How to Use a Kitchen Island Effectively

Adding an island to your kitchen can make it feel like a more exciting and sociable space that you want to spend all your time in. However, with that being said, it can be difficult to decide upon the right design of your kitchen island when making sure it fits in with the rest of your kitchen. We’ve come up with a few tips to help you!

Consider Shape/Size

Depending on how small your kitchen actually is, an island can be incorporated into kitchens of any size. Or, if you can’t quite fit an island into your room, a peninsula might be the next option to consider. When determining the size of your kitchen island, remember to take in to consideration the area around it by making sure there’s enough space between it and existing furniture in the kitchen. For example, make sure it is not too close to cupboard doors, drawers, or drop down drawers that might contain your oven or dishwasher. Additionally, if you’re planning on using your island as a bar/eating area, make sure there is plenty of room for people to be able to sit without getting in the way of movement around the kitchen.

Extra Storage

A bonus of adding an island to your kitchen is that it can be used as extra storage space. So, with that in mind, when deciding upon your kitchen island consider how much more storage space you want in your kitchen and whether the island you want can accommodate to this. Again, if you’re incorporating cupboard doors and drawers into your kitchen island, make sure that there is enough space for them to be opened!

Surface

Kitchen islands are great for adding additional workspace, so make sure you make the most of it when choosing your design! If you just want more space for food preparation or to sit at, double check that the added worktop area will provide you with enough space for this. You will also need to consider this point if you want to add a hob or sink to your island, and make sure that your plumbing, electricity, or gas can run to your island in order to make sure you can make the most of it.

If you’re stuck on which worktops would work best for your island, take a look at our range of kitchen worktops you give you some design inspiration!

Accessories

When it comes to accessorising your kitchen island, we suggest keeping it clean and simple. You don’t want to clutter what could potentially be a statement feature within your kitchen! Place a nice bunch of flowers as a centrepiece or a fruit bowl to complement it nicely.

When it comes to using your island as a breakfast bar area, then choosing the right bar stools is an important part of tying up the appearance and aesthetic of not only your island, but your whole kitchen. If you want to keep it neutral, take a look at our Semplice Bar Stool in grey. The modern, simplistic design of this stool is a great way of adding a touch of sleek style to your kitchen. However, if you want to be a bit more bold and brave, then our Oslo Bar Stools in red are a great addition to any kitchen that is looking for a pop of colour and personality, adding a daring quality to your room.