Written by Sophie Clemson

This is a big question that comes up often when we help customers with their open plan kitchens. When our customers come to us for design support, they usually have kitchen plans from their kitchen designer. However, they would like us to take a look to see if there's anything we would change from an interior designer's point of view. Questions that usually come up are: Should I have a kitchen island? Is the kitchen island too big? Is it too small? Should I put the sink or hob on the island? 

I’m sharing a few key points that you should consider before you commit to a kitchen island to help you avoid making any costly design mistakes. 

1. Is a kitchen island actually going to fit in the space?

2. Don’t go too large with your kitchen island 

3. Is a kitchen island going to be beneficial for storage? 

4. Sink, hob, or worktop space?

Is a kitchen island actually going to fit in the space?

A kitchen island can be a wonderful addition to your open plan kitchen. An island can be practical, especially for family homes where you need multiple work surfaces or seating areas, and they can, of course, look beautiful too. 

However, you need to consider whether it's actually going to work in your space. It can be quite deceiving when you’re designing an open plan room and have architect plans that you’re going to have lots of space to play with, but your open plan room most likely needs to work as a kitchen, dining room, living area, and even a space to work from home. It has a lot to live up to, and your new, beautiful open plan space can quickly become quite cramped. 

This is why planning the layout of the whole room is so important. We recommend exploring various layout options and making a list of non-negotiables in the early stages so that your open plan kitchen is going to work for the whole family. 

For example, we are working with a lovely family at the moment, and within the inspiration stage of their project, we’ve designed seven different layout options for them to see what's going to get the most out of the space and work for them. 

Here are a few of the layout options we’ve shared with our customer to see which layout they prefer. They are working with a kitchen designer and wanted our help to confirm whether an island is going to work best with the rest of the space that we are designing. As you can see, there are often multiple ways you can design the layout, so spending time figuring out what’s best in the early stages is crucial to making sure you get it right. 

Don’t go too large with your kitchen island 

If you’re going ahead with a kitchen island, one thing to check is that it isn't going to be too large. We’ve seen it many times where the island takes over the rest of the kitchen, creating a corridor effect between the island and other units. When an island is too large, it can mean you have a long way to walk from one side of the kitchen to the other, and it's very unlikely you’re going to hurdle over it! You want to ensure the island isn’t going to be a large block in the middle of the room. 

When speaking to our customers who have already installed their kitchen island, they often say it’s a lot bigger than they thought it would be, and this is something they would change if they could. If you’re wanting to have a separate seating area with a dining table in your open plan kitchen, then you may want to go smaller on the island to accommodate a table. This is where budget also comes into play, as, of course, the bigger the island, the more worktop you’re going to need, especially if you’re opting for a high quality worktop such as quartz.

Is a kitchen island going to be beneficial for storage? 

Yes! Not only are kitchen islands a great place to entertain, cook, and gather your family around, but they also allow for more storage, which is always a great thing for a busy family home. 

When your kitchen designer comes back to you with the plans, really consider the amount and type of storage they’ve included. When it comes to the kitchen island, think about what is going to be practical and what you’re going to need to store away within the island. As lovely as it is to have wine on display, is a wine rack really the most practical type of storage for you, or would a slim pull-out drawer for spices be a more practical option? 

If you’re a minimalist and like everything stored away, then opt for your island to be cupboards or drawers. They are a great place to store plates, pots, pans, spices, and even your children's arts and crafts bits. If you prefer an open look where your kitchen pieces are out on display, then go for an island with open shelves, this can work particularly well in an older property to add character. 

Sink, hob, or worktop space?

How you’re going to use your kitchen island is another design decision you’ll need to make. Do you go for a sink, hob, or keep it simple and use it as a worktop space? With each of these options, there are several things you need to think about. To make it easier, I have listed a few points for each one:

Kitchen island with a sink

• The worktop you choose will need to be suitable for draining grooves, otherwise, you can end up with a pool of water and a messy worktop. This will have to be a certain type of material, which is something to factor into your budget.

• Lighting is really important in any room, especially open plan spaces. Lighting above a kitchen island works beautifully to make a statement and zone the island. Opting for a sink on your island instead of a hob means you should be able to have pendant lights above.

Kitchen island with a hob 

• The kitchen island is a great place for a hob if you love to entertain, as you can chat and face your guests while cooking rather than having your back to everyone. It creates a more sociable space. If your children are doing their homework at the kitchen island, you can help while still getting their dinner sorted.

• If you’re choosing a hob that needs an extractor fan from the ceiling, this means you won’t be able to have any pendant lighting above the kitchen island, which is a shame as it does help anchor it and draw your eye up, giving the feeling of additional height. An extractor fan above the island can be quite distracting and create a block in the room. However, depending on your budget, there are some great cooker hobs now where the extractor fan is integrated.

Kitchen island worktop space

• Having your kitchen island completely free of any appliances can make for a great dining area, especially if the island is going to act as your kitchen table. The whole family will be able to gather around much easier.

• If you’re lacking worktop space for preparing your food, then a clear worktop on your island is a practical choice. It’s also great if you love to bake, you can use it as your baking station to store all your baking goods within the island (think of all the space you’ll have to make some yummy treats!). 

If you’re wanting to make changes to your home, take a look at our affordable online interior design packages to give you all the help you need. Whether you’re considering a full redesign or a refresh, we can take the stress away, and give you the confidence to move forward. We can work to any budget large or small, saving you money along the way and ensuring you get the results you want and expect!

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