Design your kitchen island How much space do you need?

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Design your kitchen island How much space do you need?

A Island of cooking, although it occupies important space, it is a great place to cooking, preparing food, expanding your storage space or to use it as an office. That is why more and more people are choosing, or at least considering, incorporating one into their kitchen. But while a well-designed island will allow you a smooth workflow that will make you enjoy cooking tasks, a badly planned island can be very frustrating and you end up regretting your decision.

If you have in mind put an island in your kitchen, read carefully and follow these tips to help you know whether or not you have enough space for your island be functional and practical. And if not, discover other equally interesting options.

1- Define the main function of your kitchen island. Before you start thinking about the details that will make up your new island, it is important that you have clear the function for which it will be destined. It is not the same to use it as a breakfast bar or to eat something quick and informal and where you should give priority to the seating area, to use it as a cooking or cleaning area where you need to have more space to locate, kitchen, sink or some appliance .

Maybe you plan to use it for everything, a Multifunctional kitchen island that allows you to eat, cook, clean and prepare food, socialize, do homework and even be able to consult a recipe from your laptop. All this must be very clear before making any decision so that your island is a perfect ally in your kitchen.

2- Minimum dimensions. The dimensions of your cooking island will depend mainly on the use you want to make of it on a day to day basis, although it is recommended, for the island to be practical, that the Countertop surface not less than 100 cm X 100 cm for small kitchens, although if you opt for more elongated models, the Minimum width can be 60cm that still allows enough breadth to work the food.

The Length will vary according to needs and available space, if you want to include the kitchen or sink on the island, additional space to sit, storage space, etc. In this sense, there are no limits, although it is important to bear in mind that the longer the island, the greater the distances of displacement with what is important to keep in mind at the time of design and how Circulation flows will work around it.

3- Height of the countertop. The standard height of the kitchen islands is 90 cm which is ideal for cooking or preparing food, but if you just want to use it to sit and eat, a higher height is recommended, around 110 cm and closer to the traditional height of the bar bars. In this last case it is important that you remember to leave a cantilever of at least 30 cm for the bar that allows you to move your legs comfortably.

You can also configure your island on two levels, the lower 90 cm for the work area and the upper 110 cm as a table with their stools and thus clearly delineate where each of the activities will be carried out.

4- Passage areas. For an island to be comfortable, you have to leave it around as minimum about 90 cm free. This will not only allow you to work in the kitchen in a comfortable way, but it is also the right distance to open doors, drawers, appliances and cabinets located on opposite sides simultaneously and with full guarantee.

Potentially, the most dangerous element is dishwasher door. When the door opens down there is a greater risk of tripping and falling when passing by, with the consequent danger if you carry knives or hot food in your hand. In this area, the more space you leave over those 90cm Recommended minimums, better.

5-Integra the island to your kitchen and not vice versa. In your design you have to bear in mind that the island is not an isolated solution but it is part of a older design that is the kitchen and for that reason it is important to meditate carefully on how it will fit what we have thought for it with the distribution of the rest of the kitchen.

Make sure that the working area of ​​the island will work with the counter in front, if you properly complete the famous work triangle that they form stoves, sink and refrigerator, or if on the contrary you will have to add some element for it. The objective is that everything makes sense and is designed to optimize work times, which will translate into greater satisfaction for you when it comes to cooking.

6- Models adapted to all needs. There are many options and models for your island to work even if your kitchen has a very limited space. For this the manufacturers offer options that include shallow models, customizable height, Storage areas with open shelves to avoid overloading spaces, incorporating wheels, etc. With this last solution, you can locate your island where you need it or put it against the wall when you need more space.

Other options like trolleys or butcher tables They are also a good alternative for small kitchens. Apart from occupying less space, they are charming pieces that will also provide you extra storage space and larger work surface. Without forgetting that they are also elements much more economical than a kitchen island proper.

7- If the island is not an option. And if for You do not see how feasible it is to put an island in your kitchen, there is always the option of the peninsula. It retains most of the virtues of a kitchen island, although with one of the sides fixed to the wall. They're a very practical and functional option for small kitchens since they need less square meters available because the passage areas are reduced to only 3 of the sides, freeing up important space.

In addition, they have some advantages regarding the islands, well designed can serve as a barrier to keep visitors away from the area of ​​"action" and putting new power outlets and water will not be a headache. Finally, they are perfect as a table when there is not enough space for an office or dining room.

Tell us Have you put an island in a small kitchen? Do you show us the result? We would love to hear about your experience. We are looking forward to reading it!