Kitchen islands - any views?

AdrianC

Kitchen/family - 6.50m x 6.17m

That's a kitchen that's big enough to cope with using the floorspace for an island. Personally, I'd prefer to have more workspace around the edge, but with that layout, that's probably the solution that makes most sense.

It's really no different to having a slightly higher kitchen table to work at.

But, as with any element of kitchen planning, you need to make the most of the space available - not prioritise a particular fashion, such as "Must Have Island" when it doesn't make the space work.

Remember - the golden triangle... Sink, hob, fridge.

Caz3121

in the linked property, if the extra surface is needed, I would consider one with lockable wheels that could be wheeled over beside the fridge. I would think a bigger space would be required to have as a permanent fixture in the middle of the room

FreeBear

AdrianC wrote: »

Remember - the golden triangle... Sink, hob, fridge.

Or cupboard, oven, fire extinguisher & bin

missprice

I have a huge kitchen, dual aspect, and I tried really hard to get my entire kitchen in just an island. Services, the lot. It just wasnt practical.
I actually cut out a cardboard island marked with everything like stove, oven, fridge on separate paper, so as to shuffle them around to get best layout. etc. And then after around two hours "pretending" to make a meal I gave up and was shattered at all the walking around and around I had to do to make just one meal.
It would have looked stunning. Just an island all walls free of anything. Just entirely impractical.
So I toyed with an island but also wall cupboards and then placement became the issue cos doors. I was not about to start moving doorways and bricking up walls for one bloody island.

Waterlily24

We've got one and I wouldn't be without it. It's not huge about 4ft wide (two sets of drawers) on the back side of the drawers hubby lowered the worktop to make a breakfast bar for normal height chairs. Only seats two but that's enough for us. We have a separate dining room for when we have guests. No services on it.

phoebe1989seb

I think the one in the house linked in the opening post looks a bit rubbish too

Personally, I'm all for islands - if there's space. We've actually had them in five kitchens including the current one, going back to 1998, although that was a smallish (1m square) island in a fairly large kitchen where we also had a six seater table.

I'm not a fan of hobs or sinks in them. Ours has no appliances either - just loads of extra storage and a double socket (on one end - I hate those pop-up sockets!) as it's where I use the food processor/electric whisk etc. The only thing currently sitting on it is a fruit bowl as I prefer to keep the surface free of clutter.

The island we have now is 245cm (8') x 110cm (3'7) and has stools along the long side furthest from the run of cabinets that face the island. For us in our current space we didn't want cabinets along two opposite walls as the space inbetween would have been too big. It made more sense to have a 'galley' set up - ie, one long run of cabinets with an island opposite which is where we do 90% of our prep/baking. Adjacent to the island at the furthest end of the kitchen is a large larder cupboard with ingredients etc.

We store small appliances and 80% of our crockery in the island plus there is a wine rack at one end and bookshelves for cookery books at the other.

I don't think either of us have ever stubbed a toe on it and hoovering round it isn't an issue. We eat majority of our meals there. Till recently we also had a long but narrow table in the kitchen but found we were increasingly sitting at the island to eat instead so have jettisoned that in favour of a sofa

phoebe1989seb

I think in a smaller kitchen a wheeled trolley is best. We also have a second hand (contemporary) butcher's block on lockable wheels that we had in a house with a small kitchen. It's perfect for chopping veg - or as is used now - for grooming our dogs, lol!

pinkteapot

Doozergirl wrote: »

That kitchen looks a bit small for an island and a full U of units.

If there isn't great room, don't do it or plan the other row out.

Exactly what I came here to say! Don't like it in the example linked to on Rightmove. Do like it in my neighbour's house where the kitchen is probably 25' square.

-taff

Looks like its been shoehorned in. I'm not a fan unless you have a very big kitchen. I'm not planning on having one. If anyone saw the George Clarke programme this week, that house warranted one, this one does not.

Forwandert

My wife wanted one, all designed in so it made the kitchen into a U shape, all along I said we could place it against the blank wall on the other side and keep the storage space creating more of an L shape and breakfast bar but leaving way more room. Went to built (but not secured) till she changed her mind and realised it wouldnt be ideal for moving around, bit of changing with the worktop and its against the wall and so glad it didnt end up as an island. Not always easy to see until they're installed.