How to Choose the Right Kitchen Island

The kitchen island is one of the most useful kitchen features to come around over the past few decades. It’s gained in popularity in part because the kitchen has become a more social space, and the island allows people a place to sit and keep you company while you cook or clean up.

However, one of the biggest benefits of having an island in your kitchen is that it offers multiple functions. For example, in addition to providing the kitchen with a social function, it also families with a more casual place to eat in the kitchen space along with additional storage and workspace.

If you’re thinking about having a kitchen island built and installed, then there are many different designs to choose from. The following are seven kitchen island designs to consider:

  1. L-Shaped Islands – L-shaped islands offer visual contrast to the kitchen design due to the fact that they aren’t symmetrical. If you need a lot of storage space and prep space, then an L-shaped island will certainly provide that. It’s particularly useful if you often have more than one person using the kitchen at a time.
  2. U-Shaped Islands – If you have a lot of space in your kitchen, a U-shaped island can be a better option than an L-shaped island since you’ll get even more storage and prep space. There will also be more seating space available and will create the feeling of being behind the bar. The only real drawback, besides taking up a lot of space, is that it’s a little less efficient getting around to the interior of the island, especially if there are multiple people preparing food.
  3. Galley Islands – Galley islands are islands use streamlined designs that don’t have any corners or curves, making stored items more accessible. They’re particularly effective in an aesthetic sense for open kitchen spaces since they function as dividers. They can also be built as wide as needed, which means that you could have storage space on both sides.
  4. Rolling islands – If you have a small kitchen space to work with but could use the additional storage and prep space, then you might want to think about a rolling island. A rolling island allows you to move it around the kitchen like a cart, which means that you can put it out of the way once you’re done using it so that it doesn’t cramp your kitchen space or design.
  5. Traditional island designs – When it comes to the look of the island, a traditional design is more of a neutral, clean look — often using a soft white that doesn’t draw attention and that compliments the rest of the kitchen design instead of taking over as a focal point. For a more classy traditional look, a rich mahogany wood is a good choice.
  6. Rustic island designs – If you use your kitchen as a social space, then you’ll want to create a mood that’s inviting and comfortable. Rustic island designs are good for this since they have a more casual style. Natural cherry wood is an excellent rustic option due to its earthy tone, which helps add warmth to the ambiance.
  7. Modern island designs – Modern designs tend to be very sleek and use solid colors. They manage to be both minimal and stylish at the same time and tend to compliment stainless steel features and clean lines.

These are seven different kitchen island designs to consider. If you’re interested in installing an island in your kitchen space, then be sure to contact us at Lifestyles Cabinetry and Millworkto request a free quote today.