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Kitchen island planning basics

About eight years ago I remodelled my kitchen. It had been a long time coming, but finally all the things I'd been envisioning were going to be a reality. High on my wish list: more storage and more counter space. Adding an island would give me both. I wanted the island to be the centre of activities and to include an overhang for seating and eating

Some kitchens are large enough to add an island without enlarging the room, however, I didn't have that luxury. I knocked down a wall between the then combination dining room/family room - it was L-shaped. This area became an informal eating area/great room; the former family room became the formal dining room.

Before you decide that an island is in your future, consider these planning ideas that I used in building my own kitchen island.

Countertop: We used a solid surface, and wow it's easy clean up! It is great for rolling out cookies or pastry. It's definitely an upgrade that I'm glad I opted for.

Electrical outlets: Install one on each end. I recommend at least one outlet for appliances, such as a mixer, you might want to use in the island area. (I actually plug my laptop in at the island when I want to work in the kitchen.) As long as you are running electricity to the island for one outlet, it wouldn't take that much longer to install two.

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