Optimizing Your Kitchen Island

Kitchens islands offer a variety of design opportunities including the enhancement of your cooking experience, providing a new place to entertain and as a location for appliances such as a range and/or a dishwasher. The first thing you’ll want to do is to determine the appropriate size of the island for your kitchen. The general rule of thumb is to allow between 3 ½ to 4 feet of space between the island and the countertops, shelving and appliances that surround it to provide plenty of room for a multiple of people in the area. After determining the size of the island, there are several options you can consider to optimize the centerpiece of your kitchen including:

* A cooktop – Locating a cooktop on your kitchen island will result in more counter space around the perimeter for meal preparation and for storing kitchenware. Having a cooktop on an island also eliminates the necessity of the cook facing away from other people who are gathered in the kitchen while preparing meals on the range. If this is a new location for the cooktop, you’ll want to install adequate ventilation for the removal of heat and smoke.
* As an area for entertaining and dining – A kitchen island can offer an added location to entertain guests, whether you’re serving wine and appetizers before moving to the dining room or will be staying in the kitchen for the entire meal.
* Larger appliances – For spacious kitchens, a large island can be used to house a dishwasher or an oven. A centrally-located dishwasher can make cleaning easier, while an oven in the kitchen island can expand the options for configuring where other major appliances will be located.

An island planned around your cooking and entertaining style can enhance the environment in your kitchen and expand your design options. Additional benefits include more storage, increased counter space and an optimized cooking experience.