IS A KITCHEN ISLAND BENCH REALLY A GOOD IDEA?
If you are considering re-modelling your kitchen, there are lots of different layouts you can choose, one of which is an island kitchen design. These have become very popular with home owners and renovators, particularly with the makeover reality shows on TV (think of The Block) and they can be the ideal solution for lots of reasons.
On the other hand, an island might not be the best option for your kitchen for a variety of very good reasons. So to help you make the right decision for your new kitchen makeover, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of an island kitchen design.
Pros of an island kitchen design
A large island bench is ideal for entertaining guests, because you can easily layout all of your appetisers on its surface and everyone can mingle in the kitchen. It can also double as a breakfast bar for your family and is a great spot for on-the-go-meals, casual dining and quick snacks. An island bench also gives you a lot more surface area for food preparation, especially if more than one person likes to cook at the same time.
Not forgetting all of the additional storage that an island bench provides in your kitchen, which can be a huge bonus if you already have lots of appliances cluttering your bench tops. It will also give you another option for locating your sink or even your stove and you can add a bar fridge and dishwasher underneath as well.
Cons of an island kitchen design
For an island kitchen layout to really work, you need an open plan layout with lots of room. In some homes an island bench is simply impractical, because of the space limitations, causing everyone to bump into one another and leaving not enough room to open the fridge, oven or dishwasher doors.
Another problem with an island bench is the additional cost of the labour, materials and the installation. As you can imagine, having to run water, electricity and gas lines to an island bench will cost more money and cause more mess in your kitchen, and you will need to replace part of the flooring as well. However, if you don’t need utilities to be installed in your island bench, the costs and time to completion will be significantly lower, making it a viable option for people on a limited budget.
In the end however, you cannot deny that an island kitchen design can look absolutely stunning, and is a very cost effective way to improve your lifestyle and increase the value of your home.
If you are ready to makeover your kitchen, call us on 07 5464 1206 or complete our Contact Us page.