Should You Add a Kitchen Island to Your Home?

When remodeling, the numbers show that families think of the kitchen first. According to Houzz, in October 2022, bathrooms and kitchens occupy 37% and 33% of home remodeling projects in the United States. This statistic makes them the most popular home areas to remodel. When planning your next remodeling project, keep in mind that islands are a popular addition in open-plan kitchen remodels. When removing barriers that keep the kitchen separated from the rest of a home, adding an island can create a sense of a contained space while smoothing the transition between the kitchen and living space. Keep reading to learn why you should add a new kitchen island with design-built kitchen remodelers in Portland.

The Well-Designed Island

The beauty of adding an island is that every island is unique to your space. Some families use their island as a breakfast bar. Others, in the process of discussing with their kitchen remodelers, design an island that's all workspace, allowing the perimeter countertops to be used for storage. Under the island is a common place to put special storage, like a wine refrigerator.

Improving Food Safety by Moving Appliances

An obvious benefit to the island space is appliance movement from the perimeter counters to the island. If you have storage on the counters and workspace on the island, then it will make it easier to separate prep space from cooking and reduce cross-contamination. The finished food can then be rested on the perimeter counters, and you'll be safer than ever.

Watch For Flow Bottlenecks

Design-build kitchen remodelers will tell you one of the cautions of an island is that they don't always work in a small kitchen. A small kitchen space can be cluttered to the point of uselessness even by a very small island. Remember to leave at least 48 inches in working areas of the kitchen and 36 for walkways or your kitchen will feel cluttered and difficult to move in. If the island is mounted in a place that gets in the way of the main flow triangle of the kitchen, then that can also make things more difficult.

The Social Space

Your island can create an attractive social space in your kitchen with bar stools and a clean space to eat, drink, and have conversations together. Your family and guests can gather and circulate here with ease and comfort in your new kitchen. If you’re looking for a better space to host, then adding an island can solve all your problems.

Are you planning a itkitchen kitchen remodel for this year? Reach out to your design-build remodeling contractors to start planning today! We want to turn your Portland home into your dream.