Kitchen Island Remodel Ideas

If your kitchen is large enough, you can easily add an island to give you some extra space for working, storage, eating, cooking or preparing meals. You'll want at least three or four feet on each side of the island to move about comfortably, more if you're adding something that opens, such as a dishwasher or oven. After measuring your kitchen, you can start thinking about how you want to use your island and what style you desire. Does this Spark an idea?

Standard Island

A standard island provides extra counter space as well as storage space, depending on your needs. A simple island that matches your cabinetry and countertops can serve you well if all you need is a little more space to work. You can add a full island complete with multiple cabinets and electric outlets for plugging in your toaster, blender or bread machine. Or, if you don't have a lot of room, you can install a small table or island and add some decorative elements to update the style of your kitchen. Rolling tables and islands work nicely for homeowners with small kitchens, as you can roll them out of the way when you need more room. If your kitchen is large, you can add an island that serves as extra dining space. It can also double as a buffet counter at parties. You may also want to consider installing a wine refrigerator if you have enough room.

Prep Island

An island can also serve as a prep area. If you add plumbing, you can install a sink that can function as your main sink or just a small prep sink. If you put in a main sink, you might want to install your dishwasher in the island as well. If you have limited space in your kitchen, a small sink with a butcher block counter for cutting vegetables and preparing food will work well. Add some overhead light fixtures so you can see what you're doing if you want to do any chopping on the island.

Cooking Island

Adding a cooktop or oven to your island can enhance its functionality. If you do a lot of cooking or host a lot of gatherings, two stoves or ovens may come in handy, and installing one in your island can help immensely. If you add a range to the island, you'll need to allow for ventilation, so make sure you can install a hood in your ceiling before you purchase a stovetop, or consider a downdraft vent instead. You can also consider adding a simple warming drawer to the island instead of a full oven.

Ideas for Over the Island

What you do with the space over the island can add to the decor of your kitchen as well as the functionality. You can hang hooks for your pots and pans, or add a wine rack to free up some space in other parts of the kitchen. Alternatively, if you choose to install a stovetop, adding a nice hood vent can drastically change the appearance of your kitchen, no matter what style you're going for.