How Big Should a Kitchen Island Be?
An island can be one of the most versatile, functional, oft-used elements of your kitchen. Depending on your needs, it can provide added storage, an extra sink or prep space, a breakfast bar for seating, a spot for appliances, and more. Of course, exactly what functional your kitchen island can serve largely depends on the size of the space you're working with -- there are certain guidelines you should follow to ensure your kitchen island fits seamlessly into the room around it.
Thinking about installing as island in your kitchen? Here are a few size and space guidelines to follow that will help you determine how big it should be.
- Leave ample space surrounding the island. If you're working in a small kitchen, or want an extra large island, remember to leave ample room surrounding it to early move around your kitchen. The ideal measurement is 42" of space surrounding all sides of your kitchen island.
- Consider your workstations. If your kitchen island is going to be part of your "work triangle" or you plan to use it as a regular prep space, you'll want to think about how it's positioned in relation to the other functional areas of the room, like the sink and refrigerator. In a work triangle, each point should be no less than 4 feet away, but not more than 9 feet away, something to consider when determining the size of your kitchen island.
- Think about seating. If you're planning to use your kitchen island as a breakfast bar, it's important to also consider how many people you'd like it to seat. Don't just assume it will fit your entire family of four because it "looks" big enough. Standard seating area specifications call for a space 24" wide by 12" deep for each diner, which means that for four people, you'll want an island that's at least eight feet long.
For additional guidance on designing the perfect kitchen island for your space, get in touch with Divine Design Build here.