. You can even look for backless stools and tuck them underneath to keep things clear.
4. They provide extra space. More often than not, we don’t have enough storage space but an island can provide you with more.
5. If you love wine, you can browse kitchen island designs that have a built-in wine rack. They’re both beautiful and practical.
6. Or, a more affordable alternative is using a tall coffee table in the middle of your kitchen. You can use the table to prepare meals and if it has a drawer, to store cutlery and tablecloths as well.
7. Mini-version. A small box that you can position to prepare food or leave plates on when you need an extra hand can work as well. It’s a great, cute and useful idea.
8. You can personalize your island however you want. For example, put a sliding wooden board on top or install slits to hold knives and always have them on hand.
9. You can make the most of your ceiling space above kitchen islands as well. But how? It’s easy; hang a rack that can organize your pots or other utensils that you used regularly. It’ll give your kitchen a rustic decor.
10. Let your imagination run wild and be practical. Don’t waste lateral space. Instead, put up some hooks to hang kitchen towels.

Tips for setting up a beautiful kitchen island

• Arrange wicker baskets in the empty spaces underneath. They’re perfect for storing potatoes, onions, and oranges.
• Set up a table next to your island to use as a dining table.
• Diaphanous spaces are a great idea because they can separate settings.
• Try using a different kind of flooring around the island such as hydraulic tiles. They’ll enhance your decor and if they’re non-slip, you can prevent accidents.
• Some kitchen islands feature a hole in their lower area for trash. You can use it to throw away items as you cook.

Are you in love yet? We have no doubt that kitchen islands are your new obsession.