Large kitchen islands have taken center stage in recent years with the growing trend of large, open kitchens. And planning for a large kitchen island is an essential part of your overall kitchen design. Filling that empty space in the middle of a room where most everything (cabinets, stove, sink, refrigerator) is lined up against the walls can be a challenge. The larger the space, the larger the island. Right?
A large kitchen island is a luxury that many homeowners dream of. And most homebuyers are looking for that gorgeous, dream kitchen. The good news is that with enough space, you can add a beautiful, upscale kitchen island to elevate the look of your home.
Here are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind before you take the plunge.
Build Big Function into Your Large Kitchen Island
With a large kitchen island, you have the luxury of determining how you want to use the space. Beyond the aesthetic of your kitchen, every island should be fully packed with high function. You can add any number of options and built-ins to make your island truly serve your needs.
Here are some options that we recommend adding or building into your kitchen island.
- Stove
- Main sink
- Bar sink
- Dishwasher
- Cooling drawers
- Warming drawers
- Spice storage
- Mini-refrigerator
- Wine refrigerator
- Trash receptacle
- Recycling receptacle
- Towel bar
- Seating – pull out or tuck under
- Open display
- Cookbook storage
- Basket storage
- Under-island lighting
- And more!
Consider Slab Size
Natural stone kitchen countertop materials, such as granite, marble, and quartz have a maximum slab size. You will need to make sure you find a slab that is large enough for your kitchen island, as having a large seam in your island is less than ideal. Adding a second slab means you’ll need to have a seam and there will be a break in the pattern of the stone. And although our experts can make the seam as unobtrusive as possible, you will still have a seam.
To avoid a seam in your large kitchen island countertop, consider the following options.
- Bump part of your island up higher to create bar-height seating. This will create a two-level island and the option of using two full and seamless countertop slabs.
- Drop part of your island to a lower height: great for seating children and for bakers who want comfortable leverage for rolling out and kneading dough, cutting cookies, and making pastries.
- Create two smaller islands instead of one. This adds more function in your kitchen. One island can serve as more of a workhorse area for everyday tasks, while the other island can be purposed for seating and entertainment.
Also, try to avoid making your island so large that it is difficult to reach the center for regular cleaning.
Design for Comfort, Style, and Use
How will you be using your kitchen island? If you cook a lot or frequently entertain guests, you’ll want to ensure there is enough room for traffic flow around all sides of your island: 28–40 inches is the recommended spacing for good circulation. Keep in mind that chair, stools, drawers, ovens, and dishwashers will all need room to be pulled out or open.
To Design Your Large Kitchen Island Countertop, Contact Marble Granite World Today!