Kitchen Islands & Countertops | Install an Island to Add Value
If you’ve got a big open space in your kitchen’s floor plan, it’s probably screaming for a better use. Kitchen islands provide great storage options and additional countertop space without disrupting the flow of the room. An island allows you to add work space opposite key appliances (e.g., the stove and/or sink), and even place appliances or plumbing in the island as opposed to the wall-mounted cabinets.
Islands are very simple to install, and can be placed on top of most existing flooring. If you don’t want to run electric or plumbing to the island (e.g., the island is used only for storage and countertop space), installation is simple and can be performed in just a few days. You should check with a licensed contractor in your area to determine if the code allows an island to be built without electrical connectivity (this could be size dependent). You can find such a contractor using a service like ServiceMagic.
Where to Place an Island in a Kitchen
The key to good island placement is to make it work with the rest of the components in the room. The building codes in many areas will specify the space between the wall cabinets and the island (usually 36-42 inches). Think about how you want hosts and guests to interact with the island. Will it serve as a breakfast bar in addition to a work space? If so, you might consider a two-tiered design. This is nice because the rise facing the work side of the countertop can be used for electric. Adding a sink allows you to work on dishes or cooking activities while facing guests.
Or…the Island Can Host All the Appliances
If you don’t anticipate having guests use the island, or you have limited wall space (for instance, in a lake property with a lot of windows), you can use the island to house almost all the appliances (the refrigerator can be a challenge). Take a look at this modern european kitchen island that serves as the chef’s command center…
Do Kitchen Islands Add Value to a House?
While islands won’t add appraised value to the house on their own, as part of a kitchen upgrade, they certainly do. Plus, they do add to the appeal of your home, and are more likely to attract buyers. Almost every high end house these days features an island in the kitchen, and buyers have come to expect islands in nicer homes.
Basic Steps to Build a Kitchen Island
Step 1: Plan the space for the island (the perimeter footprint). Identify electrical and plumbing entry points from the floor and source for these connections.
Step 2: Select and install base cabinets for the island. For islands with a bar height section, you’ll frame a 2×4 wall to serve as the riser between the lower and upper sections. Both plumbing and electrical can be roughed into this wall if desired. Add corbels (or other L-brackets) under the bar-side to hold up the countertop (the cabinets will support the countertop on the work side). You should plan on an overhang on the bar side of 12-15″ if you plan to have people eat at the bar. Any shorter, and guests will be leaning over to eat (with their knees hitting the wall).
Step 3: Ensure the cabinets are completely level. Decide whether you will subcontract out the countertop installation or do it yourself. For solid surface countertops and natural stone (granite, silestone), we recommend having the countertops professionally installed due to breakage risks. For laminate countertops, or other creative solutions (like granite tile, for instance), you can do it yourself. See our list of countertop materials for some helpful options. Keep in mind that you’ll need to seal porous countertop materials about once a year.
Step 4: Install appliances, sink (if not integrated into the countertop), and final trim pieces (including molding at the base of the cabinets, if necessary, cabinet hardware, faucets, electrical plates, etc).
That’s it! It really is that easy. For installations with no electric or plumbing, installation is exceptionally simple.
What do you think? Does your kitchen have an island? Will you install one in your place?
(photo credits: (1) kitchen island by midtown crossing at turner park; (2) granite bar height by fotographix.ca; (3) modern counter by katielips; (4) island in progress by wyzik; )
Comments & Conversation on this Article...
2 Responses to Kitchen Islands & Countertops | Install an Island to Add Value
September 8th, 2009 4:24 pm
Those examples you showed above are some gorgeous kitchens!
My wife and I have spent the past few months searching for our first house to purchase, and while a kitchen island isn’t an absolute requirement, it can certainly do wonders for what might otherwise be a mediocre kitchen.
We love to cook, and we’re both convinced there’s absolutely no such thing as “too much counter space. I’d be tempted to squeeze in two islands, if I could!
[Reply]
September 23rd, 2009 10:32 am
[...] Kitchen Islands & Countertops | Install an Island to Add Value One Project Closer “If you’ve got a big open space in your kitchen’s floor plan, it’s probably screaming for a better use. Kitchen islands provide great storage options and additional countertop space without disrupting the flow of the room. [...] While islands won’t add appraised value to the house on their own, as part of a kitchen upgrade, they certainly do. Plus, they do add to the appeal of your home, and are more likely to attract buyers. Almost every high end house these days features an island in the kitchen, and buyers have come to expect islands in nicer homes.” [...]