Whether you enjoy cooking simple or elaborate meals, having enough space in your kitchen matters. Kitchen islands help meet functional needs without having to compromise the style of your kitchen. This piece of furniture can add countertop space, offer additional storage space, provide seating, and make cooking easier and less messy. Are you maximizing your kitchen island to help you function more efficiently in your space? Here are some tips for getting the most out of your kitchen island.
Storage Space
If you don’t have enough storage in your kitchen, a kitchen island may be the perfect solution for you. You can customize your island with deep drawers to easily store pots and pans. These drawers pair well with shallow drawers for silverware, utensils, and other smaller kitchen items. Utilize drawer inserts to avoid overcrowded drawers and wasted time hunting down something you need.
Don’t forget to maximize vertical space as well, especially if you have kitchen items worthy of displaying. A pot rack can hang directly above your island or can be built into the island itself. Attach hooks under cabinets to showcase your favorite utensils and mugs. Whatever your storage needs may be, don’t be afraid to customize in order to get the most out of your kitchen island.
Additional Seating
For many people, the kitchen serves as more than just a space for meal preparation. The kitchen of today offers a place where people can gather before, during, and/or after mealtimes. If this is the case for you, consider adding seating to your kitchen island. Depending on your space, you may have enough room for your kitchen island to provide storage as well as seating.
There are recommended parameters and measurements to keep in mind, but don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Adding stools or chairs is not limited to rectangular islands. Square, l-shaped, or round islands also work and may even provide more visual interest. What if you want to add more contrast in your kitchen? Choose seating with a different but complementary texture, material, and/or color to make a statement. For example, if you have a bright white kitchen, add a pop of color with deep and bold colored stools that pull in the fixtures as well (ex. brass, gold, black).
Cooking Range and Sink
You can also add a cooktop or cooking range to your kitchen island to get the most out of your space. Adding this element makes your island a centralized location for roasting, baking, cooking, and more. This means you can efficiently go through meal prep, cooking, and serving all in one optimized area. This may offer the added benefit of helping your kitchen feel tidier and less crowded as well. You may run into the obstacle of needing to install a range hood, but today’s options are endless. When done well, the range hood can serve as a statement piece on its own or complement the aesthetic you already have in place.
There are many benefits to installing a sink in your kitchen island. If you don’t have an external window in your kitchen, moving the sink to the island provides a more open space when cleaning up. Do you have an open galley kitchen? The space may feel tight or crowded, especially if you have more than one person cooking or cleaning at the same time. Having the sink in the island provides more counter space and a more open layout.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is this: kitchen islands are multipurpose pieces that remove clutter, create more storage space, and serve a a place to gather. If you already have one or perhaps are ready for a remodel, be sure to consider how to make the most out of your kitchen island.
