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Kitchen Cabinet Islands
Kitchen Cabinet Island Benefits and Design
Considerations
By: Mark J. Donovan
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Kitchen cabinet islands address two
of the biggest complaints from homeowners, insufficient kitchen countertop work
space and inadequate kitchen storage space. Besides its two chief benefits, a
kitchen cabinet island also can serve as a divider between the formal kitchen
area and the dining area or even a family room area. In some kitchen designs,
kitchen cabinet islands serve a dual purpose, both as additional kitchen work
space/storage area and as a breakfast bar.
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Even in moderately sized kitchens,
kitchen cabinet islands can be installed. And with today’s readily available
in-stock kitchen cabinets, countertop surfaces, and trim molding, retrofitting
in a kitchen cabinet island is easy to do. One word of caution, however, a
kitchen island should be sized and placed so that two people can easily work in
and around the kitchen area.
Besides offering additional countertop workspace, kitchen cabinet islands can
also include a second sink.
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Alternatively, a new kitchen design
could integrate the stovetop or the main sink into the kitchen cabinet island,
to create the traditional work triangle kitchen floorplan design.
When integrating a stovetop into a kitchen cabinet island an overhead vent or
drawdown vent is necessary. In addition, including a sink in the kitchen cabinet
island also requires the installation of supply and drain lines. Both of these
requirements can create some serious construction and plumbing challenges so it
is important to carefully consider these features first. Inclusion of new
plumbing is of particular concern if your home is on a concrete slab. |
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When selecting kitchen cabinets,
there are a lot of options to choose from. You may want to include kitchen
cabinets with glass panes. Also, you may want to incorporate a wine rack into a
portion of the kitchen cabinet island design. In addition, you may want to
include kitchen cabinets with doors on both the front and back side of the
island. If you plan to include a stovetop in the kitchen island, make sure to
incorporate large pull out drawers for holding pots and pans. |
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Finally, make sure to include in your kitchen cabinet island design additional
workspace lighting. Without proper lighting over the kitchen island the area
will be less inviting and functional.
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Related information on Kitchen Remodeling and Kitchen
Renovation Design Ideas
Additional Kitchen Makeover Design Resources
Kitchen Faucets and Appliances from Amazon.com
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