Increase Your Counter Space With the Best Kitchen Islands

A kitchen island is a piece of furniture, a cabinet that comes with a tabletop and is used in cooking spaces. As the name implies, it is an item that stands solo, isolated from the rest of the kitchen, and usually comes with its own sink and sometimes seats. You can consider it as a tabletop space for kitchen work that includes cooking, a sink for cleaning up, and a spot for the family to gather over meals.

For a while, kitchen islands were not considered a necessary part of the kitchen, but over the years, they have evolved to be a major component, made use of in many homes around the world. Now, they are the foundation of any important kitchen space, not only because of the beauty and class they add to the space but also for several other reasons, which would be discussed during the course of this article. 

Importance of Kitchen Islands

If you already have a kitchen island in your home, here are a few points to ensure you’re utilizing it to the fullest, and if you still have not made up your mind about getting one, the following points would fully convince you.

Extra storage space

A kitchen island affords you the opportunity to keep more things inside your kitchen. To enjoy this benefit, be sure to get one that comes with cabinets, pull-out drawers, and shelves by the side, where you could store kitchenware or other home equipment. This also guarantees that your kitchen does not look rowdy and jam-packed with stuff. 

Family time

If you are married and have a family, a kitchen island is one of the most important things you’d need in your home. It is useful for moments when the family wants to gather around and say cook or eat a meal together, or just offers a place to sit and keep your loved one company as they work in the kitchen. If you have kids, a kitchen island could serve as a spot where they do their homework while you make dinner or a safe place where they could sit and help out with minor tasks. 

Function and style

A modern kitchen island is one piece of furniture that perfectly combines function and style, in the sense that it is great for the aesthetics of your kitchen and offers a wide range of functions. These functions include an area for preparing meals, cooking, and cleaning up after meals. 

For ideas on how to style and decorate your kitchen island, check out this video from Kerstin Cobb:

Most Important Features of Kitchen Islands

Kitchen Islands come in different styles and shapes, and with different accompaniments and features. If you have never gotten a kitchen island and the uses of a kitchen island mentioned above have convinced you to get one in your house, then you would need to know a few things to look out for when you go shopping for yours. Check the following out:

Size

The size of your kitchen island should be dependent on the size of your kitchen space. An island that is too big or too small for the space available would not be effective. So, if you have a large kitchen, you should get a big kitchen island, and the same goes for small kitchens. The average size of a kitchen island should be between 38 to 42 inches in width and length. 

Seating

It is important to get a kitchen island that comes with chairs to facilitate resting while cooking. Kitchen islands with chairs could also be used as a dining table.

Storage

You should get a kitchen island that affords you extra space to store things, especially if you have a small kitchen area. The storage could come in form of drawers, cabinets, racks, or flat slabs. 

Mobility

You should consider getting a kitchen island that is easy to move. It should be light and should come with tires for easy and quick storage. A mobile kitchen island gives you more space, lighting, or ventilation when you need it. However, if you have a small kitchen, you might want to anchor your kitchen island to the ground so it doesn’t move around at the slightest nudge. 

Sink

A kitchen island that comes with a sink makes it easier for you to clean up after preparing meals. Especially if you have a large kitchen, having two or more sinks would ensure that you don’t have to move dirty equipment around the place to get them clean. 

Price Range of Kitchen Islands

The prices of kitchen islands vary based on the type of material used to make them, the basic features they offer, and their sizes. The most common materials used to make kitchen islands are wood, ceramic, and glass for the tabletop. 

Cheap

$100-500. At this price, you can shop for the most basic kitchen islands that do not necessarily come with an aesthetic addition to your home. They usually just offer the simplest of features like a tabletop to work out and a drawer for spices. 

Mid-range

$500-1500. If you shop for a kitchen island at this price, you would get one that combines function and style effectively. That is, it adds extra class and beauty to your kitchen and at the same time comes with most of the necessary features. 

Pricey

$1500-3000. This price range covers the most expensive kitchen islands you could ever get and the most luxurious too. At this price, you get one of the largest sizes possible that comes with a set of chairs, tires to aid mobility, sink/plumbing work, and different layers of racks and drawers.