Kitchen islands are a universally preferred method of getting some extra counter space in a kitchen, they can house quite a lot of utility, but if used in a small space, can actually be detrimental to the functionally of the room.
So it’s important to plan properly, if possible get a visualization created, so you get a better idea of how it will look when the island is placed.
Remodeling a kitchen and putting in a kitchen island
Most often, during remodels, kitchen islands are either installed or removed, the reason for the latter being that it is taking far too much space and providing not enough utility to cancel out the lack of floor room.
It is important to note that floor space in a kitchen is as important as counter space, simply because this is where you move from one place to another.
In spaces where you can spare the room for a kitchen island, you can safely have enough room to pass around the different countertops and still have enough breathing room to open a cabinet or two.
A bad remodel job can cause you quite a lot of problems if cabinet space and door opening has not been taken into account, and it is especially painful because this mistake could have been easily avoided.
Deciding whether or not it’s worth it
One of the reasons people choose to forgo existing kitchen islands is because they simply do not serve their purpose or the residents do not have a need for it.
Remove it gives a lot more breathing room for moving around, not to mention that it is like freeing a lot of visual real-estate which can general enhance your kitchen experience.
If you want to place one, however, it is important to ensure that you get enough room to move around, so measurements are quite vital here, it could be quite unpleasant to realize that your dream cannot be implemented.
It’s also good to know whether you will be using it as counter space or will utilize it as a cooking surface with built in-stove tops and an oven.
In that case you need to prepare a ventilation port above the cooking surfaces, because venting out the kitchen smells and fumes is quite important for comfortable living, you don’t want your sofa smelling like pasta sauce.
When picking a design, you can generally tell if it’s going to work, however, smaller kitchen islands are not really worth the investment or space, as they will provide little to no utility. Be smart and double check your plans with the carpenter.
