Islands to Treasure Everyone wants an island of her own these days! This popular kitchen asset continues to be the single most in demand feature consumers want. Architects and home designers have advanced the island idea by creating more open home designs with great room floor plans in which an island often functions as an effective way to define spaces within the larger environment. Remodelers regularly report that the home owner’s wish list for a new kitchen usually includes an island. An island that functions as an eating bar creates a natural place for family and friends to gather – a center for casual entertaining. There is no doubt that an island layout
can be a step saving one. A roll-around cart with a durable work surface or an elaborate and permanent multi-tasking center – whatever your island dreams, space planning is critical! Compare your available floor space to these critical dimensions. We recommend sketching your plan as you measure. Don’t be concerned about drawing your room to scale. See our sketch below. Your
Floor To Ceiling® designer will do this using a computer program. Your sketch will help you determine if an island floor plan is feasible for your new kitchen. Refer to the
Floor To Ceiling® Dimensional Reference Guide for additional information.
- Measure your kitchen’s length from wall to wall. Measure the width, also from wall to wall. Draw the wall shapes and indicate the measurements on your sketch.
- Measure 25” out from each wall where cabinets are or will be placed. Indicate this 25” dimension with a line wherever base cabinets will be placed. (24” base cabinet depth, plus 1” counter top edge overhang.)
- Determine the dimension between these lines wherever they are opposite one another or from a cabinet line to an opposing wall. This dimension indicates the total available floor space. (Note these dimensions on your sketch for both width and length of the entire room.)
- Deduct a minimum of 39” (42” is recommended) from the total available floor space dimension. Deduct 39” from this dimension a second time. (These two 39” spans represent the minimum adequate walkway needed on each side of an island. Also, deduct the 39” dimension if there would be an opposing wall or another obstacle on the other dimension. Now you have determined both available length and depth for an island.
- How large can your island be? 26” is considered minimum depth. (A 24” deep base cabinet with a 1” counter top overhang on each side.) You must be able to deduct 26” from one available dimension you have determined for the maximum island depth.
- The possible length of your island is determined by the available floor space in the opposite direction. Let us say the dimension you determined is 56”. An island of 54” plus 1” countertop overhang on each side would be the maximum island length.
