Kitchen Island Advice

[Orangemicrowave]

Hello,

Any advice would be much appreciated and thanks in advance!

We're having an extension and new kitchen soon and trying to plan the kitchen. It's going to have a double sized island but we're not sure what should go on the island.

We don't want a big blank space but we don't want an hob on it because I want a range oven that will go against an external wall with an extractor fan above.

I know lots of people have sinks on the island but we're not the tidiest people and whenever you see photos on Instagram of sinks on islands they're completely immaculate and bare but I know that we won't put away the fairly liquid and hand soap each time and we have a baby so will have drying baby bottles lying around etc. I just think having all that mess on the island which is the focal point of the room will look awful.

I've suggested having a large sink tucked more away against a wall and then a smaller more fancy looking sink on the island that we just use for food prep, would that look silly having two sinks close to eachother?

Any other idea?

Thank you!!

My island measures 3M x 1.2M. I have a double sink towards one side and it does sometimes have a few bits of washing up drying but that’s just life and I put them away when they’re dry. We have a nice fruit bowl at the other end. You can get wine coolers to go in the worktop, I didn’t bother because I’m happy to grab wine from the fridge and they are expensive.
I don’t think you should stress over having a super tidy appearance with a baby around and really it’s more important that the layout of your kitchen functions well.

I would keep it clear, to be honest, if you don’t have to position the sink there. Then you’ve got a lovely clear space for food prep, a fruit bowl, vase of flowers, etc.

I have a lovely big island in my new kitchen and it has nothing on it. It has drawers on both long sides (12 in all) and power points under the overhang so you can plug stuff in if needed. I have a sculpture that sits in the middle and a beautiful bowl for fruit and thats it.
The best thing in our kitchen for keeping it tidy (and we are not tidy people) is having two dishwashers as everything goes straight in the dishwasher, and is not lurking around the sink at any point.

Thanks everyone for the advice! It's split between have it bare and it'll look tidy and don't worry about it looking tidy, it's a hard choice!

I would choose blank space - you can always put fruit bowls, flowers, plants etc on it

Mine has an induction hob on it which I would highly recommend (much better than the feature range we had before!!)

Definitely don't have the sink on it. Either have a double sink or put a small prep sink somewhere but not on the Island! (Though having said that friends have a prep sink on the Island they use for ice at parties.).

Wish we'd had a small prep sink or a double sink....we just went for one big sink.

Yes we've got an induction hob on the Island....it looks good.

You could break up the surface by having a worktop chopping board at one end.

I have a very large completely bare island. Just a big fruit bowl and it looks lovely. No mess. No clutter. No washing up. If your sink can go elsewhere then do that. Though I saw an amazing Instagram yesterday with a co called sink - the island slid back to reveal it snd the tap popped up! But guessing that would cost a fortune!

Concealed sink!

We were debating having a double sink against a wall and then an additional prep sink on the island, is that a ridiculous number of sinks?

I'm not dead set against a bare island but my husband has a real thing about it and it'll be hard work to convince him to keep him bare. Maybe I should just forget my idea of a range and have an induction hob on the island.

Do it!!

My island is 2.5m x 1.4m and I have a circular food prep sink in it and a large sink for dishes etc on a long wall.

It won't look bare if you put a wooden chopping board, a fruit bowl or a vase on it. Honestly, I adore my bare island. And yes, I agree with pp, find room for two dishwashers as it sounds like you have the space.

My sink has a cloth lurking next to it. Who wants manky cloths on their island? How about the odd tea bag that someone's not found the energy to throw away yet? No thanks!

We were debating having a double sink against a wall and then an additional prep sink on the island, is that a ridiculous number of sinks?

No. We have two Belfast sinks in the kitchen and one in the utility right next door, and sometimes three still isn't enough.

Maybe I should just forget my idea of a range and have an induction hob on the island.

Do that if you're alright with pasta sauce and cooking oil being splashed all over it, the floor, and possibly people sat at the island too.

I wouldn't have a job or sink on an island. No way.

*Hob, sorry.

We have a 2.8m island and have nothing on it. I didn’t want a sink for the reasons you list and I didn’t fancy the hob on it either. Had it a few years now and don’t regret my choices.

This is what I'm thinking, a circular food prep sink with a lovely brass tap maybe. Or maybe one of those Quooker taps.

I used an induction hob at a holiday cottage and let a pasta pan boil over and I absolutely couldn't get the starchy water stains off the hob, I was worried we'd get a huge bill for the cost. Presumably there's a knack to cleaning them? It's made me think that they're high maintenance.

my island is really big (5m) with a breakfast bar end. I’ve got a double Belfast sink on it as I was more comfortable with that, rather than a splattering hob. Honestly, I just have a naice soap dispenser out and keep all the sponges and stuff in the cupboard underneath on a little plastic tray, the type that you might have next to your sink. Though my range is a feature so wouldn’t want to lose that! Other than that, you can have lovely big vases of lilies and cake stands with glass domes ❤️ Also worth considering how you will socialise at it, we really do.

I have a pull-out vertical power strip and my kitchen aid mixer lives on top of the island, along with a cake dome and a flower vase. That's it. All the sinks, hobs and other functional bits are within the kitchen cupboards area, aligned next to a wall - island is more "inland" in terms of the space and without functional items is much easier to keep neat.

I have a large island 2m x1.4. The designer convinced me to have nothing and was right. Is a fab social space which we all love including guests

I would definitely go for practicality over style. Style is fine if you're looking to sell and want it to clinch the deal, but if you're actually planning on using it, make sure it suits your family. I have a young family and personally I'd want clear worktop to prep.

@PersilPower 5 meters is insanely big! How wide is it? How big is your kitchen?!

It’s a feature 😂 It’s a very big room with a sofa area and a dining table. Also one end of mine is a big breakfast area. But my point with the island is that whatever the size, you can make temporary features on a big plain space. Candles, flowers, whatever. Personally I like something breaking up the surface, especially if it’s not a small island. I used to keep mine perfectly clutter free but I’m looking over now and it’s full of crap that needs putting away!!!!