Decorating_Island

Island Living

One of the best kitchen features to come along in the past twenty or so years is the island. Some smart architect or builder figured out that the kitchen is the heart of the home. The innovation created a way to integrate the space into the rest of the house and make it possible for someone cooking in the kitchen to avoiding having their back turned to everyone when washing dishes, cooking or working at the stove. Kitchen islands come in a variety of styles and there are some functions that work with islands and some that don’t work as well. Here are some of the pros and cons.

Flat surface islands

A plain flat surface island that lets you spread out is probably the most versatile kitchen island. A large flat surface is invaluable and allows the most activities to go on concurrently. If the surface is large enough, a flat-surface island allows cooking or working on all four sides. This is a fantastic option when there’s more than one cook in the kitchen. A flat-surface island also provides a wonderful spot to set up a buffet service that allows diners to circle the buffet. When building my house four years ago, this was the island that I opted for and it’s been the best for me and my style of cooking, dining and interacting in the kitchen.

Island varieties

Some islands have multi-level surfaces. This allows other activities to go on but limits the number of those activities because one side is raised. A raised surface would allow a diner on one side and cook on another. The cook can be separated from the diner or visitor and can allow cooking to occur with a blocked view of the stove or other cooking mess. It also keeps anyone seated there from being splattered.

Another option is the cooking island. These can be flat or multi-level. A flat surface island with a cook top allows cooking to go on but can also splatter anyone seated or working nearby. It also means the mess of cooking is in plain sight. Additionally, if a vent hood is positioned above the stove it creates a visual block in the kitchen. Of course, islands don’t have to be complicated. They can be as large as you like or they can be a simple table. A roll-away cart with a butcher block top can be positioned in the middle of the room or anywhere it’s needed to create island space.

Island notes

What’s important for a kitchen island is that it enhances the kitchen experience – whether that’s dining, cooking, serving or creating a much-needed flat work surface. But it’s key to create and maintain work triangles for the most efficient use. A common island design misstep is creating oppositional functions. This can arise when the cook top is opposite the sink it can cause two people to have their backs to one another or create traffic behind the cook. If the cook needs to put a hot pan in the sink quickly, there could be an accident because neither party has clear sight of one another. For this reason, and if space allows, it’s best not to put any two kitchen functions opposite one another despite what decorating magazines show.

If you have space in your kitchen and you’re looking for a wonderful way to increase work space and storage, and integrate the kitchen – and perhaps more importantly, the cook -- with the rest of the house, give some thought to an island. Whether small and informal or large and elaborate, a kitchen island is a welcome addition to any home.

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Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Real Home E-Zine, the Internet newsletter with real home advice, tips, and ideas for cooking, gardening, cleaning, and decorating for real families. Subscribers receive this FREE report, The 10 Habits that Help You Keep Your House Cleaner. For more information log on to www.kathryn-weber.com.

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