Fully remodeling a kitchen can cost around $60,000, so you have to make sure you get it right.
If you’re considering a kitchen island as part of your remodel, you’re onto a winner. They’re a great contemporary feature, well-liked for their flexible functionality.
But what are the five things you need to consider when choosing a kitchen island design?
Picking a style
You need to think hard about which design will best fit your kitchen.
As you’re remodeling, this needs to be thought about in conjunction with the other parts of your kitchen. Do you want to go for a rustic farmhouse look with ‘natural’ finished wood?
Or are your tastes more contemporary? A smooth white worktop with sharp lighting can help make the whole room seem brighter.
An island with or without water?
One of the main choices you’ll have to make about your remodel is whether you’d prefer to have a sink on the kitchen island or not.
Bringing the sink to the center of the room can look amazing – especially if you’re willing to invest in beautiful faucets – but there are some practical problems to consider.
You’ll have to get water to the island in the first place, which will involve some plumbing work. And you may be put off by the idea of a pile of washing up standing in the middle of the room (though installing a dishwasher could help to solve that problem).
What about the stove?
The sink is just one-half of the consideration – you might also want to incorporate a stove into the top.
It can be expensive to have gas rerouted, but why not consider induction hobs? You need special cookware to use them properly, but they’re a nifty invention.
Its elements won’t heat up while there’s no pan on top – meaning that it’s much safer than a conventional hob. It’s still possible to burn yourself – but much harder. And they look great in a kitchen with modern flair.
Make sure there’s room for chairs
The kitchen should be a social space for your family. Have you considered where people are going to sit?
You can choose to double-up your kitchen island as a breakfast bar by adding a seating area on one of its sides.
This can act as a casual dining or breakfast space, a ‘chill-out’ area for the family to hang out in and chat while you’re cooking, or a quiet place to sit and relax while waiting for the food to be ready.
How about the rest of the kitchen?
You have to consider how the rest of your kitchen will fit around your island – both in terms of design – and physically. Do the colors match up? What about the materials? Is it the right size for your kitchen?
Do you need to include some storage space in the island, or will you keep enough cupboards to store all your food and plates?
Get advice on these problems and find more home remodeling tips on our blog.
