5 Tips to Build a Kitchen Island

Kitchen islands have come a long way. Once believed to be just a mere expansion of a workspace, now are every kitchen’s integral part. An island can work as an additional storage space, a breakfast bar, and a variety of many other kitchen tasks.

But if you want it to work its purpose, you need to know how to build one properly. When it comes to kitchen islands, everything from the placement, lighting, to material you use is crucial.

In the article below, you’ll find some useful information on designing and building the kitchen island of your dreams. Knowing them will ensure it will be a practical and stylish addition of your kitchen space.

Size and Placement

The first thing you need to decide is the size and location of your kitchen island. When it comes to these two factors, it all depends on one thing – your kitchen’s size. If it’s less than 8 feet deep and 12 long, you might consider abandoning an idea of adding an island.

But if it’s more than that, the first thing you need to do is some measurements. See how much space you can spare so that you’ll be able to move around comfortably and still benefit from a kitchen island.

Lighting

When it comes to lighting your kitchen island, you want the light to come straight down on the countertop. To achieve that, you have two options: recessed and pendant lighting. No matter which one you choose, you should make sure that it won’t blind you or block your view.

What’s more, you can also consider adding plinth lights to your kitchen island. They’ll add something extra to the room, giving it a more modern and stylish look. You can read more about kitchen plinth lights here.

Design

Aside from practicality, you probably also want your kitchen island to be stylish. Keep in mind that it will be the center of the room, binding it together. That’s why you should do everything you can to make it look appealing.

The first thing you need to consider is the design of your kitchen. That will help you make the right decision on which material, color, lighting, etc. to choose when creating your island. And if you’re looking for inspiration, there are a lot of awesome kitchen island ideas on the internet.

Materials

When it comes to choosing materials for your kitchen island’s countertop, you have a plentitude of options. Each has its pros and cons, so make sure you learn them before deciding what will suit you best.

Here are some examples of materials you can choose:

• granite
• soapstone
• quartz
• marble
• laminates
• ceramic
• stainless steel
• wood

Things to Consider

But before you even sit down to design your perfect kitchen island, there are a few things you need to take into consideration. Thinking about them will make the whole process much more efficient. But what are those things?

First of all, the purpose of the island. Do you want it to be just the additional working space? Or do you want to make it more universal, as a place where you’ll be able to store extra equipment or eat a quick meal? Doing that will ensure you pick the right features, size, and design of your kitchen island.

Secondly, decide whether you want to make it movable. When it comes to building a kitchen

island, you can choose whether to fasten it to the floor or not. The second option will give you more options when deciding where you should place the island, whereas the first will make cleaning more comfortable.

The rest of the things that you should consider have already been mentioned in the article; the design and size of your whole kitchen, materials, and lighting solutions. Thinking about them will ensure your kitchen island will be a perfect asset.

The Bottom Line

An island can be a fantastic addition to your kitchen. It creates extra storage and working space, adds something different to your kitchen, and binds the whole room together. But before you decide on building one, you need to take some things into account.

Consider your needs, the space you have, and the materials you’d like to use. Doing that will not only ensure your island will be a great asset to your kitchen but also make the whole process more efficient and cost-effective.

Keep in mind that designing and building a kitchen island that will work its purpose is more complicated than you think. But if you do it properly, you’ll never want to leave your kitchen ever again.