A spacious kitchen island takes center stage in this week’s featured kitchen, providing ample prep space, storage, and seating to create the ultimate family gathering spot.
Introduction
The kitchen has long been considered the heart of the home, but in today’s open floor plans, it often becomes the hub where family and friends converge. This week’s stunning kitchen features a mammoth island that truly anchors the space and provides a welcoming gathering place.
With its vast granite countertop and comfy barstool seating, the extra-large island offers an inviting spot for casual meals, homework sessions, and chatting with the cook. It also provides bountiful counter space for meal prep and serving up crowd-pleasing dishes. The base of the island offers a smart mix of cabinets and drawers to tuck away cooking essentials and pantry items, while the ceiling-height design and dramatic light fixtures above give it a sense of grandeur.
Beyond the stellar island, the kitchen delights with high-end finishes, abundant cabinetry, and an intuitive layout. A dedicated cleaning zone keeps messes contained, while a spacious walk-in pantry stashes provisions out of sight. Keep reading for an in-depth tour of this family hub and ideas for incorporating an island into your own home.
The Island Takes Center Stage
In many kitchens, an island provides supplemental counter space or room for barstool seating. However in this kitchen, the enormous island commands attention and clearly serves as the main workspace and dining spot.
Measuring a generous 10 feet long and 4 feet wide, the island offers acres of granite countertop space. The overhang accommodates six counter stools for casual meals and gatherings. Custom cabinetry underneath provides a smart mix of storage options. Drawers of varying sizes store cooking tools, silverware, towels, and more. Deep cabinets with roll-out shelves corral small appliances and larger pots. Open shelving displays pretty serving pieces.
To give the island architectural interest, the base cabinets were designed with extra tall legs fitted with decorative corbels. This gives it the alluring look of furniture rather than a built-in. The absence of cabinets on one end keeps it from appearing too bulky. Stylish light pendants hang above the island, amplifying the drama.
By shaping the island as the room’s key component, the kitchen becomes less about individual workstations and more about community. Friends and family naturally gravitate to the inviting island to keep the cook company, have a snack, or get homework done, while seamlessly interacting with the rest of the household.
Luxury Finishes Elevate the Space
From gleaming granite countertops to top-of-the-line appliances, high-end finishes abound in this kitchen, giving it a luxurious, furniture-like feel. The granite waterfall edge on the island is a particularly gorgeous feature, with its rich brown veins and organic shape. Full-height stone backsplashes behind the ranges lend a sense of opulence.
The cabinetry interiors match the granite with a mocha stain, tying everything together beautifully. Soft-closing drawers, adjustable shelves, and rubberized wire inserts keep the contents organized. Stainless appliances and fixtures coordinate seamlessly and resist fingerprints.
Pendant lights over the island and recessed can lighting provide task and ambient illumination, while pretty glass chandeliers over the sink brighten the view. There’s nothing utilitarian about this kitchen! Thoughtful details like crown molding, panelized appliances, and granite niches make it feel more like a home than a work zone.
Practical Layout Defines Work Areas
While aesthetics take center stage in this gorgeous kitchen, the layout and functionality also shine. The workhorse appliances were thoughtfully placed for an efficient triangular workflow.
The sizable island stands within equal distance from the refrigerator, ranges, and ovens, minimizing steps between stations. The farmhouse sink looks directly out the window, perfect for multitasking while enjoying the view. Upper cabinets flank the sink, providing easy access to glassware.
On the opposite end, the clean-up zone keeps the mess contained. The second sink, dishwasher, trash and recycling bins, and walk-in pantry are all conveniently grouped together. The adjacent prep sink even features a handy pull-down faucet to make filling pots easier.
By positioning the work areas near entries yet slightly out of traffic flow, the kitchen allows bustling activity with minimal congestion. Ample counters and cabinets in each area provide essential landing space, while the huge island takes on the brunt of meal prep and dining. The layout allows multiple family members to work simultaneously without excessive crowding.
Q&A About Incorporating a Spacious Island
Islands can make a kitchen more spacious, streamlined, and family-friendly. If you’re considering adding one to your home, keep these tips in mind:
How large should a kitchen island be?
Kitchen islands commonly range from 4 to 10 feet long. Allow a minimum clearance of 3 feet around all sides for traffic flow. Consider how you’ll use the island before determining size. Ample landing space is key, even if you won’t need seating.
What is the best shape for a kitchen island?
Rectangular islands maximize usable counter space while keeping a streamlined look. For contrast, consider tapered or curved ends. An L-shape provides extra seating and surface area. Avoid overly ornate shapes that impede traffic flow.
What is the proper layout for a kitchen island?
Ideally, situate the island equidistant from primary appliances, 15 to 25 inches from adjacent cabinets. Allow enough clearance for walking paths and chair pulling. Positioning it near entries without blocking flow allows easy access.
What storage works best for kitchen islands?
A mix of drawers, shelves, and cabinets customizes storage. Deep drawers suit pots and pans. Shallow drawers work for utensils and cutlery. Open shelving looks pretty holding serving pieces. Enclosed cabinets hide small appliances and pantry items.
How much overhang should countertops have?
An overhang of 10 to 16 inches on each side comfortably accommodates seating. Allow a minimum of 6 inches for leaning space and chair clearance. The overhang shouldn’t exceed 50% of the island’s depth.
What size and height should kitchen island stools be?
Allow 24 to 26 inches of counter overhang for seating. Barstools typically have seats 10 to 12 inches wide. Standard stool seat heights range from 24 to 28 inches. Consider adjustable-height stools to accommodate all ages.
Final Thoughts on Large Islands
Choosing an appropriately scaled island transforms a kitchen into the ultimate family gathering zone. When designed thoughtfully, it can improve workflow, storage, and seating without dominating the room. Excess space on the island provides a landing spot for meal prep and serving, while barstool seating invites casual dining and together time.
This featured kitchen takes the island concept to the extreme with its expansive dimensions and gorgeous finishes. Yet it still feels elegant thanks to smartly edited storage and avoidance of ornamentation. For most homes, a moderately sized island with room to walk around it provides the utility needed for a family kitchen. Focus on how you cook, eat, and live when determining the right island design for your household.
With its combination of beauty, function and style, this week’s kitchen island truly earns its place as the anchoring focal point. We hope this kitchen provides inspiration for gathering loved ones together in the heart of your home.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kitchen Islands
Kitchen islands are popular for good reason – they can add function and beauty to a kitchen design. Here are answers to some common questions about incorporating an island:
How much space do you need for a kitchen island?
Ideally allow a minimum of 36-42 inches around all sides of the island for traffic flow. Islands for prep only can be slimmer (25-30” wide), while dining islands should be 40-42” wide.
What is the best material for a kitchen island countertop?
Popular options include granite, quartz, marble, wood, laminate, and butcher block. Consider durability, maintenance, and staining. Granite is extremely durable and stain-resistant. Butcher block wears well but requires sealing.
Should kitchen island stools match cabinets?
Not necessarily. Bar stools in a contrasting style, finish, or upholstery add interest. Just be sure the island has decorative details to tie everything together. Accent colors in the stools can enhance the whole color scheme.
How do you decorate a large kitchen island?
Focus on functionality first, then add pretty yet practical details like pendant lighting, wine racks, built-in cutting boards, custom hardware, or open shelving. Leave enough open surface for meal prep and serving.
What size should a kitchen island be?
Islands range from 4-10 feet long and 28-42 inches deep. Allow 3 feet clearance on all sides. Prioritize function – landing space, cooking prep, entertaining. Don’t oversize an island or it will dominate the kitchen.
Should kitchen islands be centered?
Not always. Off-centered islands can create better flow near entries and work areas. Just be sure adequate clearance remains. An asymmetrical position can also feel less formal.
How much seating should a kitchen island have?
Allow 24-26 inches per stool with an overhang of at least 12 inches. While large islands can accommodate 4-6 stools, 2-4 is sufficient for most needs. Focus first on landing space and storage.
Should you put your fridge or sink in an island?
This works well only in very large kitchens. Plumbing and electrical requirements make appliances expensive to add. An island sink should have a dishwasher nearby. Refrigerators need ample surrounding space.
What are the best colors for a kitchen island?
Neutrals like white, black, and wood tones are popular. But consider pops of color for contrast, like navy blue or green cabinets with white quartz. Just be sure the island color complements the overall scheme.
Conclusion
A thoughtfully designed kitchen island can truly become the command center and heart of a home. With ample landing space, storage solutions, and seating capacity, the island provides far more than extra countertop – it offers a place for family and friends to connect. Keep traffic flow, layout, and functionality in mind when incorporating an island. Focus on durable surfaces and easy-access storage to maximize utility. Then have fun personalizing with decorative lighting, hardware, or open shelving suited to your style. Most importantly, let your island reflect how your household gathers, cooks, and lives.
