Do you have an island in your kitchen? I have a question for you...

[TimeforMe]

We are totally gutting and remodeling our kitchen, which involves taking out walls, a new floor, new appliances....the works. Now, my question is this: we had planned to put an island in the kitchen (the kitchen will "flow" into the dining room) and lots of cabinets and counterspace. Because of the size and shape of the kitchen, the island will have to go in vertically, which means it will be facing cabinets on either side and not another room nor open space. Is this weird? Does anyone have an island situated like this? I really, really want to do it, but am afraid it will look strange. I had a design drawn up and on paper it looks nice, but I can't recall if I've ever seen another like it. Anyone else?

 

[montessori]

Is it a galley kitchen? We totally remodeled ours last winter, my daughter and I pretty much designed it all ourselves. It's hard to picture what you mean but I would think if it looks good on paper, it'll look good. I'm sure you have done your homework, as far as how much space is needed around the island etc.... I had so many magazines and folders full of ideas, it was nuts. I am glad I took my time though, I changed my mind many times and would not be happy with some of the first ideas I had.
One favorite tip, we have almost all drawers, as opposed to cabinets. The look is nice and I think the storage is better.
Good luck! It's a big job but it's worth it!

 

[Kermit]

Ours just has drawers and cabinets on one side (it's not really very big, just about 2-1/2 feet by 4 or 5 feet I'd guess), and they face the kitchen cabinets. Basically, the kitchen counter is shaped like a big U, but the flat part in the middle is very long and the sides are shorter. The drawers and cabinets in the island face the middle part of the U. Does that make sense?

I think it will look fine as long as there is room for it, and you'll really like having it there. I have big counters and lots of storage, so I don't really "need" mine, but I use it all the time. It's just so nice to have a totally clear area with nothing on it or even above it.

Our island was in the kitchen already when we got it. If I were building a house or remodeling a kitchen, I'd add electric outlets to the island. It's okay without it, since I just use the mixer or whatever on the counter and then move my stuff to the island, but I'd like it with power even more.

 

[lilboo]

I had to read this twice to understand-

when you say "vertically"-you mean that the kitchen itself is-in plan view-longer than it is wide and that this island will conform to that general configuration. The "short" end of the island faces the "open end" of the kitchen. In other words, from the dining area you will be seeing the shorter end (the end without shelves or cabs)of the island. Is that it?

It's difficult to give an opinion without really knowing the space and various other details but-in general, I have seen many configurations such as the one you are planning. It is almost preferable-it will aid in the "flow", also the view in from the dining room will be "cleaner"(ie, you won't have to look at the "busy" patterns of cab configurations)...

Do you have any CAD drawings or sketches you could link or post?

Kitchen rehabs can be fun, though. Let us know how it's going and esp. what new APPLIANCES you're getting...

 

[amid chaos]

get a refridgerator box from your appliance store and place it where you anticipate the island going. Live with it for awhile and see if you like it.

 

[janette]

We have one that is between the cabinets but the cook top is on it. I like it okay, I don't like the cook top because it's older and I really want a smooth one but don't mind the island being there.

 

[Gail T AGAIN]

I have an island that seperates the kirchen and dining room. It is 6 feet long, has cabinets on the side facing the kitchen and just plain wood facing the dining room. I love my divider, just gives me more cabinet space for appliances, I don't leave anything on my counters.

 

[AZKathy]

I am having a hard time visualizing this. We have an island and I think it is what you are describing.

Looking at my kitchen from the family room, the left side wall starts with a built in desk, pantry, refridgerator, and counter space. Turn corner....next wall facing you. Entry way to dining room, oven/stove/microwave and counter space. turn corner...next wall on right. Counter space, sink, more counter space. The island runs parallel to the right and left walls and is around 7 feet in length. It looks fine

There is a home just like ours for sale and it has a virtual tour. I will try to link you, but if it does not link, go to www.longrealty.com and pull up MLS # 2219921 and check out it's virtual tour of the kitchen and family room. Here is a link...hopefully :VIRTUAL TOUR

okay. the link did not work, but you can find it with going to the longrealty site. It did link with that!!! Sorry! Not good with these links!

 

[Micca]

We have an island in the kitchen. One side faces the sink and cabinets, the other side has a view through the doors to the dining room. Our island mostly gets used to set junk on when we come in through the back door

 

[faith]

Ours is just as GailT describes hers. It seems to accumalate clutter and I am constantly putting DH's stuff where it belongs.
Cupboards are up above, but only show from the kitchen side. Atleast the island gives some feeling of openess between the kitchen and dining room. I am pretty sure Lowes and Home Depot will help you design your kitchen. Give them a call.

 

[TimeforMe]

You guys are the best! So many good ideas.....

AZKathy: I went to the website and the kitchen is VERY close to our design and I really liked the look! I don't know how long your island is, but ours will be 9'. Is that comparable?

A few more details I forgot to mention is that the island will hold our sink (which will be a double) and the dishwasher. We had Home Depot come and measure and then met with the design specialist so I know the measurements are doable.

lilibo: Unfortunately, I don't know how to scan so I can't show you guys. As for appliances, that is another story....I haven't even attempted to research that yet. We will keep our fridge, but will need a new stove, microwave and dishwasher. Any suggestions?

Kermit: Thanks for the tip about electrical outlets! What a great idea and I will definitely put in my request for it.

I also like the drawer idea. In fact, I think that's what the plans actually call for.

Thanks again for all your great ideas--they really helped.

 

[AZKathy]

Our island is around 7 feet long. Sounds like your kitchen will be lovely!!!

I don't know what kind of sink you are getting or counter tops, but we did corian and did a corian sink, so there are no edges (covering the tub and counter top connections which are usually metal) around the sink for gunkies to get in; the corian travels right into the sink. It is nice! The only thing you have to be careful of with corian is not to put hot pots directly on the counter.

Definately electrical sockets! With the dishwasher going in, there should be no problem with adding them. Put one on each side of the island so you are not stuck with one side for electricity.

Get you scanner going and share pictures!!!!!

 

[one_cat]

Our kitchen has an island with cabinets and drawers just on one side. The island is rectangular and fits vertically in the kitchen. I think it's the same as what you are talking about. We always get comments about how much people love our kitchen.

 

[tedsmom]

A couple of years ago, I was having a surprise 40th birthday party for the husband of a friend of mine at my house. She bought him a 27 inch TV, which came in a fairly good-sized box...probably 3 feet square.

Well, the thing weighed a ton, so once we got it into my house, it wound up in the kitchen in the middle of the floor(sort of where an island would be) where it stayed, because it was too darn heavy to move any further!

Let me tell you, I spent the next 2 days walking around that darn thing, which made me realize that I did not want to add an island to my kitchen, which was something that I had been casually considering.

Whoever made the suggestion about the refrigerator box had a very good idea. Get one, and place it where your island would be placed, and live with it for a few days to see if it works.

 

[TimeforMe]

I am really leaning towards corian countertops, although they are more than twice as much as laminate. I think they look so much richer, though. We probably won't do the corian sink (although believe me, I would LOVE to) only because it is so expensive. The sink I picked out is ceramic and has a vegetable washer (at least that's what I would use it for) on one side. Haven't decided on fixtures yet.

As far as putting a box in the middle of the kitchen, that is exactly where we've had our kitchen set for the past 17 years, without ONE piece of counter space and only 3 small cabinets that I had to stand on a chair to reach. Did our kitchen need remodeling or what? Anyway, I totally won't mind having to walk around it; especially with all my new counters and cabinets.

The project itself is not even started yet as we are renovating the whole house and the kitchen will be the last to be done. We added a dining room downstairs and another bedroom above it. We had the construction done by a builder, but are doing the inside work ourselves. Yikes!!! DH and DB have finished wiring and are now working on the heating (took out all the old radiators). Once that is done, sheetrocking can begin. We also resided the entire house and it looks so beautiful. Like a new house!

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions.....more are welcome!

 

[tar heel]

Our island is situated like you're describing, and we like it. Because our kitchen is big, it would be very inconvenient to not be able to reach a counter (i.e. the island) from the refrigerator, the store, the sink, the dishwasher. There is more floor space on the refrigerator side than the stove side. One thing we did is have the top of the island hang over on that side so you can put stools there -- I'm glad we did that but wish we had also had it to extend on the family room side. We DO have a problem with the island catching lots of junk, though -- it needs cleaning off right now. It also is a fantastic place to fold laundry.

If you look at our kitchen from the family room (very open) beginning at the lefthand side, there's a cabinet pantry, followed by a built-in desk (I wouldn't do this again, incidentally), then the refrigerator, then a little hallway (for lack of a better term) leading to the dining room. In that little hallway are more cabinets that our builder called a butler's pantry (a stretch IMO) plus another regular pantry. At this point you turn the corner, passing the doorway leading to the garage, laundry and tiny mudroom, the next wall has cabinets and the dishwasher ending in a corner sink with double windows. You turn that corner and have more cabinets and the stove, then past the island, a bay window and breakfast area.

 

[Tony-NJ]

We just remodeled our kitchen. The kitcjen it'self is not that big and opens up into what the previous owners used as a dining room. Well we build an islane in that divider with cabinets on each side. We also built a pantry closet on the other side facing the dining area. It looks gtreat. And we needed the cabinet space. But we're NOT using the dining area as our "dining room" if that makes sence. We're making a formal dining room off the kitchen.

Good luck! It will all be worth it when your done.