If you are the proud owner of a spacious kitchen with an area of at least 15 sq. m., consider the possibility of island placement of furniture.
An island is a free-standing cabinet table with a countertop or stove and drawers for storing kitchen utensils or non-perishable products.
The island kitchen is also suitable if it is combined with the living room.
Island cuisine: pros and cons
Consider the pros and cons of island placement of furniture in the kitchen.
- Additional work surface and storage space, and there is not much of it in the kitchen;
- Accommodation of everything necessary for the hostess within walking distance;
- Way of zoning space;
- The work surface can always turn into a dining room;
- Enough space to seat guests;
- Sometimes you can put a child on the “island” so that he prepares homework while the mother does the housework.
- The island will not appeal to those who like to move freely around the kitchen, arrange dances with friends;
- If you want to place a sink or hob on the island, you will have to bring communications;
- Every time you sit down on high bar stools to eat, it is inconvenient, and ordinary chairs for an island table are a bit low.
About sizes and distances in the island kitchen
So that the island does not interfere with the free movement of households, as well as the normal use of drawers and opening doors, the distance from it to the walls or the headset placed along the wall must be at least 1 m.
The island does not and cannot have standard sizes. Everything here is individual, depending on the area of \u200b\u200bthe kitchen and the preferences of the owners. Experience shows that three modules with a total length of 180 cm are the best option.
And in the store, ready-made kitchens are about the same size. If 180 cm is too much for your kitchen, you can make an island set to order. However, non-standard always costs more.
The optimal width of the table is 60 cm. The drawers will then be quite roomy. But if the area allows, the boxes can be placed on both sides of the table, but then its total width can reach 120 cm.
Is that why the island table is taller than the regular dining table? Because cooking on a high table is more convenient than on a low one. For a hostess of medium height, the optimal table height is 90 cm.
Again, to order, you can make a table both higher and lower.
The shape of the island and its layout
Designers have the following rule: what shape is the kitchen. Such is the island. In other words, in a rectangular room, a square table will be stubby, and vice versa. For a very spacious kitchen, a round or oval table in the center is suitable.
The layout of the kitchen also dictates the placement of the island. The most common cuisine options:
- straight;
- angular;
- in the shape of the letter P;
- the kitchen area occupies part of the combined space.
The island can consist of modules of different levels. It's comfortable. The high module will serve as the workplace of the hostess, and the lower one will serve as a dining table. However, in a small space, this option is not suitable.
Island use cases
The island can perform different functions.
Working surface. The easiest way is to put a table with drawers in the center of the kitchen and use it for cooking. It does not hurt to bring electricity to it and equip it with sockets so that you can use household appliances.
Bar counter. You don’t often see a bar counter in the kitchen, but many people dream of it. The bar counter can be narrow and serve as a space divider between the kitchen and the dining room, or have the width of a full-fledged table, differing from it only in height.
Dinner table. It can be freestanding or adjacent to the desktop, coinciding with it in width, but differing in height.
Sink or hob. Before starting the arrangement of this most difficult version of the island, it is necessary to consult with a specialist, as far as possible.
Above the hob it will be necessary to place the hood. To do this, you will have to lower the ceiling in order to hide all the connections to the air outlet under it.
Firstly, such a task is only for a specialist, and secondly, the ceilings must be high enough.
When plumbing, you will have to raise the floor to also hide all the pipes.
Table with open shelves. Shelves will serve to accommodate kitchen decor items, beautiful dishes and lighting.
mobile island. This is a table on wheels, which, if desired, can be moved up to the wall. Suitable for small kitchens or kitchens in a studio apartment.
In the kitchen, you need to create a triangle, at the vertices of which the sink, stove and work surface will be located. This is the most comfortable placement in terms of ergonomics.
A through bar counter will help visually increase the space.
It is not necessary to create an island in the same colors as the rest of the kitchen. It can be several tones darker or even act as a contrasting element.
An island with a hob or sink needs good lighting. A decorative shelf above the island will complement it in terms of design.
If there is nothing suitable in the store, you can always create a kitchen with your own hands, using inexpensive materials like drywall and artificial stone.
Kitchen design photo with an island
30 kitchen island ideas
Things to Consider Before Buying an Island
Its advantages and disadvantages:
Island for large and small kitchens
The shape and area of the kitchen island depends on the size of the kitchen.
A large rectangular island, stretched along the entire set, is suitable for a large kitchen.
Also, a large island has impressive storage capacity and will be a useful addition to a compact kitchen set.
And if the kitchen and dining room are located in different rooms, behind such an island you can have a quick bite or a cup of coffee.
A smaller kitchen will fit a square small island. If desired, you can still take out the working area and organize storage on it.
Or use as a work surface and dining area.
Work island functions
If finding a free place for the island is problematic, then finding a use for it is easy.
Island as an additional countertop
Zoning
With the help of a kitchen island, it is convenient to separate the kitchen, combined with the living room, as we did in.
decorative function
The kitchen island stands out in the kitchen and draws attention.
The photo shows a kitchen island made of artificial stone by German designers LEICHT Küchen. It sets the tone for the entire interior.
In order not to overload the space, you can make part of the kitchen island through.
An island of rich color looks great in a bright kitchen.
Kitchen islands of an unusual shape
In addition to the classic rectangular and square islands, manufacturers offer unusual shapes.
It is convenient to approach the round island from any side and there is no risk of hitting a corner.
You can find a curved kitchen island. It takes up a lot of space, but is more comfortable and looks more original.
A more compact option is a corner island. In the island in the photo, the dining area and stove were smashed.
Some kitchen islands are made multi-level. The countertop is a little higher, and the sink or stove is a little lower. Convenient for work and protects the kitchen from splashes, and guests from the sight of dirty dishes.
Kitchen island materials
The main materials for the islands are:
- wood;
- fake diamond;
- stainless steel.
The chipboard option is the cheapest. Due to the protective coating, it is quite durable and can be made in any color.
A wooden kitchen island is suitable for a classic kitchen or.
The artificial stone option is much more expensive than the previous two. It is important not to forget that the stone is stained and damaged.
A stainless steel kitchen island is a solution for a modern or high-tech kitchen. Most importantly, do not forget to stock up on glossy surface care products.
Kitchen island for a small kitchen
For those who really want an island to appear in their small kitchen, we also picked up a couple of ideas.
Manufacturers Home Styles, SEGAwe and Best choice offer miniature kitchen islands on wheels. You can put a hot baking sheet on them, store glasses and a couple of bottles of wine or cutlery.
The kitchen island on wheels slides under the countertop and is removed when an additional work surface is needed.
So, let's combine the basic rules for kitchen islands:
- a large kitchen - an island stretched along the headset;
- a small kitchen - a modest square or on wheels;
- the distance from the island to other furniture is at least a meter;
- in the first place - the useful functionality of the island;
- we trust the communication wire to professionals.
If you don’t want to run pipes, wires and a hood to the island, consider the option of a dining island, as in ours.
More ideas for inspiration - in our portfolio. And ours will give more understanding of how you see the future house.
Island cuisine is the dream of many housewives. significantly expands the storage area, increases the overall length of the countertop, can serve as a dining table and bar counter. In addition, the island is incredibly convenient when guests arrive, and the hostess prepares a treat, facing them. We have selected for you interesting kitchen projects with an island that you can implement in your room. See ideas and catch inspiration.
Minimum dimensions of an island kitchen
The basic rule of island kitchens is that the distance between the island and the fronts of the cabinets must be at least 1 meter. Ideally, it is desirable to leave 1.2 m between them for comfortable opening of facades and pulling out drawers.
If the width of the countertop is 60 cm, then we pick up a calculator and calculate the width of the room.
- linear kitchen. 60 cm - the depth of the main headset. 1.2 m - passage. From 60 to 90 cm - an island. Behind him, again, a passage of at least 1 m. We get a room width of 3.4 - 3.7 m. At the same time, there must be a passage of at least 90 cm on each side of the island. It turns out that with the smallest width of the island of 60 cm, 180 cm is added the width of the passages, and the total length of the headset is 2.4 m. In total, the minimum dimensions of the room are 3.4x2.4m.
- Corner set. Since the cabinets are along two adjacent walls, the length of the headset increases. 60 cm of cabinet plus 60 cm of island plus 2.4 m of passages on both sides of the island. It turns out 3.6 m the minimum length of the room.
- U-shaped kitchen. An additional 60 cm of cabinets along the third wall are added to the dimensions of the corner suite. 60+120+60+120+60cm. It turns out that 180 cm are allotted for furniture, the same 240 cm for aisles. As a result, the minimum length of a room with a U-shaped layout is 4.2 m.
For calculations, we took the smallest island in the form of a mobile table with dimensions of 60x60 cm. With large module sizes, it is necessary to increase the overall length and width of the headset accordingly.
How to use the island
The island module can act in different roles, acquiring new functions.
- Dinner Zone. The island turns into a dining table. Or it has a bar. In this case, the comfortable depth of the module is 80-90 cm, and the width increases to 80-120 cm. Additional shelves and drawers are located under the table top, where it is convenient to store serving utensils, cutlery, napkins and towels. With enough kitchen space, you can add a lower console to the island to eliminate the need for bar stools.
bar counter formed by the overhang of the tabletop. You can use an extension console. However, in this case, you will have to lower the level of the countertop. This option is convenient in cases where the kitchen often works with dough. The lower cutting zone allows you to roll out the succulents, starting from the shoulder. In this case, the load on the elbow joints is reduced and the weight of the whole body is used.
- Food cutting. The transfer of the sink and cutting area implies at least 40 cm under the width of the bowl and about 60 cm more for cleaning and cutting products. In this case, it is necessary to carefully consider the supply of communications. A channel for pipes is laid under the floor covering. It must be easily accessible for maintenance.
- hot zone. The plate is selected depending on the amount of work. For small families of 2-3 people, a domino hob is enough. This allows you to add a grill block or simply reduce the width of the island module. To ensure the removal of steam, an island hood with a ventilation duct or a recirculation type is installed.
- Function combination. Quite often there is a layout in which a sink with a stove is taken out to the island. In this case, it is desirable to use built-in plumbing and hobs. This will save space on the module.
The island allows you to place additional cabinets under the worktop with access to them from two, three or four sides. From the end it is convenient to have open shelves or narrow cargo. If you order a module with an overhang of the tabletop, then it is inconvenient to use shelves and drawers from the side of the chairs. In this case, access to the bowels of the island is limited to three parties.
small island kitchen
It is believed that the island set is convenient only if there is 9 sq m of kitchen area. However, starting from 6 sq m, you can use the island in the form of a roll-out module, which, if necessary, can be quickly hidden under the countertop. In this case, the dining area is taken out to another room.
A standard 6-meter kitchen will easily make friends with the island during redevelopment, when the partition separating it from the living room is demolished. With this option, the island delimits functional areas and serves as a dining table or a bar counter.
To accommodate a wider module in the existing opening, you can move the island to the wall. In a 9-meter kitchen, the island can be increased to dimensions of 120x90 cm. In this case, it will take on the function of a table or bar counter at the same time as cutting food.
If it is possible to move the dining area outside the kitchen, the island can accept a hob or sink.
Island kitchen in a private house and studio
With a sufficient kitchen area, the island can take on various shapes and sizes.
- To the classics an octagonal module with inlays is suitable. Choose an island hood in the shape of a dome or bell.
- Minimalism and modern technological directions will require smooth facades without handles and strict rectangular shapes. At the same time, modern romanticism and modernism actively use oval, semicircular and round islands.
- Provence and country they are good friends with hinged lattice shelves, on which pans, pots and lids are hung. If you prefer to store utensils in cabinets, decorative bunches of onions and garlic, bunches of herbs and spices will take this place.
- Swedish style (IKEA) likes open shelves, lattice fronts and rectangular modules.
In spacious studios, island systems form an open ring or corner, where a seating area and a round table are placed. This layout creates the necessary comfort, a certain intimacy and privacy in a large space.
Semicircular islands are ergonomic. They outline the work area around the chef, in which each element can be reached without leaving the place. The bar counter on the outside, due to the curved line, allows you to comfortably feed a group of friends from 4-6 people, depending on the shape of the table top.
The entire working surface of the kitchen set can be taken out on the island. In this case, it acquires a semicircular or S-shape. At the back of the island there is usually a large full-wall cabinet where a refrigerator, oven, and microwave are built in. Food supplies and kitchen utensils are also stored there.
Corner islands with a large area serve as an element of zoning, outlining the dining area. Or they form the surface of an island kitchen with a corner layout. In a round room, when the headset forms a ring, the island takes the form of a sector or a circle.
If the passages near the island are narrow, and there are small children in the house, it is better to order an oval or rectangular module with rounded edges.
If you want to move the stove and sink to the island in a city studio apartment, then be sure to consult with experts about transferring communications. Water supply is allowed only above non-residential premises. And the gas stove may have to be replaced with an electric hob.
Island kitchens are convenient and comfortable. However, they require a lot of space in order to be comfortable to use them.
Jun 20, 2017 Werri
The island, which is located in the very center of the kitchen, is called a multifunctional table with a work surface and built-in household appliances. Most often, it is installed in kitchens with a large area and helps to conveniently use the work area. Such an interior element fits perfectly into the design of a kitchen of any style.
Kitchen design with an island and its main features
With the help of the island, you can perfectly organize the kitchen space, make it more functional and comfortable. You can use this design both as a work surface and as a bar counter. The kitchen island is great for cooking.
It forms a convenient working triangle - the hostess does not need to run around the whole room, she can get food from the refrigerator, wash it, put it on the island and cut it, then immediately send it to the pan and put it on the hob. At the same time, she constantly remains in one place, and does not move around the kitchen.
On the kitchen island, you can place a variety of household appliances, at your discretion - a sink, dishwasher, hob, oven, and so on. In this way, you can organize the most convenient space for yourself. The kitchen island can also act as a dining table, saving space in the room. You just need to arrange special bar stools around it and provide a place for comfortable placement of legs.
Advice! The island in the kitchen should be positioned in such a way that its working part is located in the kitchen area, and the dining part serves as a kind of delimiter between the dining area and the cooking area.
Which style to choose
Classic interior- a win-win option when arranging a kitchen with an island. Classics always remain relevant and never go out of fashion. An island made of wood will fit perfectly into such an interior. It is important that the room is spacious enough.
Designers are advised to adhere to some basic principles when creating such an interior:
- You should not experiment with the color palette - the ceilings should be white, if desired, they can be decorated with a decorative rosette in the center or stucco cornices.
- For wall decoration, you should choose materials of light beige shades. It is desirable that the walls are plain.
- It is not necessary to install a parquet or wooden floor in a classic kitchen, as it will be impractical and expensive. You can use high-quality tiles or porcelain tiles. At the same time, the color scheme of the floor should correspond to the general style of the room.
- To create a real classic interior in the kitchen, you should install solid wood furniture in dark shades. It should not be pretentious, simple forms are welcome. The island itself should be made in exactly the same style. The high cost of interior items is offset by their excellent quality and long service life.
- Doors and windows can be arched or rectangular. It is recommended to make them from natural wood.
- In the center of the ceiling, right above the island, which also serves as a dining table, you need to place a luxurious chandelier with lamps stylized as candles and forged elements.
- You can decorate the walls with several reproductions of still lifes by famous artists.
Provence style interior- such kitchen differs in special grace, being extremely simple and cozy. Characteristic features of this style: walls with a rough finish, old furniture in light colors, floral patterns, light textiles.
The island, installed in the middle of the room, can become a real highlight of the Provence-style kitchen. It must be made of wood (or artificial materials that imitate it), and painted white or one of the pastel shades.
Avoid using dark colors. It is necessary to make the wall covering look slightly careless. The ideal option is to simply apply plaster, and then whitewash the walls. In the same way, you can finish the ceiling. For arranging the floor, it is recommended to use rough wooden boards or tiles.
Provence-style furniture can be made exclusively from natural wood (its style must completely match the style of the island). Numerous decorative details play a huge role in creating such an interior: clay pots, ceramic figurines, wicker baskets, bags of spices and much more.
Equally important is the textile on the horses - it should be light and light. On the island you can install a hob and oven. Forged elements will become an excellent decoration of this design.
Hi-tech interior- it should include clear strict lines, geometric shapes, complex designs. Contrasting colors are encouraged. The necessary minimum of furniture should be present in the room, the kitchen should not look cluttered.
High-tech interiors are dominated by artificial and high-tech materials: plastic, metal, glass, concrete. They can be combined with each other, creating a cold and strict kitchen design. An island in a high-tech kitchen should be as technological and functional as possible.
The use of chrome-plated metal surfaces in black, gray and silver is welcome. Built-in household appliances should be the most modern.
Interior in the style of minimalism- it is characterized by the presence of a minimum of furniture. All items present in the kitchen should be strict and concise, and most importantly, there should be few of them. The island in this case is great for organizing the workspace. In such an interior, no more than three different shades can be present at the same time - soft, muted, basic.
Small splashes of bright colors are allowed. It is also important to organize the right lighting - both natural and artificial. There should be a lot of light, especially above the island, there is no place for shaded areas in such a room. The decoration should use natural and synthetic materials.
The ceiling is better to make light. It is necessary that matte surfaces prevail in the kitchen. It is also necessary to choose multifunctional and strict furniture that will be in harmony with the island with built-in household appliances. Unusual decor items will help to revive the kitchen a little: an original chandelier, an unusual vase in the corner, a unique fruit stand.
Loft style interior- it goes well with such a piece of furniture as an island. When choosing furniture for such a kitchen, it is recommended to give preference to shiny and matte facades of laconic forms. Such materials should also be used in the arrangement of the kitchen island.
As for the color scheme of the room, the use of light gray and white tones, as well as metallic colors, is welcome. Rough wooden facades are perfect for a loft-style interior. Light metal furniture made in the form of shelves and pencil cases will look harmonious.
A new, sparkling chrome set, as well as old wooden furniture, will suit the loft-style kitchen. The island can be either ultra-modern, or deliberately rough, decorated with ordinary bricks or wooden planks. The best color palette for him is dark, muted.
The color scheme of the loft-style kitchen is determined by cold shades - white, gray, brick, terracotta, beige. The ceiling should be made white, or concrete gray slabs should be left unfinished. Rough wooden beams can be used to decorate the ceiling.
When decorating the walls, it is worth showing imagination. A brick wall in such an interior will look very stylish. You can not use textiles to decorate windows, however, long dark and heavy curtains can decorate a large panoramic window of a loft-style kitchen well.
Color selection
white kitchen island- it will perfectly fit into a classic interior, and will also look harmonious in kitchens furnished in Provence, country, shabby chic, Mediterranean style. For the arrangement of such a structure, it is desirable to use materials such as wood, facing bricks, ceramic tiles.
black kitchen island- this design will decorate the kitchen, made in the style of hi-tech, minimalism, art deco, loft. As finishing materials, it is worth using chrome and matte metal surfaces, porcelain stoneware, tempered glass.
brown kitchen island- will be an ideal part of the interior, made in a classic, rustic style, as well as country style. The best material for arranging such a structure is natural wood. If necessary, it can be replaced with MDF or chipboard.
The combination of a kitchen island with different types of layouts
corner layout- This type of layout is great for the location of the kitchen island. Even if the kitchen is medium in size, there will be enough free space in it. To save space, it is recommended to use the island both as a work surface with built-in household appliances and as a dining area, equipping it on the opposite side of the island.
Direct layout- if you place all the kitchen modules along two opposite walls, then in the middle it is quite possible to install an island with built-in household appliances. The main thing is that the kitchen should be spacious enough. This option is suitable for arranging a kitchen-dining room. In this case, the sink can be placed on the island, and the refrigerator and hob can be installed in the main set.
U-shaped layout- in order to realize such an idea of placing an island, the kitchen itself must be very spacious, and the island module itself must be compact. As a rule, such interior design options are used in large country houses.
Small kitchen- such a room is the most unsuitable for placing an island module in it. However, if you really want to do this, you need to choose the most compact rectangular design. An important condition is that it will have to be used as a dining table.
Big kitchen- finding a place for the island in such a room is not difficult. This design can have any shape: square, round, rectangular, oval. It should be placed either in the center of the room, or closer to the working area. An island installed in a large kitchen will help increase its functionality and make the cooking process much more convenient.
Kitchen-living room- the island will perfectly fit into a similar interior. It can serve as a kind of delimiter between the living area and the kitchen area itself. Its structure must be large enough. On such an island, you can place an oven, sink, dishwasher. The island itself can be used as a bar and dining table.
This is the so-called "working triangle". The triangle has three vertices, which indicate the areas of the greatest activity of the housewife.
The main point of the "working triangle" is the washing area, where 40-60% of the time is spent. The second two points are the stove and the refrigerator. The ideal layout is the location of the sink in the center of the triangle, the stove is located no further than 1200-1800 mm from the sink, and the refrigerator is 1200-2100 mm.
What can be placed on the kitchen island, layout options
Consider the main solutions for equipping the island in the kitchen, on which you can place the hob, sink, cutting area in various combinations.
On the working surface of the island there is a hob and a sink, the distance between them is not less than 300 mm.
There is a large sink and cutting area on the island, but, of course, in this case there will be no drying cabinet above the sink.
The fourth option on the island is a hob, a cutting surface and a small sink with a diameter of 380 mm, the main sink is against the wall.
The island has a compact sink and cutting surface.
Problems with plumbing communications to the kitchen island
Sometimes a dishwasher, an oven, a mini fridge are built into the island, if the main one is far away, a wine cabinet.
Moving kitchen equipment to the island is associated with the transfer of communications, that is, water supply, electricity, gas and sewerage, which will be costly in terms of money.
Water drain and water supply will go over residential apartments on the floor below, you need to get permission for all this, make reliable waterproofing. To hide a sewer drain with a diameter of 50 mm and at the same time make it with a slope of 0.03, you will have to raise the floor level by 10-15 cm.
As for gas, the gas pipe should be accessible for inspection by gas service specialists, an open channel 80 mm deep must be left in the floor screed, which is closed with a removable grate.
The location of the electric hob, oven, household appliances on the island will not cause difficulties if you think over the wiring diagram in advance, select the cable section, and plan the placement of sockets.
A hanging decorative shelf above the island looks spectacular, sometimes complete with an extractor hood and lighting.
Ergonomics of the island in the kitchen
The optimal size of the kitchen with an island
The optimal dimensions of a room for a kitchen with an island are at least 4.5 m wide and 15-20 m2 in area.
The minimum distance between the island and the main kitchen worktop and the wall is at least 1 m, in this case it is easy to move around and convenient to use.
The optimal dimensions of the island are 850-950-100 mm high, 1800 mm wide and 900 mm deep. A minimum width of 1200 mm, it is no longer worth making an island in the kitchen less.
island hood
The island hood must be mounted at such a height that it does not touch her head. The wider the island, the wider the hood should be.
The air from the hood should preferably be discharged into the ventilation shaft; operation in the filtration mode will not provide the required air purification efficiency.
But here's what to do with the duct to the island. As solutions, it is proposed to install a multi-level ceiling, false beams, they hide air ducts.
 |
|---|
 |
|---|
| Rice. 12-13. Air ducts to the island hood are hidden in decorative boxes |
If the ceiling is high, then for this case there are models of hoods with a long chimney.
Loading...