HOW BIG SHOULD A KITCHEN ISLAND BE?
'There is nothing worse than a small undersized island in a kitchen. It's likely to draw the eye, look mean, while cheapening the rest of the kitchen aesthetic no matter how fabulous it is. If in doubt go big,' says Ash Mccullough of Blakes London. Equally, a large kitchen can overwhelm the space - 'you need to be able to reach into the center of it comfortably,' explains Rhiannon Phenis, senior designer at Sola Kitchens. So how big exactly should your kitchen island be?
HOW MUCH SPACE SHOULD THERE BE AROUND THE ISLAND?
We often get asked 'how do you design a kitchen that's better to cook in?' Well, another important consideration that sometimes gets overlooked is the circulation space around an island. The importance of walkway space should be a key consideration and not factoring it into account is a common kitchen island design mistake.
WHAT ABOUT SEATING ROUND THE KITCHEN ISLAND?
People often want to have seating around the kitchen island as well as storage so that it can double up as a kitchen breakfast bar. The island must be large enough to accommodate both of these things while keeping in mind the proportion of the island within the room. It's important to take into account how much seating will take from floor space around your kitchen island. 'If seating/ bar stools are required we suggest a 300-400mm overhang to allow for comfort and so the stools can be tucked in when not in use,' says Georgina Cave, founder and director of Cave Interiors.
HOW BIG SHOULD KITCHEN OVERHANG BE?
With your kitchen island, also consider the countertop overhang, the term used to describe the countertop space beyond the island. Kitchen islands usually come with 1-1.5 inches of overhang as standard. But if you plan on using the island for more than just food prep, you’re going to need a greater surface area. If you do have kitchen island seating, add an overhang of around 12 inches for comfort during mealtimes, but do ensure that it is deep enough to support your weight when leaning — think about the thickness of the surface to accommodate - adjusting your overhang's depth proportionately to cope with extra weight.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR KITCHEN ISN'T BIG ENOUGH FOR AN ISLAND?
If the budget is tight and you can't stretch to an island that is proportionate to the room, then opt for a large kitchen table. 'A semi permanent vase or display item can be placed at one end of the table so that if fewer people are sitting at it, the table still feels appropriately sized. Hanging a chandelier off centre can also help to make an oversized table work well for a smaller number of people,' says Ash.