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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Kitchen island???

23 replies

BookishKitten · 13/02/2020 22:12

I’m considering doing a kitchen diner extension (6x4m) and putting in an island to increase storage and use ability of the space.
I wanted to hear people’s views on what works and doesn’t work in their kitchen islands.
Do you have any regrets about size, type of storage, having sink/cooking facilities in the island, not enough power points, etc?
Anything you didn’t do that you should in hindsight have done?
Thank you!

OP posts:

MrsBlondie · 13/02/2020 22:15

Love our island. Very simple with 3 cupboards one side and seating the other. In middle of kitchen extension to break up floor space

Luckyleprechaun80 · 13/02/2020 22:18

Pull out drawers and cutlery drawer or the island opposite the dishwasher makes things v easy when unloading it.
Socket on one end helpful when doing cooking with the kids etc.

YesILikeItToo · 13/02/2020 22:25

The best kind of kitchen for cooking is a galley type set up. But it’s not the best kind of kitchen for being a nice sociable room. So think about the island as a way of making your cooking space/work triangle closer to a galley arrangement.

Mamato2gorgeousboys · 13/02/2020 22:26

I find ours a waste of space. We never sit on the bar stools for breakfast (like we thought we would) and I can’t wait to redo our kitchen.

MazDazzle · 13/02/2020 22:26

I love my island. Wouldn’t be without it.

I have a hob at the front with drawers and cupboards underneath. On the opposite side there’s an overhang for seating with cupboards underneath for things I rarely use. I also have an overhand at the side for more seating, so we can get 5-6 people seated round the island comfortably.

We went for tall seats rather than stools, as I was worried my kids would fall of stools.

I was a little bit worried about the safety of a hob, but as it is a big island there hasn’t been any issues.

oohnicevase · 13/02/2020 22:29

I have a very big breakfast bar which is better for us . We do sit at ours and eat there or just chat while I cook etc ..

itsUnderMyPillow · 14/02/2020 09:03

Prep island here . Love it. Did consider hob in island but our designer ( karen at OnePlan) has concerns that we wanted bar stools there too, and she said it wasn't safe . Happy with how it all planned out in the end. ( spent a week designing it with her )

Original poster

BookishKitten · 14/02/2020 10:05

Hi, everyone,
Thanks! Can I ask - does anyone have a sink and dishwasher in their island? I’m imagining doing that so that I can have prep space, access to water for washing veggies etc and it would make sense then to have the bin under the sink and the dishwasher on the right so I could rinse dishes and then just pop them into the dishwasher.
Am I missing anything practical that makes this a silly idea?
I wouldn’t want to have the hob on the island just because of splatters and I could then have the hob on the external wall.

How big are your islands? What size is impractical in your experience?
Thank you :)

OP posts:

redwoodmazza · 14/02/2020 11:01

I once saw a kitchen island on wheels - so it could be moved into any position needed. The wheels could be locked.
However, not practical if you want electricity or plumbing in one...

Hopeandglory · 14/02/2020 16:36

I have just finished a kitchen side return extension, the island has dishwasher, sink with waste disposal unit and boiling tap, second dishwasher and bin cupboards with 30 cm overhang opposite for seating for 4. 2 dishwashers, waste disposal and bins means that the island is always clear even after catering for a dozen for sunday lunch.

parietal · 14/02/2020 16:40

our house had an island like Hope when we moved in, but it was permanently messy - washing up liquid & dishes drying etc. So we got rid of the bar stools and made a half-height wall where the stools were. That hides the mess and makes the island more useful.

If you want an island that looks as nice & clear as the picture from Hope, do think carefully about storage & whether you are a tidy person (we are not!).

PekLafet · 14/02/2020 16:45

We have a fairly big island - 1.2m x 3m and I love it! We have 9 drawers on one side, small cupboards and seating area on the other that we use all the time. We have our hob on the drawer side and love cooking on the island!

Africa2go · 14/02/2020 17:20

Ours is about 3m x 1.2m.

Dishwasher, sink and cupboards on one side, slim cupboards behind, 30cm overhang. Power sockets on both ends.

Breakfast & lunch eaten there, papers read, homework done. One sits whilst one cooks. Everyone congregates around it when we have friends & family over. Its brilliant, we use it all the time.

We dont have anything at all on it (but i dont have anything out of my worktops full stop). Washing up liquid / drying rack kept in cupboards etc, so it never looks messy.

Africa2go · 14/02/2020 17:21

Oh and stools are low enough to go under the island when not in use. Think its a better look.

Original poster

BookishKitten · 20/02/2020 20:13

Thanks, everyone! This is really useful!
I’m favouring having an island that works as a galley kitchen, I mean having two lines going along the depth of the extension, the longer line along the wall and with 1.30m circulation space then the second shorter line being the island.
I’m leaning towards the 2.4m x 1.2m with deep sink in the middle, bins under, to the right the dishwasher. As PP mentioned, the cutlery drawer opposite the dishwasher (genius!!!) under it deep drawers for pots and pans. Powerpoints on both ends.

Can I ask if you ended up going for a double oven separate from the hob? I’m worried I won’t have space for that...
Another question : lighting above the island - what did you go for in the end?
Thank you!

OP posts:

Witchinghour1 · 21/02/2020 14:39

Love our island too!! Children love it, we can cook there and do homework. Good luck!

TobyHouseMan · 22/02/2020 00:01

1.2 * 3 meter island. We put a 1/2 sink on one end and put in a waste disposal unit. It's fab. Do all your prep on the island, push everything into the sink, hit the button and it's gone. No smells and quick. Best decision ever.

wehaveafloater · 22/02/2020 08:04

Lighting over your island will be best if it's ( not sure if this is right terminology) IR rated - so can cope with the steam from sink - so basically the same as a bathroom, steam and vapour proof .

wehaveafloater · 22/02/2020 08:07

Re ovens . I have a 900 range cooker with induction top AND a single oven and micro built into a tall unit. So I can either use the big 900 wide oven or the single or both if I'm cooking at Christmas etc .

gothicsprout · 22/02/2020 10:02

We had an island in our old house which had sink, dishwasher and washing machine in. Sink & DW were great, but I would never recommend housing the washing machine there (decision of the previous owners) - vibrating island!

Sunshineand · 22/02/2020 11:34

Love our island, but I agree with a PP that you need to think about if you're going to have stuff drying on it etc. We have a utility room so all that goes in there and the island can remain pristine and gorgeous.

Another consideration is noise. For the social aspect, it's great when prepping food, but sometimes can be noisy if someone's trying to watch TV in the living space and someone is clattering plates or using the spray tap. First world problems, eh?

callmeadoctor · 22/02/2020 13:28

We have a pull up socket in the island, it is used all the time but not on show, FAB

Beano78 · 31/05/2020 13:47

@Witchinghour1, your island looks great! Can I ask what size it is?

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