What was your island designed to do?

As a designer there is no greater feeling than a homeowner using and loving their new kitchen that you helped create… your collective vision came to life… but the worst feeling is a lovely kitchen that is not user-friendly and does not function to its fullest potential.

Islands can be used for so many functions in the kitchen… as stand alone activities or as the hub of the entire kitchen… Some of these activities are:

to house appliances of all kinds

prepping and clean up zones

cooking zones

storage… lots of storage

eating – entertainment zones

and other various zone combinations.

To plan your perfect island in your kitchen consider the following:

1. Space: Make sure you have enough space to properly use the island & function in your kitchen. Make sure your work zones and walkways are space sufficient.

2. Style: The island is a wonderful place to add that “pop of color”, add a different door style to create a furniture feel or that unique “design element” you have been wanting to incorporate into your home.

3. Budget: The wonderful thing about islands is that they can be very economical… a few cabinets and / or table legs and you have a wonderful work space – eating space in one.

2. Make sure your designer adheres to NKBA’s Kitchen Planning Guidelines to help you create a safe, effective and efficient space. These guidelines address space planning, appliance placement, seating and much more.

The Stack is Back

Over the past few years stacking cabinetry has been making a comeback…

The trend toward smaller spaces, utilizing wasted space and designing with the future in mind are some of the reasons for Cabinet Stacking.

It’s a wonderful way to showcase your favorite items and store items you don’t utilize daily ….

and bring much-needed accent lighting into your kitchen or other spaces….

Seasonal items or annual decorations need no longer to go to “storage” with the assistance of organizational planning from your designer. Design your space for yearly use and not just for the season that you are in while the designing, building or remodeling is occurring.