All I want for Christmas is all my family…. wrapped around the kitchen island!

Who couldn’t use more family time, more storage, more prep space, more casual seating… the list goes on! Here in a “warm nutshell” are the things we discuss with folks to think about with regard to the kitchen island so we can deliver a beautiful center piece that improves your lifestyle all year… and while holiday entertaining.

How many stools would you like at the island? The answer is more often than not, “enough for the whole family!” While this is a reasonable request, it is important to know what the impact would be on other wish list items or ergonomics. Will too many stools create architectural or seating redundancy if there are 6 stools next to a table…next to an open dining room. You get my point.

What do you want the island to do for you? The things an island does include: food prep, homework, breakfast on the go… or lunch or dinner if you have to dash, they direct traffic and become the epicenter of entertaining. The old saying, “don’t build a church for Easter Sunday” rings very true for islands. Think first about an average day… for many it starts with the children grabbing a bite before school and how easy it is to clean up after. Is it where a couple grabs a glass of wine after a long day or will it be mainly for baking? Finding out the primary function will ultimately result in something that works day-to-day and then all the other things that you want it to do (entertaining etc.) can be accommodated in the proper proportion. You can read more on how a kitchen island changed this family’s daily routine here.

Tertiary, but sometimes necessary uses for an island depending on space availability are the cleanup, cooking or microwave location. Think through these decisions carefully. We have designs matched with clients that love their sink in the island… and those with a sink in the island that want a new idea. If you don’t want anyone to see your microwave from the public view, then it may be worth some minor ergonomic challenges to put one in the island.Here are some other things to consider in your kitchen renovation.