Adding Island to Kitchen? Consider This

Open-plan kitchens are all the rage, and many homeowners who are remodeling their kitchen are seriously considering removing walls to create a more generous space in the kitchen area and adding an island. However, islands aren’t necessarily good options for any type of kitchen.

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Your contractor should offer you personalized advice in this sense to make good choices based on the space and type of kitchen you have. To help you understand whether kitchen islands may (or may not) be a good option for you, we at Aldo's Restoration and Construction have prepared this short guide:

Consider This Before Adding Island in Kitchen Remodel

1.) You Need a Lot of Space

Kitchen islands require quite a lot of space, and your current kitchen might not have that even if you remove some walls. Usually, a kitchen island is around two feet wide with a 1-foot overhang of the countertop, which means you’ll want plenty of space around it to make sure you can easily walk through the kitchen without always bumping into it!

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And that’s a lot of space that not all kitchens have, so realistically an island might not be the best solution if you still want your kitchen to be functional.

2.) You Need to Think of the Purpose

There are many things a kitchen island can be - a dining surface, a place to add certain appliances and make the kitchen more efficient, food prepping or even a cooking area, etc. the purpose of the kitchen island will also influence the design, and you might need to make a few compromises as a result.

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If you want your kitchen island to include a stove top and cooking area, you realistically might not be able to use it as a dining surface too. This means you need extra space for a table where you can enjoy your meals.

3.) Consider Your Budget

Kitchen islands look amazing, but they will ramp up the cost of your kitchen remodel by a fair bit since in most cases the entire layout of your current kitchen needs to be changed to integrate the island efficiently.

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Talk with your contractor at length about how much adding an island to your kitchen would realistically cost, and see if it fits within your budget.

4.) You Might Be Better off with Some Alternatives

An island might not be the best option for your kitchen, but you can still get a more stylish look with some alternatives. For example, peninsulas are a good choice if you don’t have the space for a full island, and they can be added as extensions of your counters, and be attached to the walls of the kitchen.