Would this kitchen fit an island?

[Nomorediy]

Hello!

I think I’ve found a house I want to buy. But one of my must-haves is a kitchen island, however little. I’m not sure why I’m so fixated on this….

This kitchen is more than 14.2 ft wide and 12.6ft long. It has one run of worktops/appliances. It leads onto a bathroom on one side and has bifold doors out to the garden.

If an island would fit, where would you put it? Does it have it match the rest of the kitchen (which is v nice navy blue and quartz) or can it be a different material?

Thanks in advance!

Yes i think so, although no expert. Have it lengthways. I would get an island 0.9cm metres wide and 1.8metres long. And yes you coukd have a different colour to the main units. 1.8metres long, you could have 3 x 60cm units. And for 0.9cm wide so you could have a 60cm with a 30cm overhang for bar stools or no stools but 60cm and 30cm units. Especially if you put a kitchen table nearby on left wall then I wouldn’t put bar stools as they would get in the way and would prefer the extra units for storage.
You would need at least 1 metre gap between your units on the right wall but preferably a 1.2m circulatory gap.

Looking at it again, I am not sure I would put an island in there. Think it would chop the room in halve and be in the way of your access into the kitchen and bathroom and outside.

Are you hoping to also fit a table in? How big is your dining table/family?

I think you could squeeze one in but you’ll lose the space for dining.

I would also post a picture of the kitchen, measurements are useful but getting a feel for the space is equally as important.

You probably could but it would make the room look really cluttered .

If that your only dining space also?

We have small kitchen diner, didn’t put an island in. Instead a comfy dining bench sofa along the left wall, dining table and chairs. We use the dining table for extra prep space if needed and actually I much prefer it now.

You could just, but is there then room for a table? Better a big table and no island.

I’ve just measured my kitchen for you 😄 it’s 14ftx14ft and we have an island that is 6.5ft x 4ft. So you could definitely fit an island if not quite as big. We also have doors on 3 of the 4 walls - utility, French and opening to dining. It’s amazing, I love my island (new this year) don’t care that they’re apparently going out of fashion.

We were going to do wood top (quartz around the rest of kitchen) but can’t remember why we didn’t - money and upkeep probably. I like the mismatch look.

Another option I would have done is a lovely wooden massive table or something so we could have taken it with us when we move, but wanted hob on island and the cupboards under and v useful.

Cant stand how people are using feet and inches instead of the infinitely more sensible metric system. It’s been taught in schools since the 60s.

any way to answer, yes you could have a tiny one but you wouldn't have room for a table or much else. Is the island a deal breaker? A big dining table can serve a similar purpose and be more flexible than an island.

Well unfortunately for you @Weefreetiffany not everyone is here to please you 😂 I personally was taking the lead from OP.

No, you wouldn't have enough space around it.

I think an island would be a bad idea in that space. You'd have to trade off having a proper dining table that can be moved around a bit as you need and would have flexibility to fit a decent number of people for a tiny fixed lump in the middle of the room that would have at best a couple of bar stools. You'd have to wend your way past it in fixed corridors to get to the bathroom or the garden doors. You wouldn't be able to make the most of those doors to garden. Standard advice with islands is a minimum of 1m between the island and walls/units etc. Technically you can achieve that here but only with a lump in the middle of the room and unusable corridors all around it.

Wow thanks so much. Can you share a picture (DM me if this feels too public).

I see your point here. An island would 'fit' but also dominate the space.

I do also want a dining table. As the kitchen is laid out currently, it has a large dining table with space to seat 6-8 comfortably.

But I would like an island or a breakfast bar. I don't need an island for extra storage but I just love the set-up of casual dinners/drinks around an island/other sort of high seating.

Because of door position it would interrupt the flow of the room. It would make it too cramped with a table too (unless you get one that folds down and could be stored away most of the time), and you definitely wouldn’t be able to stand around the island with the table there. How many people in your household? If just two people you might get away with it, but I think it would be very cramped.

Just two of us, but I do like to entertain.
It does feel like a big table is the way to go.
Would a breakfast bar option work too perhaps?
I don't want to clutter the space.
I viewed a house where the island dominated the small kitchen and looked weird. There was no space for anything else. All this to seat 3-4 on stools.

But thinking possibly an island down the left hand side and a smallish table placed horizontally in front of the bifold doors?

I think that would look a bit random, the point is they’re supposed to be near the cabinets, fridge etc, part of your kitchen space. Otherwise it would look like a random table. You could just get a high table to bring out for guests if you don’t want it to be part of you kitchen set up.

Your cabinets are probably 650cm, you need minimum 900 gap, ideally at least 1000, if your island was 1000, that would place it bang in the middle of your kitchen (where the writing is), obscuring the door and interrupting the flow.

If it’s just for drinks and doesn’t need to function as part of the kitchen I would get a moveable high table people can stand around for drinks when they come over.

I wouldn’t put a table in front of the doors if that’s your access to the garden, you’d have to move it all the time to get out, unless it was a tiny round bistro table for two.

We have a pinch point of 730mm, I was worried but it has never caused any sort of issue (kids obviously spend a lot of time racing around the island, for example!). Wouldn’t want that gap all the way around the island though that’s for sure.

900 is the industry minimum standard, but you could of course have less, but it’s not recommended due to general flow and opening doors and cupboard. It’s a bit different if it’s only a pinch point, but in this example you’d need 900 minimum.

How would it work if you got a diningroom table, and a smaller bar table and stools. They could be tucked in a corner when you aren't entertaining, but pulled more centrally if desired?

I think a permanent island is the wrong decision in that space.

A square kitchen like that is crying out for a big dining table in the middle. Something you can use to prep on if you need extra space but can be used as a social space to chat whilst you are cooking. I think islands only look good in long and wide kitchens where you have a dining table down the other end and have lots of room to move around the actual kitchen space without getting in each other's way.

I was going to suggest one on wheels that you could move about. But then realised it is also your dining space. You can't have both in that space IMO, without it being cluttered and dancing around.

Did you get the island?

I wouldn’t put an island in there. You will chop the room in half and obstruct the walk through to garden and sitting room. I know people who are removing their islands. They r great in the right space but not here.