Kitchen Islands: How to Pick the Right Size 

Kitchens are often the busiest rooms in the house. It is the space you enter and exit several times per day. It is essential to have a smooth flow. Islands are one of the most desired features in a kitchen. Kitchen islands can now be a deal breaker when purchasing a home. Those who have homes are upgrading their kitchens by adding one. Have you ever considered what size is best for your home? To understand islands, you must be aware of certain factors. There are some guidelines that must be followed. Today's blog will talk about the purpose, dimensions, and considerations of a kitchen island. 

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What is the Islands Purpose

The first step in determining the size of the island is figuring out its purpose. Having an idea of what you want out of it can help determine the size, shape, style, etc. There are so many choices to pick from. There will already be a sink, stovetop, and countertop in the existing kitchen. Will you want an additional prep space, another stovetop, or a prep sink? There can never be enough cabinets for storage. Some options to think about are pullout drawers, trays, and shelves. A trash can or dish drawers could be added as well. Once you have the plan for the island, it will be easier to figure out the dimensions. The next step is to figure out the proper size the island should be.  

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Dimensions

Let's start off with the minimum size for a kitchen island. It should never be smaller than 4’ long by 2’ deep. Going on off-standard cabinet sizes is a good start. Typically, base cabinets are 12, 18, 24, 30, 33, 36, or 48 inches wide and 24 inches deep. Those would be the standard size unless they are customized. If you want more depth for a kitchen island, we suggest going no deeper than 55 inches. You want to be able to still reach the middle. Keep in mind the overhang when deciding. Do you want enough for bar stools to fit? For a smaller kitchen, sticking to an 18-inch deep cabinet still gives storage and enough prep space. 

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Other Considerations

Where do you want the island to be located? If it is directly in the middle, that gives you an opportunity to go bigger. If placing it to the side, you might have to go a bit smaller. However, there always needs to be 42-48 inches between the island and the countertop. It is good to have flow, especially if there will be multiple people in the kitchen. If you want a large island, it is better to add more length than depth. It is important to be aware of everything that was talked about. You do not want to end up with an island that takes up the entire kitchen. The last thing you want is to have some sort of roadblock limiting what you can do in your kitchen.

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