Your kitchen is the center of your home, which means its design should be functional as well as aesthetically pleasing. As a result, you need to be strategic about certain elements you choose to include such as your cabinets, sinks, and of course, your kitchen island shapes.
Choosing to install a kitchen island can be advantageous to your daily chores, preparing meals, and even hosting guests. After reading this blog, you’ll be able to confidently select the kitchen island shape that’s most suitable for you, your family, and your home.
Kitchen Island Shapes
Most often, your island will be the focal point of your kitchen area. That’s why it’s important to work through all of your options before making your final decision.
Whether you have a modern farmhouse or a minimalist-styled kitchen, you’ll be able to find an island that works for you. Below, we’ll review the variety of kitchen island shapes so that you can determine which will fit best into your layout.
Rectangular-Shaped Kitchen Island
Fitting beautifully in most kitchens is the rectangular-shaped island. While they don’t have to be large, these types of islands, allow for more prep room, and storage space.
L-Shaped Kitchen Island
An L-shaped kitchen island only consists of two parts: 1 vertical counter, and 1 horizontal counter. While it may be less complex, these islands are still very functional and have the advantage of going with the flow of your kitchen layout.
T-Shaped Kitchen Island
Rarely used, the T-shaped kitchen island has the ability to be multi-functional. This type also only includes two parts: 1 vertical counter and 1 horizontal counter. The difference between an L-shape and a T-shape is that the vertical counter in the T-shaped design often works as a seating or dining area. This leaves you with a work area separate from where you eat or hang out.
Radius Island
If you’re working with a smaller-sized kitchen, a radius island (half-moon) may be practical. They are guaranteed to give you ample seating space for socializing as well as room for storage and meal prep.
Kitchen Island Sizes
Contrary to popular belief, your kitchen doesn’t have to be large to incorporate an island. There are many beneficial design hacks that will allow you to maximize space if you have a smaller-sized kitchen. However, it’s important to take the entire size of your space into consideration when you’re browsing the different shapes of kitchen islands.
The average kitchen island size is approximately 40 inches deep, or 57 inches deep if you’d like to include counter stools. For height, we recommend your island is 35 ¾” inches tall. This will leave your island standing somewhere between the height of typical kitchen tables and barstools. If you are adding storage under an overhang on an island, you would need a max of 50”-52 in depth.
The next factor you’ll want to consider is the width of your island which will heavily depend on the shape of your island. However, for a traditional rectangular-shaped island, you’ll want it to be about 2 to 3 feet wide. Some islands that have built-in cooktops or sinks will usually be a bit wider and closer to 7 feet.
Finally, you need to think about the space surrounding your island. To implement a comfortable and fluent workflow, we suggest making sure you have about 40-42 inches of space on all sides of the island.
The most important thing to remember is that your island size should be proportionate to the size of your kitchen area. For example, if you have a larger space or want an open living plan, consider installing one large island or two medium-sized islands with a space in between.
On the other hand, if your kitchen area is on the smaller side, maybe purchasing a portable kitchen island will be more practical. Portable islands can be just as functional with shelves and cabinets for storage, plus they come with wheels that allow you to move the island wherever you’d like.
Other Things to Consider When Choosing a Kitchen Island
One of the best things about installing a kitchen island is that they are multi-purpose. After you choose which kitchen island shape you want, you can begin thinking about the accessories that come with it.
For example, many people decide to add cabinets or built-in shelves to their islands. Doing this is a great way to create more storage space but also incorporate some stylistic features that encompass your kitchen theme.
Another way to use your island is by incorporating appliances, sinks, and butcher blocks into the design. All of these additions, and others, can make any preparation in your kitchen run more smoothly.