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Kitchen islands are often seen as the ultimate feature in a modern kitchen. It’s easy to see why, they look fantastic, add storage, and make a great social hub. The truth is though, not every kitchen needs an island. In some spaces, they can even cause more frustration than they’re worth.
So, how do you decide if an island is right for you? And what are the alternatives if it’s not?
If you have a large, open-plan kitchen with plenty of room to move around, an island can be a fantastic addition. It can give you extra worktop space for prepping meals, somewhere to gather friends and family, and valuable storage underneath.
Islands often become the heart of the home, perfect for everything from breakfast with the kids to evening drinks with friends. They also offer a brilliant way to incorporate extra features like a second sink, a wine cooler, or even a hob if you like to cook facing out into the room.
They’re also brilliant for zoning an open-plan space, creating a natural separation between the cooking and living areas without the need for walls.
If your kitchen is more compact, squeezing in an island can make the space feel cramped and awkward. Ideally, you want at least a metre of clear walkway around each side of the island; anything less can make it hard to open cupboards, move freely, or have multiple people in the kitchen at once.
Even in bigger kitchens, it's worth asking yourself: Will an island enhance the flow of the space? Or get in the way? If adding an island means constantly dodging around it or bumping into chairs, it might not be the best option.
Luckily, some brilliant alternatives give you many of the benefits of an island without needing as much room.
Start by thinking about how you use your kitchen day-to-day. If you love to entertain, a sociable layout with seating might be a priority. If you’re a keen cook, uninterrupted prep space and accessible storage could be more important.
Good kitchen design is always about finding the best balance between beauty and function, and sometimes, less really is more.
An island can be a fantastic centrepiece for the right kitchen, but it’s not the only way to create a stylish, sociable, and practical space. Whether you go for an island, a peninsula, or something a little more bespoke, the key is to design a kitchen that fits your lifestyle and your home perfectly.
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As a kitchen designer, I love creating a stunning space where life is easy and memories are made! If your kitchen needs upgrading, modernising or a complete renovation, let’s have a conversation and see what you could do with your space.
A new kitchen with a specialist design is more cost-effective than you may think – just get in touch with us today for a free in-store kitchen design consultation and we’ll show you how.
Emma Reed – Kitchen designer – 01792 712000
Kitchens by Emma Reed is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Social Money Ltd t/a Dopple, a company registered in England under company number 08054296, and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and is entered on the Financial Services Register under reference number 675283. Registered with the Information Commissioner's Office under reference number ZA026178.
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