Since the kitchen is one of the rooms where you spend the most time, it is important that you feel comfortable there. The island helps to create a friendly and airy space where you can share good times with family or friends. Indeed, thanks to it you can receive your guests and continue to discuss in front of them while cooking.
In addition, it gives your kitchen allure and gives it a modern touch. Not only design, but also very functional and practical, the island is finding its place more and more in today's kitchens. However, there are several things to consider before embarking on an island purchase. Find out how to make the right choice for your kitchen!
Ensure the available area
Promote good circulation. The first question to ask yourself is whether you have the necessary space to accommodate an island in your kitchen. Indeed, a central island requires space so as not to clutter your room and to maintain optimal circulation. So, even if you would love to have a kitchen island, make sure that its use is justified. When you cook you are active and move a lot, which is why the kitchen must be set up intelligently. So make sure you have a minimum of 100 cm of space around the island in order to be able to open your closet doors properly. In addition, the choice of a central island is appropriate for rooms of at least 15m2, especially if your kitchen is closed.
Small or large kitchen? If your kitchen does not offer enough space for a central island you may be able to consider a semi-island, with an extension of the worktop for a U-shaped kitchen. This type of layout still allows you to eat your meals and offer you an additional work plan. Often made to measure, the island must take these different criteria during its design and layout in order to adapt to the configuration of the room.
If you have space, then you can opt for a central island and choose the shape that suits you. Round, square, rectangular ... the options are numerous to allow you to adapt it to the style of your kitchen and the configuration of your room.
Size and usage
What role will your island have? Depending on the role you want to assign to your island, the dimensions vary. So, first define the necessary features you want for your central island. Will you use it as a worktop or as a simple counter? Do you plan to install your sink or your cooktop there?
The prep island. If you opt for a simple preparation island, the most used and easy to install, you will benefit from an additional worktop as well as additional storage. Contrary to what you might think, this type of island will surprise you with its inexpensive price. You can also, if your island is big enough, add bar chairs around it and turn it into a table. The cooking island. On the other hand, if you plan to install your hob there, you will need more space. The cooking island has the ability to create the famous activity triangle, that is to say the cooking zone, the sink and the preparation zone, so that you can cook freely. It is usually equipped with plenty of storage, so you can have your pots and pans and other utensils close at hand when cooking. However, keep in mind that this option requires a connection to the electrical network. The cleaning island. Finally, you also have the option of installing your sink on your central island, combining practicality and aesthetics. However, it should be taken into account that the arrangement of a water supply to the islet can be complicated and will require significant work. In the case of a renovation, you will even have to think about breaking your floor in order to install the pipes. This also means that you will have to budget more if you choose this option.
Knowing how to organize it well Before choosing your island, you will need to think about its layout in order to optimize its practicality on a daily basis. Thus, we will favor storage placed on the kitchen side, to have easy access to all your utensils. Also, if you plan to integrate a dishwasher, make sure you have enough space so that it can be opened and used without difficulty. Add trendy elements. Just as if you plan to have the hob integrated into your island, you will need to think of a designer, suspended range hood to go with it. The new kitchen hoods have become real decorative accessories and a suitable hood will enhance your island even more by adding character. An original design. Being at the heart of the room, the central island attracts attention and should be highlighted. Thus, it will also be necessary to choose the materials that compose it with care and in order to harmonize the decoration of the room. In order to be more original and to avoid the monochrome kitchen, we will also try to play on the association of the island with the other elements. So why not opt ​​for different materials: wood for the worktop and stainless steel for the cooking part, creating a mix of trendy and designer materials.
