Trend Alert: Long Kitchen Islands

Designing kitchens is one of the fun aspects of my job as an interior designer! There is so much problem solving that goes into creating the right kitchen layout for a client to ensure it fits with their lifestyle. A practical space makes life so much easier for families, and it’s a joy to watch their dream kitchen come true. One aspect of kitchen design that is being requested more than ever are Long Kitchen Islands! If you love having a large area to prepare food or adding hidden storage into your home, you’ll want to know everything about this Trend Alert! Let’s take a closer look!

Why we love it!

We love long kitchen islands because they become the main focal point in the space and help to create a more social environment. Not only that, they provide an excellent opportunity for adding extra cabinet space that is hidden from view. This can be hugely beneficial for families that require more storage! Long kitchen islands also help to make the kitchen a real “hub” in the home, offering a wide range of uses for the space.

From a size perspective, a typical kitchen island is roughly 80 inches long, while a long kitchen island can span as much as 108 inches! (96 inches long is the sweet spot for seating 4 people comfortably on one side.)

How to use it. 

If you are already considering a kitchen island for your home, then it’s relatively straight forward to use a long one! However it does come down to the space available and whether a long kitchen island suits the arrangement. As a general rule of thumb, ensure there is at least 36 inches for kitchen passageways, in cooking areas this should increase to 42 – 48 inches.

What to watch for.

There are some considerations to take into account when thinking of using a long kitchen island in your home…

First – and most importantly – is the space available for your kitchen design! Some homes unfortunately do not lend themselves to having an island, but a peninsula may be the best solution.

There is nothing worse than a kitchen being completely overcrowded with cabinets – and an island! – that simply doesn’t fit.

As mentioned above, it’s really important to ensure you have enough walkway space between cabinets and an island. This will ensure a safe food preparation station.

Ways to make this trend last in your home

A long kitchen island can last a lifetime in your home if planned correctly!

The first step for ensuring your long kitchen island lasts a lifetime, is to get the layout right. This will mean working from the outside walls of the kitchen inwards to see what space is left over in the middle for an island. Make sure you follow the sizing recommendations from further up in this article.

It’s important to consider whether additional storage would be worthwhile. Kitchen islands are great for hiding storage underneath the seating area with push-latch mechanisms.

Having difficulty making a decision on your countertop material? Read our previous post – Kitchen Countertop Materials – for more information!

You might like these kitchen accessories:

(Click on the image to purchase.)