kitchens with islands

[hilbil21]

calling all mumsnetters with kitchen/diners with an island! can you show me photos for inspiration? I've had a builder round today to discuss and he's said to come back to him with ideas, but I don't really have any so far!!

please help

For me, whether island or peninsular, an overhang with stools is the critical thing. Gotta be able to sit down at it with your cuppa.

Oh and one thing, don't get granite worktops on an island as they get freezing to lean on if sitting at. Wood doesn't

I prefer our quartz to wood island top as it is easier to keep clean and I don't need to worry about it marking in a house of 3 boys.

I think the layout of 1930s houses are all different. Before we extended, we had knocked through between the kitchen and the dining room and had plenty of space for L shaped kitchen, island, large dining table, sofa and TV cabinet. It just depends on size.

I love the cold feeling of the worktop on the island (we also have quartz). Had wood on the island in a previous kitchen (I've had 3 kitchens as a "grown up" and have had islands in each so I'm definitely a convert) and it was easy to maintain on the island. However, we also had it for the worktops and the wood marked around the sink even though we were careful.

I'd love an island and a breakfast bar. Too bad we don't have enough space for either

Interesting to come back to these replies as I've been thinking about it overnight and I think an island and a table would be a tight squeeze. I have an almost two year old and am hoping to have another baby in the next couple of years so want a table to be able to sit at, not just stools at an island. We can't extend out to the side as we are in a terraced house, was hoping to work with what we had by way of space to help keep costs down.

My DH is desperate for an island but I think we may have to really rethink what the builder suggested

If you do have an island, make sure you have a double or more socket on it, either pop-up/flush to the surface with a cover or on a stalk thingy. It is so useful-completely changes how you can use it, and not just for cooking.

This is probably such a rubbish drawing it won't help matters in slightest but this is what we will end up with once the wall is knocked down - one door will definitely be getting removed.

The semi circular splashback is a great idea, Allthebest

Yay we had a pop up plug in our last kitchen island. Kitchen designer advised against one on the end of the island as you would then have wires hanging over the side which is not safe for dc.

Yy not yay. Pesky autocorrect.

If it makes you feel better our kitchen has a peninsula and we hate it. We are getting rid of it when we redo the kitchen. It'll open the space right up and make it feel like one room.

We would literally never use the breakfast bar bit. Stuff just seems to accumulate on it and it's created a hideous unusable, kitchen layout with two (utterly pointless and unusable) kitchen cupboards.

I've just uploaded a peninsular knock through project drawing that might work ?!
Not sure if this link will take you to all the pics or just one - of just one - click about to see the rest !
Hope it helps ...
www.houzz.com/uk/projects/2236019/oneplan-project-mh-kitchen-dining-and-tv-room-project

It turned an previous galley kitchen into a space for dining too - more social for the chef !

thanks oneplan I don't think we have the width for that but gives me ideas

think I've almost definitely decided on a peninsula just need to decide where lol

Hi Kaz2200 hope you don't mind me asking but what is the width of your room in the part where you have the island? Trying to get a feel for ours but finding it hard to visualise from the plans if we will have enough room and yours looks similar, thanks