Guide to designing your kitchen island

If the kitchen is the heart of the home, then the kitchen island is the heart of the kitchen. The room literally revolves around it. When designed properly, your kitchen island can perform many functions, such as housing appliances, and providing additional seating and storage space. It’s important to give careful thought to your kitchen island design - including the countertop. Here’s everything you need to consider, according to our kitchen countertops Omaha experts:

Function

First, ask yourself what you wish to do at your kitchen island as you begin the design process. For example, do you want to cook, eat, clean, entertain, or maybe all of the above? Either way, once you know what you want to achieve, you can start deciding what materials and appliances will best serve your kitchen island. 

For instance, If you want your kitchen island primarily for cooking and food prep, it might be a practical place to put your stove and cooktop. If you’d prefer it for cleaning, you may house your sink or dishwasher there, with plenty of built-in storage for supplies. However, for entertaining purposes, it is probably best to keep appliances to a minimum to leave ample space for family and friends to eat, drink and socialize but, a mini-fridge for beverages couldn’t hurt!

Countertops

Now it’s time to choose the ideal countertop based on your desired function. Consider the countertop material, size, shape and color you want for your kitchen island. 

Material

Natural stone comes highly recommended by our kitchen countertops Omaha experts. Some popular stone kitchen countertop options include granite, marble, quartz, and soapstone. All of which are durable options for cooking, cleaning and entertaining. 

Size and positioning

The size and positioning of your kitchen island will also vary based on function as well as the size of your kitchen. The standard size can range from 2m to 3m long and 2.2m to 1.4m, but you may opt to make it longer or shorter depending on your need for seating. It is important to avoid making it so large that it overwhelms your kitchen and makes it difficult to navigate high-traffic areas! 

Style and shape

An edge style is another important element of your kitchen island countertop. You can choose from a range of options including: eased, bullnose, ogee, beveled and chiseled. This is particularly important for homes with children - as some edges can be sharp and dangerous for kids. As for the shape of your countertop, some options are curved or non-curved, L-shape, T-shape, or single or multi-tier. Some styles prove more efficient for people who spend a lot of time sitting or working at their kitchen island. 

If you need help designing a kitchen island for your desired function, GMS Werks is here to help. Whether you want to store items and appliances, prepare meals, clean or entertain guests, our kitchen countertops Omaha experts have the perfect countertop for you. Contact or visit us today!