What is the Purpose of Your Kitchen Island?

by Samanth Rose

Are you planning to remodel your kitchen in 2022 and finally add an island? If so, it’s important to consider what the purpose of your new island will be.

Every good kitchen remodel starts with a solid plan – even though you will undoubtedly make changes along the way, you want to make sure you have an overall vision and direction established. A kitchen island will be a crucial component of your new remodel, so you want to make sure you are clear on what your island should be.

Here’s how to determine the purpose and design essentials for your new kitchen island to get you ready for your 2022 dream kitchen remodel:

 

1. Form Should Follow Function

Louis Sullivan is the celebrated American architect who first said “Form follows function”. This philosophy applies to interior design too. As you’re planning your new kitchen island, you want to figure out all the functions your new island will need to perform to make sure you get the best design.

Will you be using your island for kitchen prep? For storage? For serving meals? For additional non-kitchen tasks like remote work tasks? Now is the time to determine if you’ll want to add a sink or range to your island, or if you’ll need to make space for your whole family to eat dinner.

2. Figure Out the Size 

Perhaps the easiest way to determine the size of your kitchen island is to base it on the length of space available in your floor plan. Most standard kitchen islands are at least 42” in length, but you want to make sure you have at least 36” of walkway space around the island, so that might be the determining factor in the size and shape you choose.

Luckily, today’s kitchen islands can come in a variety of configurations. For example, you might have an L-shaped island or incorporate two tiers to meet your needs and layout requirements. If you have enough space, you might even want to follow one of the latest trends and install two separate kitchen islands.

 

3. Choose Your Layout

Once you know your preferred functions for you new island and what size island you can have, it’s time to determine a layout. 

For example, if you’ll have a range, you want to plan for storage for pots and large utensils nearby. If you’ll have a sink, you’ll probably want a trash pullout close at hand. If you’ll keep appliances on your island and also want space for people to sit and eat, you’ll want to determine where the appliances will go so they won’t interfere with mealtime.

4. Ask a Kitchen Designer 

If you’d rather avoid the stress and hassle of having to figure out the purpose and layout of your new kitchen island, you can always get advice from an expert kitchen designer. 

A kitchen designer can take your dream kitchen wish list along with the dimensions of your space and help you figure out an ideal layout. In fact, this is a service we freely offer here at RTA Wood Cabinets.

Your kitchen island will be a focal point in your kitchen design. So, you’ll want to make sure it will complement one of the other major features of your kitchen: your cabinets. Luckily, it can be easy to get new cabinets that will be good quality, stylish, and affordable.

Here at RTA Wood Cabinets, we specialize in providing high quality assembled and ready-to-assemble cabinets that are easy to DIY. If you’re struggling to get started, we also offer a FREE kitchen layout from our team of kitchen design experts. 

Want to learn more? Just give us a call at: 1-800-788-7575.