Top tips on kitchen islands
19 January 2011
Kitchen islands are an extremely useful element to a large open plan kitchen that needs to incorporate cooking, dining and entertaining, but how do you go about planning an island and what should it include? The following tips from the Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association (KBSA) should help you make the right decision when incorporating an island into your new look kitchen:
- First you need to make sure you have enough room to install an island and be able to move around it easily, open cupboard doors freely and open ovens safely. Ideally you should allow a distance of at least one metre between the island and any adjacent walls or furniture.
- Consider what functions the island needs to perform. If you are planning on including a hob then thought needs to go into how power or gas will be supplied to the island. If you want a sink then you will need to think about how water will get to and from the island.
- If you are installing a hob on the island you may also want to consider a downdraught extractor, which can be installed beside or behind the hob and rises out of the work surface.
- You can still incorporate the work triangle element in your kitchen with an island – for example you can put the sink in the island and the fridge and hob along the facing wall, or you could have the hob on the island with the fridge and sink on the facing wall.
- Incorporating split-level surfaces within an island provides the ergonomic answer for accommodating a range of activities. A bar is another option – if you plan to cook on the island a raised bar will separate your guests from any cooking splashes and also hide the preparation clutter!
- The look of the island is also very important. To make it stand out you can choose a colour for your cupboards that is different to the rest of the kitchen or a different worktop material or thickness.
- Lighting is another key element to your island, as good lighting will enhance both its usability and appearance. Lighting suspended on cables or LED strip lights give a stunning, contemporary look!
Armed with these top tips you should be ready to plan an island that suits your kitchen’s needs and functions.
