Where Can I Get A Kitchen Island?

Kitchen islands are all the rage these days! For the past twenty-plus years that we’ve been designing and fitting quality fitted kitchens in Burnley, Rossendale, we’ve seen the number of people who request a kitchen island rise dramatically in recent years.

From once being the preserve of the rich and posh, kitchen islands are now a standard feature of most modern fitted kitchens and can provide you with much needed additional space and functionality in your new kitchen. And whilst most people still tend to think that you need to have a massive kitchen in order to fit a kitchen island in, the truth is that even smaller kitchens can often still find a way of squeezing an island in and maximising the useable work space. 

So what are the rules of having a kitchen island fitted, and can you have an island even in a small kitchen? He’s our handy guide to kitchen islands to answer all your questions for you.

Think About The Space

As kitchen designers, there are some simple, basic rules that we have to follow to make sure the kitchen you end up with will provide a good, workable space. Because of that, there are a set of standard measurements that determine things like how far from your kitchen worktops your island needs to be and how much space it needs to allow you to navigate around it, and these will then determine where an island can go and how big it can be. As a general guideline, you need approximately 1 metre of clearance space between your kitchen island and your worktops, so the size of the island you end up with will be determined by the amount of space you require around the outside.

Many people often think that an island needs to go smack bang in the middle of the kitchen, but that is not always the case. If you have a large room to work with, it may be impractical to fill up the middle space and still have the kitchen island close enough to the exterior worktops to provide a useful space. In this instance, it may prove a better use of space to locate the island slightly to one side of the room rather than in the centre, and maybe use one side for a different purpose instead, such as a breakfast bar?

Think About The Purpose

This matter of purpose is another determining factor in whether or not you will be able to have a kitchen island and where it should be located. What will you be using your island for? And where will it then need to be positioned in relation to your cooker and sink?

For example, if the island will be providing your primary work space for cooking, then it needs to be located near to your cooker, and vice versa and needs to be big enough to provide sufficient space. On the other hand, if your island will be housing your hob or even your sink, then you need to consider the ‘golden triangle’ of kitchen design – the holy trinity between workspace, cooker and kitchen sink – and locate your island accordingly. Again, in this instance, the size of the island will be determined by what it needs to contain or house.

Obviously, if you’ve got a large kitchen with oodles of space, then the only limit on the size and use of your island will be your own imagination; however, if you’re working with a small kitchen with limited space, then you may need to consider some alternatives, or get creative with your ideas.

Think About Alternatives

If you really don’t think that you’re going to have enough room in your small kitchen to fit in a kitchen island then fear not, there are a couple of alternatives that you could consider.

One quick and easy way of replicating a small kitchen island is with a Butcher’s Block. Butcher’s Blocks are really useful little pieces of kitchen equipment, which not only provide you with additional work space but also supply extra storage space – particularly useful in a small kitchen.

Admittedly, a good Butcher’s Block may set you back a few more quid extra than having an island fitted whilst the workmen are at it, although you can find cheaper versions if you hunt around a bit, or why not go vintage and purchase a second hand one, to add authenticity to a period kitchen? Alternatively, if a Butcher’s Block really is out of your price range, then why not try a wheeled kitchen trolley instead, which will serve the same purpose but can be easily moved out of the way or tucked under a worktop alcove?

One further alternative option for smaller kitchens might be a kitchen peninsula instead of a kitchen island. Here, instead of being a completely isolated kitchen unit, a kitchen peninsula is attached at one end. As peninsulas take up less floor space and require less clearance room, they are the perfect solution for compact kitchens yet still offer the extra functionality you need, such as providing a breakfast bar or additional storage space.

Get In Touch

So, no matter what size of kitchen you have, whether you have a huge farmhouse kitchen or a tiny galley kitchen, there is usually always one way or another of getting a kitchen island into your new fitted kitchen.

PD Designs have been designing and fitting the highest quality kitchen islands for over 20 years now, so our experts can find the perfect kitchen island solution for you regardless of the size and shape of your kitchen. If you’d like to find out more, then please do get in touch with us in any of the usual ways; you can email us at sales@pd-designs.com, phone us on 01282 602222, or complete the contact form on the website and one of the team will get back to you ASAP.