If you are a new homeowner, there are probably things around the house you want to remodel. The room most people remodel when they purchase a new home is the kitchen. The previous homeowner might not have spent much time in the kitchen, or they could be an elderly couple that has owned the house for 20 years. In both cases the kitchen will probably not be what you have in mind as a functional cooking space. There are a lot of things to consider while remodeling the kitchen, tile, flooring and cabinetry.
Most cooks never have enough counter space for prep, cooking let alone a place to put all their kitchen appliances. A great way to expand your cooking area is to build an island. Having a kitchen island can also be a place where your guests hang out while you cook. Placing snacks out while you cook can keep you involved with the guests while you are preparing their meal. While you are designing your kitchen island, determine what you will be using it for. You may want to use the island to store your cooking equipment like a toaster, food processor or microwave.
You should build your island with the size of the kitchen in mind. If you have a smaller kitchen a huge island would actually decrease the function of the kitchen, as you will be knocking into it when you do anything. Measure your kitchens open space and find the center. Make sure that there is enough room for you to get around it while you are cooking and cleaning dishes. Another huge thing to think about is the appliances. Measure how far your dishwasher, oven and cabinets opens up so that you have enough room to open them and still get around them in the kitchen. You want to make sure that when your doing the dishes, you can still get around the door when putting those dishes away.
Your island can also include storage, which is reason enough to incorporate one into your kitchen. Having extra space for pots and pans, board games, even building a bookshelf to house your cookbooks is a great way to utilize the space the island creates. You can also hang a pot rack on top of the island, as you will not have to worry about bumping your head on the pans. You can also build a wine rack in the cabinetry to house your wines that do not need refrigeration. The wine will be out of direct sunlight and should keep it at a decent temperature.
For todays busy moms and dads having an island with barstools on one side, can be used as a table for the kids. Having a place to park your kids while you are busy cooking is a great use for the island. They can eat their lunch and do their homework at the island and you can keep tabs on them while you are cooking dinner. Having a lip on the island that the barstools can go beneath with plenty of room for your knees and thighs is crucial when designing this functionality.
Consider the equipment you will want to incorporate in the island. If you add a sink or a dishwasher you will need to have plumbing and for blenders, food processors and phone charges you will want to have electrical outlets. You may even need cutouts and electrical sockets for a wine fridge or a small microwave. Keep all this in mind when designing your island.
An important part of your kitchen island is the surface of the counters. Having a beautiful granite countertop that match or compliments your other kitchen counters is important so the whole design flows. Since all granite countertops are slightly different, it will not matter if it is not an exact match. The cabinets should be the same as the kitchen cabinets and you should choose a sink that looks like the main sink to give it a more cohesive look.
Once you design your perfect island for your kitchen, you can build it yourself or if there is plumbing and electrical involved you can hire someone to build it for you. More and more kitchens are built with a kitchen island, as it is essential for the way our families gather together to cook and eat. You want to have enough room for other people to jump in when the mood strikes them to help you prepare dinner. Once you have your island you will wonder how you ever lived without one. Having a beautifully crafted, well-designed kitchen island is every home cooks dream. Utilize these different tips and tricks to build that perfect kitchen island for your home. You will be cooking up a great feast for your family and friends in no time.