Add
an Island to Beef-Up the Kitchen
Ask
most homeowners and they'll tell you that there's not
enough countertop space in the kitchen, no matter how
much or how little they have.
Whether
you need a second work station, a space from which to
serve an informal buffet, or just a place to toss the
day's mail, kitchen islands are popular solution to
the lack of kitchen space. According to the National
Kitchen & Bath Association, over 50 percent of kitchens
created include islands.
With
the wide range of in-stock, ready-to-install cabinets,
accessories and trim moldings available today, it's
possible to create an island that will be just right
for your kitchen, at less cost than if you turned to
a custom cabinetmaker.
If
you are planning a kitchen remodel that will include
an island, consider these tips:
- Most
importantly, there should be sufficient space between
the island and other work surfaces to allow for
opening cabinet and appliance doors, and for two
people to work without jostling one another.
- Depending
on your specific needs, the island can be located
so it functions as an integral part of the work
area. It can also serve as a divider between the
kitchen and the family room.
- Adding
an island permits a reconfiguration of the classic
"work triangle" of refrigerator, cooktop
and sink, because it is an ideal place to relocate
either the cooktop or the main sink, or to install
a second sink as the focal point of a second work
triangle.
- If the
cooktop will be located in the island, with a wall
oven elsewhere, consider pull-out trays or drawers
below the cooktop to store pots and pans. If the
island will be a second work station with a prep
sink for cleaning veggies and the like, NKBA suggests
including a pull-out wastebasket in the cabinet
below.
- Be sure
to plan for the mechanicals necessary for the locating
the cooktop or sink in the center of the room. For
the sink you'll need supply and drain lines, and
for the cooktop a ventilation system-either an overhead
unit or a downdraft model. Both the plumbing and
downdraft unit will require breaking through the
floor. That's fine if you have a basement or a crawl
space beneath, but could present problems if the
room is on a slab.
- If your
island will separate the kitchen and family room,
it can become a multi-purpose unit that shows a
different face to the family room. The use of shallow,
glass-fronted doors can be used as display space,
while the kitchen side uses standard-depth base
cabinets for no-nonsense storage. The generous countertop
is ideal for staging a buffet.
- And
finally, don't forget about adequate lighting. Without
it, the island will lose much of its functional
appeal.
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